Spanish schoolchildren rate below average

Spain's Ministry for Education, Culture and Sports reported the findings yesterday of research which had been conducted amongst 8'580 schoolchildren in 312 education centres. The survey was part of an international investigation into reading standards amongst 255'000 children from 48 countries.

In parallel studies made into mathematics and scientific standards, 4'183 Spanish schoolchildren from 151 education centres took part. At an international level, the investigation embraced 261'000 students from 63 countries around the world.

The survey into reading was more extensive than that conducted on mathematics and science. Both tests were carried out in March and April last year and show that reading in Spain scored 513 points, above the average 500 for the 48 countries researched. However, the average score for European Union countries was 534 with England (as opposed to the United Kingdom as a whole) scoring 552. Findings revealed that the 4 percent of students who showed excellent reading skills in Spain was below the OECD average of 10% and the proportion of children who repeatedly failed reading tests (6%) was above the OECD average of 3%. Outstanding results for reading were seen in Hong Kong where average reading scores were 571, the Russian Federation (568) and Finland (568).

In Mathematics, Spain scored just 482 points, below the 500 average scored amongst the 63 countries researched. Spain was also lower than the OECD average of 522 and the EU average of 519. England scored 542. In science, Spain scored 505 points higher than the international average of 500 but below the OECD average of 523 and the EU average of 521. England scored 529.