Almost four out of ten Spanish 4th-grade students are at a low or very low level in mathematics, and three out of ten in science. These performances do not compare to the European averages or those of the OECD, where the majority of students in classrooms are at intermediate, high, or very high levels. There is no improvement in terms of gender, on the contrary, it worsens, nor in socioeconomic disparities.
These are the results of the TIMSS 2023 report (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), prepared by the IEA (International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement) in which Spain participates in both mathematics and science. These international assessments, such as PIRLS for reading or PISA, are used to analyze educational systems and measure trends on an international scale.
Mathematics
Spain is positioned 498 points below the reference score of 500 in mathematics, significantly below the OECD average (525) and the EU average (514), and below the top-ranking country, South Korea, with 594 points. Nevertheless, the performance of 10-year-old children is comparable to that of Canada and Italy, scoring higher than New Zealand and Belgium, which follow closely behind. France continues to be surprising with a score of 484. On the other hand, the United Kingdom, ranked fifth in the world, scores 552, with the majority of its students leaning towards higher performance levels.
However, the evolution of recent years is the most worrying data in Spain, as it shows a persistent stagnation in mathematics without surpassing the international averages. Its parameters have barely moved since 2015, when it was at 505, although an improvement compared to 2011 (482).
The pandemic seems to have halted the international improvements of most countries that have barely managed to overcome setbacks. At most, in the three years since the Covid epidemic was declared, the blow of the academic regression caused by the lockdown that these children experienced when they were starting primary school has been stopped.
In Catalonia, the results drop by five points (from 494 to 489), placing it as the third worst-performing region out of the nine analyzed. As shown in the graphs, it falls below Andalusia and above the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands. Far from the results of Castile and León or Asturias, whose students are comparable to those in Germany, Denmark, and Finland, and who, like Madrid and Navarre, are above the EU average.
Catalonia, with 489 points, is on par with Belgium (Wallonia) and above France (484). It is 25 points below the EU (514) and 36 below the OECD average (525).
Performance Levels
One key piece of information from this type of assessment is the percentage of students performing at excellent levels. Ideally, all students would be at intermediate or higher levels. For reference, the country that stands out the most in mathematics is South Korea. 94% of students have a good level, with 31.6% being very high and 41.2% high. 5% are at low or very low levels.
South Korea is an exception, like Japan or Lithuania. But it is significant that half of the students in Ireland or the United Kingdom are at high or very high levels, while 20% are at low or very low levels.
In Spain, and even worse in Catalonia, the ratio is almost reversed. Thus, 25% of students perform excellently and 37.8% do not even reach intermediate levels. These are the results for 10-year-old children who will have to catch up on their knowledge if they do not want to move on to secondary school with significant gaps.
In Catalonia, this is not just anecdotal data but rather evidence that something is amiss in the teaching of mathematics in early learning. At the high or very high level, we find 20% of students, while nearly half of the child population is at the low or very low level at 41.8%. It is not simply a matter of lack of confidence, which is also measured, as the outcome is worse than the attitude.
Gender gap
It is also not good news that the performance gap between boys and girls is increasing, despite all the policies implemented to encourage girls in STEM programs. By the age of ten, there is an 18-point difference. Boys show better performance and are more likely to be at higher levels than girls.
In Spain, variations are observed by regions, with significant differences in Andalusia and Madrid, where the gap widens to 24 and 25 points, respectively.
In any case, Spanish averages are similar both in the OECD averages and in those of the European Union.
Immigration
The socioeconomic level and the family background, speaking a different language and having a different culture, have a significant impact. The gap is 22 points between native children and those of immigrant origin.
Science
In science, Spanish students score four points above the statistical reference average of 500, below the EU's 513, and the OECD's 526.
This represents a decrease of seven points compared to 2019 and 14 points compared to 2015.
33% of the population is in low or very low levels, while 27% is in high or very high levels.
In Catalonia, the punctuation is 502, similar to the Spanish average, with a slightly higher number of students in low or very low levels.
