Young adults in England are outperforming their international peers in numeracy and literacy, a major report has found, highlighting “significant improvements” over the past decade.
Adults in England scored above the international average for numeracy, literacy and problem-solving, with a notable increase in numeracy scores since 2012, according to a decennial survey of adult skills led by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The OECD assessed 160,000 adults aged 16 to 65 in 31 countries in literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving in 2022 and 2023. Nearly 5,000 adults in England responded, representing a 38 per cent response rate.
It found England was second to Japan in the participating G7 countries in literacy and problem-solving and ranked third behind Japan and Germany in numeracy.
The report, published today, is part of the OECD’s programme for the international assessment of adult competencies (PIAAC).
The first cycle of the decade-long adult skills survey was sent out in 2011 and conducted three times between 2011 and 2018. Overall, the first cycle interviewed 245,000 adults in 39 countries. Today’s report marks the start of the second decade cycle.
The online survey comprised a one-hour long assessment in literacy, numeracy and, for the first time, problem-solving. In England, the survey was led by Verian in partnership with the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER).
Here are some of the key takeaways from the report.
English literacy rates amongst youngest improve
Overall, England ranked ninth out of the 31 countries based on average proficiency in literacy.
The average literacy rates of English adults in 2022-23 remained similar compared to 2011-12.
Out of a possible score of 500, English adults scored an average of 272.1 points in 2022-23, above the 260 global average. A decade earlier, adults scored 272.6.
However, younger people improved significantly in the last 10 years. Those aged 16 to 24 scored an average of 265.4 in 2012 and 279 in 2023 – the biggest change out of all age groups.
The literacy proficiency of this age group only increased in England, Norway and Finland over the past decade.
In England, 18 per cent of adults were defined as having low proficiency in literacy, compared with 26 per cent across the OECD on average.
These adults, who were placed at level 1 or below (scoring under 225 points), can only understand short and simple texts.
Chile had the lowest literacy rates, with 53 per cent of adults achieving level 1 or below, and Japan was at the top with just 10 per cent of adults with low proficiency.
“England does not do badly on that by comparison, but you still have one in five adults really struggling with the basics,” said Andreas Schleicher, director for education and skills at the OECD.
It is estimated that 8.5 million working-age adults in England have low basic skills in 2023.
“It’s particularly disappointing to see that this number has not gone down much since the last time this assessment took place 12 years ago,” said skills minister Jacqui Smith. “We simply can’t accept this lack of progress.”
Stephen Evans, chief executive of Learning and Work Institute said: “This is perhaps not surprising given the 63 per cent fall in adult English and maths classes since 2010. We need a renewed focus on English, maths and digital skills for adults – these are essential skills for life and work.”
Nearly seven in 10 (69 per cent) of English adults achieved levels 2 and 3, higher than the 62 per cent OECD average. For higher achievers, 14 per cent scored level 4 and above, slightly more than the 12 per cent global average.
Rebecca Wheater, NFER research director, said: “It is encouraging to see such improved scores in both literacy and numeracy for the youngest adults, who are no longer outperformed by their international peers.
“However, there is still a significant disparity between the highest and lowest scoring adults and strengthening these vital skills should be seen as a priority to ensure adults have these and other essential employment skills that will be needed for the jobs of the future.”
Young people driving improvement in numeracy rates
In numeracy, England scored 268 points, ranking 13th in the global table, but scored above the 263 OECD average.
English adults with low proficiency levels lagged the global average. Twenty-one per cent scored at or below level 1 proficiency, compared with the global average of 25 per cent.
Looking at the higher-achieving adults, 15 per cent achieved Level 4 and above for numeracy, compared with 14 per cent across the OECD, on average.
Average numeracy rates increased seven points, from 261.8 in 2012 to 268.8 in 2023, compared with the first cycle.
“That improvement has been largely driven by young people doing significantly better,” the report noted.
English 16-24-year-olds scored an average of 256.3 in 2012, which shot up to 275.6 in 2023—the biggest difference among all age groups.
Overall, English young adults performed better than the global average. The 16-24-year-old age group performed better than the 263 global average in numeracy and scored 269 points in adaptive problem solving, above the 250.6 OECD average.
“The distribution of skills in England by age was no longer an international outlier, as the pattern of performance by age broadly matched the pattern across the OECD, on average,” the report added.
Smith said she could not “resist” making the case that the rising rate benefitted from the last Labour government’s “renewed focus on literacy and numeracy in primary schools”.
She added: “We’ve got to build on this and ensure that everybody, no matter what their background may be, gets the best possible start in life, and that does mean high and improving standards in our schools, which is why we need 6,500 extra teachers that we’ve pledged to deliver over this parliament and it’s why the curriculum and assessment review that we have set up is looking at how to secure an excellent foundation in reading, writing and maths.”
Older adults (aged 55 to 65) scored 26 points lower than 25–34-year-olds in combined numeracy, literacy and problem-solving (and 30 points lower than the global OECD average).
“In England and across the OECD, there was a pattern of increasing literacy and numeracy skills with age, and then a decline, with youngest adults scoring more highly than the oldest adults, on average. The age-related decline in skills was also visible for adaptive problem solving,” the report said.
English workers most ‘over-qualified’ in the world
The OECD survey asked participants whether their highest educational qualification is above or below the level that is typically required for their current job.
England scored the highest proportion out of all countries surveyed. About 37 per cent of workers said they were “over-qualified”, compared with the OECD average of 23 per cent.
An additional 41 per cent are mismatched in terms of field of study, as their highest qualification is not in the field that is most relevant to their job.
Schleicher said that this mismatch and over-qualification is due to the lack of alternative academic and vocational pathways in England.
“I do think there is reason to help young people, give them a more varied choice of further education than currently exists.”
He added: “When you look at unit costs, the spending per student in the university sector is far higher than it is for vocational education and training, which would be the reverse in many other countries, where actually the investment is greater there. The funding is just a mirror of that in England.”
A further 7 per cent in England said some of their skills are lower than what is required for their job. The majority (43 per cent) said they need to improve computer or software skills, followed by 28 per cent saying they need project management or organisational skills.
Transportation and motor workers have lowest literacy levels
Adults working in transportation and storage, wholesale and retail trades, and motor vehicle and motorcycle repair had the lowest average scores in literacy, numeracy, and adaptive problem-solving in England.
Transportation workers scored 256 in literacy, 258 in numeracy and 245 in adaptive problem-solving, while adults working in professional, scientific and technical activities had the highest average scores for literacy (302), numeracy (302) and adaptive problem-solving (285) in England.
Meanwhile, for the highest earners in England, there was a clear relationship between salary and skills for adults, but this relationship did not extend to adults in the lowest deciles of salary.
A similar pattern was found across the OECD and it is likely that findings are impacted by the uneven distribution of full-time and part-time workers across the deciles.
Your thoughts