Wales’ education system faces an acute challenge after recent PISA results placed Welsh 15-year-olds roughly two years behind their peers in reading, science and maths across the UK, prompting urgent questions about the effectiveness of the new curriculum rolled out this academic year.
PISA results paint a stark picture
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) found Welsh students trail England by approximately 20 points in all three subjects, a gap that translates to about a year of learning. Reading shows an even wider chasm of two years behind England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
A controversial curriculum reform
The new Welsh curriculum, described by experts as the biggest reform in a generation, grants schools unprecedented freedom to design their own learning pathways. However, education consultants warn this approach may exacerbate inconsistencies across classrooms. Lucy Crehan, an education consultant at Swansea University, noted that teachers are struggling with the lack of clarity on what should be taught and when.
Accountability concerns
Sir Nick Gibb, former schools minister in England, attributes Wales’ woes to weak accountability structures. He argues that without the structured phonics approach used in England and without rigorous testing regimes, standards suffer. In Wales, the banding system that once provided performance benchmarks was dismantled during the pandemic.
Professional freedom meets practical challenges
School leaders like Sarah Hopkins, headteacher at Saint Carlo Acutis Catholic School in Merthyr Tydfil, acknowledge the pride in their profession but recognise the system lacks the checks needed to drive excellence. “It casts doubt over a system we’re proud of and children that we’re proud of,” she said, though the new £50m school building represents investment in infrastructure.
Political leadership changes
The Welsh Labour party lost power for the first time in decades, with Plaid Cymru taking government. Education Minister Anna Brychan characterised the PISA results as “brawychus” – roughly translated as “terrible” or “shocking” – while committing to reviews and clearer progress tracking mechanisms.
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Why it matters
If trends continue, Welsh students may face diminished opportunities in the competitive job market. Sibieta from the Institute for Fiscal Studies warns that lower skills translate directly to reduced economic productivity and lower wages for an entire generation.
What happens next
The new curriculum will face its first major test in the 2029 PISA cycle. Meanwhile, schools are implementing phonics reinforcement and progress tracking measures. The coming months will reveal whether the curriculum’s emphasis on flexibility can be balanced with the consistency needed for educational standards.
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