Education Matters: Britain's Schools Fall Outside Top 20 List

BRITAIN’S education system has been blasted after it failed to make the top 20 in global tables for reading, maths and science.

BEHIND: Education Secretary Michael Gove admitted Britain is falling behind [PA

The figures showed that despite spending more than average on education, UK children have fallen far behind their counterparts in east Asian countries such as Singapore and Japan.

Results from the Programme for International Student Assessment found that Britain came 26th in maths, 23rd for reading and 21st for science.

Half a million 15-year-olds from 65 countries took part in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s study, which assesses how students use their knowledge and skills in real life, rather than just repeating facts and figures.

POOR: Tristram Hunt says the shocking results are a wake-up call [PA]

Education Secretary Michael Gove admitted Britain’s performance was “at best stagnant, at worst declining”.

He told the House of Commons: “For all the well-intentioned efforts of past governments, we’re still falling further behind the best performing school systems in the world.”

Shadow Education Secretary Tristram Hunt said: “These findings are a wake-up call for our schools.

A Daily Star UK report.