Why the Tories can’t take all the credit for UK’s rise up international school league tables

Analysis: The government is trying to link Britain’s rise in international rankings to its own reforms – but the reality isn’t quite that simple, Eleanor Busby says

Ofqual’s figures show a 56 per cent increase in GCSE exam papers queried by schools (PA)

Education ministers have been fixated on improving Britain’s ranking in the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) global league tables for reading, maths and science in recent years.

So it is no surprise that the Conservative Party is treating the latest Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report – which shows Britain climbing up the rankings – as a win.

With less than a fortnight to go until the general election, education secretary Gavin Williamson has said the Pisa results show that reforms introduced by the Conservatives “are working”.