For parents and carers
What is PIRLS?
The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, known as “PIRLS”, is an international comparative study that assesses and compares the reading performance of pupils at about age 10, or P5 in Scotland, every five years across over 60 countries by IEA. By participating in PIRLS26 your child is contributing to improvements to education in the UK and beyond.
What does PIRLS involve?
For your child, the PIRLS assessment involves participating in:
- An interactive onscreen assessment covering reading.
- A background questionnaire asking about their life, school and learning experiences.
No prior preparation or revision work is required for your child to be able to complete the assessment.
Parents/carers will be asked to complete a questionnaire on their child’s home and school life, to help contextualise the achievement for each child.
What are the benefits of PIRLS?
Participating in PIRLS offers a range of benefits both for pupils, and more broadly for education in the UK.
- Your child will contribute to a study that helps us better understand our education system.
- Your child will have experience of representing Scotland in an international study and receive a certificate for doing so.
- Your child will be able to practise external assessment skills through a ‘low stakes’ online assessment.
- Your child will have the opportunity to practise their reading skills through an interesting and innovative online assessment.
Information for parents and carers
PIRLS support team
We are here to support schools and pupils with their participation in PIRLS.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us from Monday to Friday between 8am and 4pm on 02070 102 156 or anytime via email at pirlsscotland@pearson.com
