Reading ability of children in England scores well in global survey

The survey suggested that reading standards at England’s primary schools had recovered to pre-pandemic levels, said the head of analysis at the Education Policy Institute. Photograph: MBI/Alamy

England’s nine and 10-year-olds have taken fourth place in a major international literacy study comparing the reading ability of children of the same age in 43 different countries, up from joint eighth place last time assessments were carried out.

The results saw English pupils leapfrog those in high-performing countries like Finland and Poland in the rankings, while pupils in Singapore topped the league table, followed by Hong Kong in second place and Russia coming in third.