Pupils in England have seen improvements in their science attainment and “high” maths results “maintained”, according to the major international TIMSS study conducted every four years.
Researchers said the results of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) “go against predictions around the continuing negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on pupils’ achievements”.
“Compared to the 2019 TIMSS report, published in 2020, pupils in both year groups maintained high maths scores and improved their science scores.”
Tests were administered in 267 schools in England last year by assessment company Pearson.
1. No change in ‘high’ maths results …
Among year 5 pupils, the country’s maths score fell slightly from 556 in 2019, to 552 this year, but the decrease was “not significant”.
Researchers said the trend in year 5 average mathematics scores was “one of significant improvement between 2003 and 2023”.
Among year 9s, the maths score increased from 515 in 2019, to 525 in 2023.
England’s pupils’ performance in year 9 mathematics “has seen significant improvement between 2003 and 2023, most notably between 2003 and 2007”, the report said.
Internationally, the scores place us…
- Ninth for year 5 maths, down from eighth
- Sixth for year 9 maths, the same as in 2019
2. … and year 9 boost driven by high-attainers
Performance “has been broadly stable since 2007. The 2023 average mathematics score for pupils in England (525) was 10 scale points higher than for 2019, but this increase was not significant.”
However, the “increased range in performance in year 9, to the highest recorded in England in TIMSS, was driven by the scores of higher attaining pupils”.
“Stagnation in performance at the lower end is likely to be disproportionately borne by disadvantaged pupils and that merits further exploration.”
3. Significant science improvement after dip …
In science, there was a significant increase in the score of year 5s, which rose from 537 in 2019 to 556 in 2023.
There was also a significant rise among year 9s, from 517 to 531.
However, this followed a significant decrease from 537 in 2015, and 2023’s score remains below those achieved between 2003 and 2015.
The report acknowledged schools “have been working hard to recover from the pandemic impact on learning”.
Researchers addeed that “organisations such as the Primary Science Teaching Trust and the Primary Science Quality Mark have invested heavily in supporting primary science”.
Internationally, the scores place us…
- Fifth for year 5 science, up from seventh
- Fifth for year 9 science, up from 10th
4. … but make-up of cohort should be investigated
However, there may also have be a “methodological contribution”, such as this cohort having different background characteristics as the year 5s tested in 2019.
“We therefore suggest further work should be done, comparing the sample from TIMSS 2019 to that in TIMSS 2023 in terms of observable characteristics via administrative data.”
The report said explanations for the drop in year 9 performance in 2019 were “not clear at the time”.
“Again, it would be worth comparing sample pupil level data for 2019 and 2023, to see whether, for example, that comparison offers any methodological insight into the 2019 dip.”
5. England ‘fares well’ compared to similar nations
England is placed within a group of countries “whose pupils performed below the highest-performers but significantly above the TIMSS centrepoint in mathematics and science in both years 5 and 9”.
The report said pupils “from a group of mostly East Asian countries – Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russia and Singapore – have consistently outperformed England’s pupils across both mathematics and science”.
But England’s pupils “fared well when compared to their counterparts in other English-speaking countries, as well as when compared to pupils from the representative group of other European countries across subjects and year groups”.
6. Outcome show ‘schools commitment to recovery’ (but could mask struggles of some pupils)
The report said the study’s outcomes, coming in the wake of “considerable” disruption due to the pandemic, were “testament to the enormous efforts invested by schools in recovering from the challenges of the pandemic years”.
The report name-checked the”extensive and sustained work” of the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics and maths hubs, and “comparable work in science”.
“Importantly, though, average performance measures can mask the struggles of particular groups of pupils whose learning has been less resilient over recent years, and there are aspects of concern in the findings that require further exploration.”
Principal investigator Dr Jennie Golding, from the UCL Institute of Education, said: “Given that pupils in this cycle were tested just three years after the pandemic lockdowns started, we expected to see lower scores in England and indeed across most participating countries.
“The fact that pupils in England have maintained and even improved their scores is down to their hard work over the last few years and the determination and dedication of their teachers in supporting learning through prolonged, incredibly difficult circumstances.”
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