ChalkFace has been following news reports on the latest Pisa ranking and we thought this article explaining why Estonian pupils do so well on these tests was very interesting. Estonia outperforms the major European economies, including the UK, in influential global education tests. These Pisa tests measure the ability of 15-year-olds to apply their skills and knowledge to real-life problem-solving in reading, maths and science.
The OECD has run the tests since 2000, and most middle and higher-income countries take part.
Estonia has made high quality early years education a priority. Almost every child in Estonia comes to Kindergarten from the age of three, or even earlier. Parents have to make a contribution, but it is capped as a proportion of the minimum wage. This is where Estonia begins to level up the attainment of all children, by making sure as many as possible are emotionally and physically ready to learn. This results, according to the Pisa tests, in a smaller gap between rich and poor by the time they're teenagers.
Estonia does not use streaming. Every subject in school is taught in all-ability classes. Teachers are expected to find ways of levelling up pupils from all backgrounds.
It is also the case that education is completely free in Estonia. "Free in Estonia really means free. You don't pay for textbooks, you don't pay for the school lunches, you don't pay for school transportation."
What do you think? could Hong Kong learn from this? Streaming is very common here.
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