Pearson, the world’s learning company, in collaboration with Oxford University Centre for Educational Assessment (OUCEA), today announced it has been awarded the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2021 contract by the Department for Education to operate as the National Centre for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In total, around 90 countries and economies are expected to participate in PISA 2021, an international study which aims to evaluate education systems worldwide by measuring the knowledge and skills of students aged 15 years in reading, mathematics and science. The focus area in this PISA cycle will be mathematics.

Pearson will operate as the National Centre for PISA 2021 meaning that it will be responsible for the implementation of the study in over 450 schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with Associate Professor Grace Grima, Director of Research at Pearson, as National Programme Manager. The OUCEA will be responsible for the data analysis, writing of the national reports and the dissemination of the PISA 2021 results, under the leadership of Professor Therese N. Hopfenbeck and Associate Professor Joshua McGrane.

Professor Jo-Anne Baird and Dr Jonas Bertling will form part of the Research Advisory Board responsible for quality assuring the research outputs. Dr Jenni Ingram (England), Professor Chris Taylor (Wales) and Professor Jannette Elwood (Northern Ireland) will provide additional advice as country experts.

In 2016, Pearson and OUCEA successfully delivered the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) in England, an international comparative assessment that assesses the reading comprehension development of late-Primary students. They will build upon this strong partnership when taking on the opportunity to deliver PISA 2021. Pearson has substantial expertise in delivering these types of international contracts and will leverage its extensive and comprehensive capabilities as well as its strong links with schools to ensure its successful implementation.

Associate Professor Grace Grima, Director of Research at Pearson, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded PISA 2021 and look forward to delivering it alongside TIMSS 2019 in England and PIRLS 2021, also in England. Our partnership with OUCEA will ensure that we can combine the internationally-renowned research expertise of Oxford University with the benefits from Pearson’s capability, operational know-how and successful experience and delivery of other international contracts, placing high-quality delivery at the heart of everything we do.”

Professor Therese N. Hopfenbeck, Director of the OUCEA, said: “Our centre is very excited to be responsible for the analysis, reporting and dissemination for PISA 2021 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with Pearson, building upon our experience from PIRLS 2016, to deliver a high-quality report and other deliverables which provide valuable educational information to all stakeholders, including policymakers, headteachers/principals and teachers.”

Press contacts

Pearson
+44 207 010 2700
gemma.terry@pearson.com
tom.steiner@pearson.com

Oxford University Centre for Educational Assessment
+44 (0) 1865 274 024
hannah.daley@education.ox.ac.uk

About Pearson

We are the world’s learning company, operating in 70 countries around the world with more than 24,000 employees, providing a range of products and services that help people make progress in their lives through learning.

About Oxford University Centre for Educational Assessment

We are interested in all aspects of research into educational assessment, but especially assessment’s role in public policy and system-level change. Our research expertise in assessment spans the policy, practical and technical spaces, which we strive to meaningfully integrate in our research.

About PISA

PISA is an international comparison study which aims to evaluate education systems worldwide by measuring the knowledge and skills of students aged 15 years in reading, mathematics and science. The study aims to explain differences in student performance across and within participating countries through analysis of student test scores, alongside contextual information on student characteristics and engagement, school management, and national policy. PISA first took place in 2000 and every three years since. Samples of 15-year-olds representing around 90 countries and economies are expected to participate in PISA 2021.