The UK’s education system: best in class?
We have some of the youngest teachers and biggest class sizes in the developed world
THE UK has some of the youngest teachers, the largest class sizes and the second-most expensive tuition fees in the developed world.
However, we spend more than average on primary and secondary education, and our universities are the second-most attractive destination for international students.
That’s according to the latest Education at a Glance study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which compares the state of education across 36 countries, as well as 10 partner nations.
At 28 students, the UK has the joint largest class sizes in state-run primary schools - alongside Chile.
That compares to the OECD average of 21 students.
When private institutions are included the figure drops to 27 - though we still rank the third-highest in the OECD.
When it comes to secondary schools, class sizes are in line with the rest of the world.
The study - which covers all levels of education - also found that tuition fees in England are higher than in all OECD countries and economies apart from the United States.
It also found that despite racking up some of the most debt, British graduates have a lower relative earnings boost earnings than foreign graduates across 25 different countries - and that it is at a level below the OECD average.
We also have one of the youngest workforces teaching in our schools.
Around a quarter of all teachers, including 31% of primary school teachers, are under the age of 30 - more than any other country in the study..
The average age of teachers in the UK has fallen since 2005, and it is now one of the youngest of all OECD countries.
Gavin Williamson, Education Secretary, said: “As the OECD’s findings show, we are top of the G7 for government spending on primary and secondary education, which we are boosting with an additional £14 billion in school spending between now and 2022/23.
“This is alongside the biggest reform to teacher pay in a generation, rewarding new teachers with one of the most competitive starting salaries in the graduate labour market.
“We are determined to build on our spending record by ensuring our schools are achieving the highest possible outcomes.
“This means that outstanding schools will no longer be exempt from routine Ofsted inspections, schools that are consistently underperforming will receive a new programme of school leadership support and a specialist academy trust will be created to turn around the most challenging schools.”