Scotland is to rejoin two major international education surveys, in a highly significant move announced by first minister Humza Yousaf this afternoon.
The news that Scotland would once again take part in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (Timss) and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (Pirls) came as Mr Yousaf outlined his policy priorities in a speech to the Scottish Parliament this afternoon.
His speech was accompanied by the publication of Equality, opportunity, community: new leadership - a fresh start, a document that outlines the priorities of each cabinet secretary for the rest of the 2021-26 Parliament.
In education, most of the priorities had been outlined before Jenny Gilruth was appointed as education secretary last month. The standout new policy measure is around rejoining Timss and Pirls, 13 years after former education secretary Michael Russell announced in 2010 that Scotland would leave them.
That decision left the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) as the main study allowing international comparisons of Scottish education.
In today’s publication, Ms Gilruth’s commitments include that by 2026 she will have: “Sought to increase the provision of internationally comparable data on Scotland’s education performance by rejoining the Trends in International Mathematics and Science (Timss) and Progress in International Reading Literacy (Pirls) studies.”
Mr Yousaf also highlighted the move during his speech.
Caution over the return to Timss and Pirls
Early online reaction from Scottish educators was positive, and it was pointed out that Timss and Pirls provided not just test results but rich contextual information.
However, EIS teaching union general secretary Andrea Bradley sounded a note of caution.
“In rejoining Timss and Pirls, the challenge for the cabinet secretary will be to avoid the mistakes of the past, where a competitive, data-driven culture has been counter-productive,” she said.
“Indeed, the current reform of the senior phase [of secondary education] is due in large part to the culture of performativity spawned by a limited focus on narrow attainment data as opposed to the real purposes of education.”
Ms Bradley added: “The EIS acknowledges the value of data in supporting progress in learning - whether it is gathered locally, nationally or internationally - used in its proper context to inform learning and to assist educators in improving teaching and learning for all children and young people.
“The EIS is clear, though, that performance data configured as ‘league tables’ does not support informed, rational educational debate in the genuine interests of learners. Rather, experience shows it is often used to treat education as a political football.”
As education secretary, Mr Russell announced in 2010 that, while Scotland would continue in Pisa, the cost of participating in Timss and Pirls could no longer be justified. Recent Timss (2007) and Pirls (2006) reports had highlighted concerns about literacy, maths and science in Scottish schools.
However, since then a dearth of internationally comparative data has often been cited by commentators and political opponents as a problem in Scottish education.
A perceived lack of education data domestically has also been a regular point of concern. In August 2022, for example, a parliamentary report highlighted concerns that Scottish schools’ attempts to recover from the Covid pandemic and close the “poverty-related attainment gap” would be stymied by a lack of data.
