The Minister of State for Research and Innovation, Seán Sherlock TD, has welcomed a report examining Irish primary pupils’ progress in maths and science in an international peer study.
The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) provides details of student achievement in maths and science at primary level in 50 countries.
The tests were undertaken by 4th class pupils in 2011.
Irish students scored significantly above the international average in both subjects; they were placed 17th in maths, and 22nd in science.
In maths, Ireland had greater numbers of higher performing pupils and fewer lower performing pupils than average. More than twice the percentage of students in Ireland reached the Advanced International Benchmark (the highest category of performance) in mathematics than was the international norm- 9% in Ireland compared to 4% internationally. Fewer Irish pupils failed to reach the Low International Benchmark than pupils in other countries – 6% in Ireland compared to 10% internationally.
In science, 7% of Irish students reached the Advanced International Benchmark compared to an international average of 5%. At 8%, the percentage of Irish students who did not reach the Low International Benchmark was the same as the international average.
Despite these positive outcomes, students in a number of countries scored significantly better than students in Ireland in both the mathematics and science tests.
Commenting on the results, Minister Sherlock said: "I welcome this information on how Irish students are performing in maths and science.
"We want our students to be among the best in the world, and whilst these results are positive, I acknowledge that there is room for improvement.
"I am committed to supporting maths and science in our schools, and I know that the Department of Education and Skills is carefully considering the report’s findings, with a view to informing future policy and continuing to improve outcomes for all pupils."
ENDS
Notes for Editors
PIRLS stands for Progress in International Reading Literacy Study. It assesses reading achievement among 4th grade (4th class) pupils, and has taken place every five years since 2001. 2011 is the third cycle.
TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) examines mathematics and science achievement among 4th grade (4th class) and 8th grade (2nd year) students. In Ireland, 4th class pupils sit the tests. The study has taken place every four years since 1995. 2011 is the fifth cycle.
Both PIRLS and TIMSS are run under the auspices of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). This is an independent, international cooperative of research institutions and agencies. The studies are co-ordinated from the International Study Centre in Boston College.
2011 was the first year in which the PIRLS and TIMSS study cycles coincided, allowing information on reading, mathematics and science to be collected from the same pupils.
In Ireland, PIRLS and TIMSS tests were conducted in 2011 by the Educational Research Centre, Drumcondra, on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills.
Ireland has only taken part in TIMSS once before (in 1995), and has never taken part in PIRLS. In 2011, 50 countries took part in TIMSS at 4th grade, and 45 took part in PIRLS. Thirty-four countries (including Ireland) took part in both studies. Altogether, almost 300,000 pupils took part in PIRLS and/or TIMSS at 4th grade, with the majority of these participating in both studies.
In Ireland, more than 4,500 4th class pupils in 151 randomly-sampled schools completed tests of reading, mathematics, and science.
PIRLS and TIMSS 2011: Reading, Mathematics and Science Outcomes for Ireland
is the initial Irish report on the studies which is being published today to coincide with the launch of the international reports from the IEA.More detailed national analyses of Irish performance on PIRLS and TIMSS will follow in early 2013. As well as more detail on the achievement data, these reports will draw on the wealth of contextual information obtained from questionnaires completed by pupils, parents and teachers. They will compare Irish pupils and their home and school environment to their counterparts in other countries. Also, actual test items will be reviewed (including analyses of Irish pupils’ performance relative to pupils in other countries on individual items).