Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

File photo of pupils from St Vincent's School reading. Adeline Pericart/Photocall Ireland.

Irish fourth class pupils above average in reading, maths and science

Minister Ruairí Quinn welcomed the report but said science and maths teaching needs to be improved.

IRISH FOURTH CLASS pupils scored above average in literacy, maths and science but did not make it into the top performing countries in any of the three subjects.

The results are from two major international studies assessing the skills of fourth class pupils in 2011.

Overall our 10-year-olds place tenth out of a total of 45 countries in reading, but fair lower on the scale when it comes to maths and science.

Reading

Students in only five countries performed significantly better than Irish in reading, Hong Kong, Finland, Singapore, the Russian Federation and Northern Ireland. Ireland came in one place ahead of England and scored significantly higher than students in 31 other countries, including Germany, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand.

Maths

Seventeenth out of 50 is how we fared in the maths TIMSS 2011 test, scoring above the international average. The fourth class pupils scored significantly below countries such as Singapore, Korea, Japan, Northern Ireland, Finland, England and the Unites States, and at about the same level as students in Germany, Lithuania and Portugal.

Science

In science, Irish students again scored significantly above the international average and were placed 22nd out of the 50 participating countries. Irish students scored significantly below countries such as Korea, Singapore, Finland, Japan, the United States, Sweden and England. Ireland’s score did not differ significantly from 10 countries including Italy, Northern Ireland and Australia.

Gender difference

In all participating countries, apart from Colombia, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium and Israel, girls significantly outperformed boys in reading.

In maths, Irish girls slightly outperformed boys and in science, boys and girls obtained identical mean scores.

Minister for Education & Skills Ruairí Quinn T.D. welcomed the report but said science and maths teaching needs to be improved:

This is the first time that we have these international comparisons in reading, maths and science available to us at the primary level. While encouraging, they demonstrate the real need to work on the issues we are seeking to tackle in the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. We need to build on the good work in reading going on at primary level into second level, especially at junior cycle. Clearly, we also need to improve our teaching of mathematics and science at all levels.

More than 4,500 fourth class pupils in 151 randomly-sampled schools completed the tests.

Read: Sinn Féin publishes legislation on school bullying >

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
14 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Peter Ian Staker
    Favourite Peter Ian Staker
    Report
    Dec 12th 2012, 11:18 AM

    Improvements obviously need to be made to the Maths and Science curriculum.

    We also need to introduce Computer Science to school kids at an early age. The Coder Dojo movement is proof that the earlier kids are introduced to these concepts, the better. When I hear about 12 year olds developing iphone apps, it just makes me feel more confident about the future of this country!

    68
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute karl doyle
    Favourite karl doyle
    Report
    Dec 12th 2012, 12:37 PM

    100% agree, Kids need to be aware of the possibilities they can achieve with these. I do the codeacademy with my nephew ( 11 ) and its unreal how quick it can learnt the syntax and how to build things.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Foody
    Favourite John Foody
    Report
    Dec 12th 2012, 11:16 AM

    Losing to the US on 2 measures, ouch!

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Whelan
    Favourite Brian Whelan
    Report
    Dec 12th 2012, 12:48 PM

    Unfortunately I can see this dropping in next few years as they make syllabus easier and easier. Junior infants learning up to number 5 and senior infants learning up to 10. My 3 year old counted to 20 while the teacher was announcing this at a teacher – parent meeting. All kids are getting a free pre-school year where they are learning this and it’s not being taken into account in the primary schools. Kids not being challenged enough, and no streaming. The UK have been dealing with this for years (remember when the standard of education was way higher here than in UK), and progress is obvious.
    That’s what happens when the unions ru(i)n the show!

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Diarmuid O'Keeffe
    Favourite Diarmuid O'Keeffe
    Report
    Dec 12th 2012, 1:01 PM

    what is taught in Infants is a sense of number. being able to count is a different and much more basic skill.

    52
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin Connolly
    Favourite Kevin Connolly
    Report
    Dec 12th 2012, 2:46 PM

    Unions have nothing to do with the development of the curriculum – that is the job of the NCCA. Fantastic to hear that your child can count to 20 but does he/she know what the numbers mean or is it just another thing to rhyme off?

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pierce2020
    Favourite Pierce2020
    Report
    Dec 12th 2012, 11:54 AM

    Wat?

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Frank2521
    Favourite Frank2521
    Report
    Dec 12th 2012, 11:50 AM

    I can’t imagine a report from this minister that would say anything else. Brown envelopes. Such a waste of money. Will you create another job for Gilmore’s partner? Possibly out her a board of a Quango. Pee Flynn was more honest.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eoin Norris
    Favourite Eoin Norris
    Report
    Dec 12th 2012, 1:32 PM

    International study.

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute William clear
    Favourite William clear
    Report
    Dec 12th 2012, 2:48 PM

    My kids went to school in both irl and us and I think that Irl are better at the reading and the us are better at the Maths and science. in the us they push them hard and if one method does not work they are free to change it and there is no standard workbook. Also in Maths they place huge importance on tables and there are no calculators allowed. If a teacher does not come up to the standard of the school they are fired.at home the teachers are very good however the idea that all schools are the same and should all use the same workbook is daft the teachers should be able to do it their own way as long as they get results. I think reading is easier to teach and easier for parents to help but Maths and science are different the workbooks are not working.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anne Cooke
    Favourite Anne Cooke
    Report
    Dec 16th 2012, 8:29 AM

    Good to have freedom to change if something not working and if teacher not up to job get someone who is!

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Natalie Cowan
    Favourite Natalie Cowan
    Report
    Dec 12th 2012, 4:46 PM

    Moved to US last year. Huge emphasis on math & science. Kids streamed in primary school for math & also take science. My son (6th class) just finished quite complex chapter on genetics.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Louise McKenna
    Favourite Louise McKenna
    Report
    Dec 18th 2012, 10:31 PM

    Stop cutting teachers and funding to schools then if you want better teaching!! Idiot!!

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Colm OConnor
    Favourite Colm OConnor
    Report
    Dec 12th 2012, 5:07 PM

    Anyone have a link to the study to see the details?

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds