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 ages 9 and 10, (Primary Year 6 in Northern Ireland), every five years across 63 countries. It provides internationally comparative data on pupils’ achievment in reading, and how their performance is related to their attitudes, gender and background. In addition, PIRLS includes questionnaires for teachers and Principals, which provide a valuable perspective on teaching reading and the school environment.
2) When does PIRLS take place?
The study assessment day will take place in May-June 2026, with Year 6 pupils. In the welcome letter, addressed to your Principal, a date is given for the study to be conducted at your school. We hope that this date is convenient for your staff and pupils, and that suitable room(s) can be made available. If for any reason this date is not suitable, please let us know.
3) Why has my school been selected to take part in PIRLS?
Following a sampling process, your school has been randomly selected to participate in PIRLS by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). We are only able to approach schools that are selected through the random sampling approach. Please see PIRLS | IEA.nl for detailed information on the study methodology.
4) Why does Northern Ireland take part in PIRLS?
PIRLS is a major international study monitoring reading achievement. It is a vital part of the international evidence base, allowing the government to benchmark Northern Ireland’s performance against other countries, to measure trends over time, to identify and analyse factors that impact pupil achievement, and to learn from policies and practices in other countries. PIRLS is part of Northern Ireland’s commitment to improving literacy standards in young people.
5) What are the benefits to your school for taking part in the study?
The schools and pupils that participate in PIRLS are making a valuable contribution to the understanding of our education system and it is only with this participation that we can realise the opportunities that PIRLS brings to improve our educational policies and practices. By participating in PIRLS, you will be:
6) How is your contribution recognised?
As a thank you for your support, schools and pupils will be awarded a certificate of participation.
In recognition of your valued contribution, your school will also receive an administration payment. You will be sent a payment form from the PIRLS support team.
7) Will school staff be required to invigilate the study?
No, the National Study Centre (Pearson) will provide a Test Administrator(s) who will visit the school on the assessment day and have responsibility for running the study. Test Administrators are experienced education professionals, often ex-teachers, who all have Enhanced Access NI clearance, ensuring our staff adhere to the most up-to-date guidelines. However, we do ask that a member of the school staff stays in the room during the assessment.
If you have any concerns about Test Administrators visiting your school, please contact the PIRLS Support Team to discuss.
8) How will I know which class/classes have been chosen?
You will be informed of the Primary Year 6 class/classes chosen by the PIRLS Support Team. The majority of schools will have one class selected, but some larger schools will have two classes selected to participate. Please note that it may not be all pupils in the year group selected to participate in the assessments. It is important that all the sampled pupils carry out the assessment, however for pupils that may find it difficult to engage with the assessments, exemption criteria can be applied. You will be sent more detail on exemptions to help inform these decisions.
9) What does the assessment consist of?
Pupils will complete an interactive computer-based reading assessment covering a wide range of age relevant content and topic areas, followed by a short survey. The assessment is designed to test pupils’ knowledge of reading. It will include a mix of open and closed response questions. Pupils and staff will also be asked to complete an online questionnaire to provide important contextual information to supplement the assessment data:
Examples of the assessments and questionnaires can be viewed at Context Questionnaires - PIRLS 2021
10) How long will the study take?
The whole process will take approximately 2.5 hours, including the instructions, the assessment itself, survey, questionnaire and breaks. No prior preparation or revision is required from pupils. Most schools aim to complete the study in the morning, though we can make arrangements to start later in the school day to work around the school schedule.
The assessment is split into two 40-minute sessions and will take 1.5 hours in total, with a little introduction beforehand. After a five-to-ten-minute break, pupils will be asked to complete the online questionnaire, which will take around 30 minutes.
Our Test Administrator will arrive at least an hour before your chosen start time to prepare the room. The School Coordinator (a representative teacher in the school to support with the delivery) should aim to arrive at the same time. Parking on the school premises is welcomed if available. The school and teacher questionnaires can be completed in advance online. Instructions on how to access the questionnaire will be sent to the School Coordinator to distribute. These questionnaires should take about half an hour each to complete.
If two classes are chosen in the school, we are able to assess both at the same time, or one class in the morning and one after lunch, to make best use of IT facilities. Guidance will be provided by the PIRLS Support Team for schools with two classes.
11) Do pupils need to bring anything or prepare?
No prior preparation or revision work is required for pupils to be able to complete the assessment and minimal administration is required from school staff.
Pupils should bring a book to read quietly in case they finish the assessment early.
12) Where should the study take place?
Pupils will need access to an internet-enabled computer with keyboard and mouse to complete the study. An IT room, or two, depending on the number of pupils, is ideal, or alternatively a classroom can be used with laptops. The IT room or classroom used should be quiet and free from distraction. Note that tablets are not compatible with the test.
If your school does not have enough computers in IT rooms or laptops for use in a classroom, additional laptops can be provided. If you require more laptops for the assessments to take place, please get in touch with the PIRLS Support Team as early as possible.
13) Will I need to set up IT facilities and wifi for my pupils to take the tests?
Yes, although set-up is minimal and Pearson will provide support to all schools throughout the process.
The assessments will be accessed over the internet using a secure log in and so wifi/an internet connection will be required for pupils to access both the assessment and the questionnaire. Each pupil will need a laptop or PC for a maximum duration of 2.5 hours (including breaks). If laptops are used, they should be fully charged before the day of the study. We will liaise closely with your nominated School Coordinator and IT Coordinator ahead of the assessment day to ensure that the IT facilities in your school are set up correctly. A five-minute automated test of a computer on the school system will need to take place ahead of the assessment day, and a link will be provided for this. We also ask if possible that your IT Coordinator is available on the assessment day to assist with any issues that may arise.
14) What are the main duties of the PIRLS School Coordinator?
The PIRLS support team will support your PIRLS School Coordinator throughout the process and aim to keep administration to a minimum. The Year six class teacher or teaching assistant is often selected for the role. The main duties include:
To check that we are delivering the study in a similar way in all schools, a quality monitor may attend your test session. If this happens, the School Coordinator will be asked some questions about the arrangements you were required to make and your views of the way in which the study was organised.
15) What are the main duties of the deputy School Coordinator?
We ask that each school provides a deputy School Coordinator in case of absence to the main School Coordinator. They will not have to carry out any duties unless the main School Coordinator is absent for a long duration.
16) How will pupils and parents be informed about the study?
Pupils can be verbally informed about the study in the days prior to the assessment. We will provide a template letter for you to send to their parents and guardians. These templates will be emailed to you so you can edit them as necessary and print or distribute electronically. We will also provide you with a letter on data privacy which must be included with your letter to parents and should not be altered. Letters should be sent once we have confirmed the pupils taking part in the study (not before).
To find out more, parents and guardians can be directed here
17) Will results remain confidential?
Yes, pupil and school identities will remain confidential and the results of individual schools or pupils will not be published. The data shared with the IEA will be pseudonymised which means that pupil and school details will be removed and replaced with a code so that no individual school or pupil can be identified. The government and any organisation granted access to the data for the purposes of international comparison or research will not publish information which identifies or makes it possible to identify any individual or school participating in the study.
18) How will the study protect my school’s data?
We take data protection very seriously and follow the Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Any personal information we collect will be held securely and no individual pupil or school will be identified or identifiable in any report or publication.
19) Where can I get support/ further information?
Please see details on the contact page.