Large Scale International Studies Publications
Research and data from the large school focussed international studies, namely, PISA, PIRLS, TIMSS, TALIS, ICCS.
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Reading literacy at Year 5: New Zealand’s participation in PIRLS 2021
New Zealand took part in the fifth cycle of the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, ‘PIRLS 2021’ in Term 4, 2020. PIRLS provides information on Year 5 students’ reading literacy/comprehension every five years.…
Author(s): Megan Chamberlain and Jessica Forkert [Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education]
Date Published: May 2023
Date Updated: February 2025
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PIRLS 2021: COVID-19 Preliminary findings from the implementation of PIRLS in 2020
New Zealand took part in the fifth cycle of the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, ‘PIRLS 2021’ in Term 4, 2020. PIRLS provides information on Year 5 students’ reading literacy/comprehension every five years.…
Author(s): Megan Chamberlain and Jessica Forkert [Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education]
Date Published: April 2022
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PIRLS 2016: Are 10-year-olds happy when arriving at school?
Using data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, we investigate whether happiness is affected by rates of experienced bullying and students’ sense of school belonging, and how these relationships might differ based on gender or socioeconomic circumstances.…
Author(s): Megan Chamberlain and Jessica Forkert [Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education]
Date Published: March 2022
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Which angle is a right angle? Year 5 students' strengths and weaknesses on mathematics questions
The analysis presented in this paper supplements other evidence on the current state of mathematics and how we can make mathematics education better.…
Author(s): Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education
Date Published: February 2022
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What is the value of y? Year 9 students' strengths and weaknesses on mathematics questions
With increasing evidence of a New Zealand decline in mathematics and statistics achievement across multiple studies since 2000, the focus of this paper is mathematics learning and the factors that contribute (May, 2019; Rendall, Medina, Sutcliffe & Marshall, 2020).…
Author(s): Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education
Date Published: February 2022
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TIMSS 2018/19: Mathematics Year 5
This report describes the mathematics achievement of Year 5 students in TIMSS 2018/19. Analyses of achievement by sub-groupings (such as gender and ethnicity) and background information are also presented and comparisons are made with New Zealand across cycles and also…
Author(s): Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education
Date Published: December 2020
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TIMSS 2018/19: Science Year 5
This report describes the science achievement of Year 5 students in TIMSS 2018/19. Analyses of achievement by sub-groupings (such as gender and ethnicity) and background information are also presented and comparisons are made with New Zealand across cycles and also…
Author(s): Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: December 2020
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TIMSS 2018/19: Mathematics Year 9
This report describes the mathematics achievement of Year 9 students in TIMSS 2018/19. Analyses of achievement by sub-groupings (such as gender and ethnicity) and background information are also presented and comparisons are made with New Zealand across cycles and also…
Author(s): Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education
Date Published: December 2020
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TIMSS 2018/19: Science Year 9
This report describes the science achievement of Year 9 students in TIMSS 2018/19. Analyses of achievement by sub-groupings (such as gender and ethnicity) and background information are also presented and comparisons are made with New Zealand across cycles and also…
Author(s): Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: December 2020
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PIRLS 2016: The importance of access to books and New Zealand students' reading confidence
This paper uses data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study to show the different ways Year 5 students access books and changes that have occurred since 2001, and then examines the relationship between students’ access to books for…
Author(s): Megan Chamberlain, with Rebecca Essery, Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: November 2020
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PIRLS 2016: Using computers for reading activities and students' attitudes to reading
This paper uses data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS 2016) to investigate the relationship between teachers’ use of digital activities and their teaching strategies, and how students felt about reading—their enjoyment, engagement, and confidence.…
Author(s): Jessica Forkert and Megan Chamberlain [Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education]
Date Published: November 2020
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PISA 2018: Global competence of New Zealand 15-year-olds
This report focuses on findings from the PISA 2018 global competence questionnaire items and is organised into four parts: Part I provides an overview of how global competence is defined and measured in PISA 2018. Part II covers the findings…
Author(s): Emma Medina, Ryan Sutcliffe, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: October 2020
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PISA 2018 Opportunities to Learn: Learning time and school support for study
This report uses data from the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment to answer two questions: How long do New Zealand students spend in classroom instruction, and is this related to reading performance? What kinds of support do New Zealand…
Author(s): Ryan Sutcliffe, Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education
Date Published: September 2020
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PISA 2018: Resources for learning: Access, quality and capacity
This report uses data from the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment to answer two questions: Do 15-year-old New Zealand students have access to quality resources at their school? Do schools (attended by 15-year-olds) have the capacity to use the…
Author(s): Emma Medina, Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education
Date Published: September 2020
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PISA 2018: Selecting and sorting students
This report uses data from PISA 2018 to examine how students are sorted between and within schools, and if any relationships exist with sorting practices and variation in reading achievement, overall reading achievement and equity.…
Author(s): Emma Medina, Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education
Date Published: September 2020
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PISA 2018: Uses of Assessment, School Accountability, and Quality Assurance
This report uses data from the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment to examine schools’ reasons for assessing students, how they use achievement data for accountability, and the actions they take to uphold and improve educational quality. Of particular interest…
Author(s): Ryan Sutcliffe, Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education
Date Published: September 2020
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TALIS 2018: Professional collaboration among New Zealand Year 7-10 teachers
New Zealand Year 7-10 teachers engaged more frequently in exchange and co-ordination activities than in deeper forms of collaboration. Teachers’ self-confidence in teaching was positively associated with more frequent professional collaboration. This report draws on findings from TALIS 2018 Results…
Author(s): Nicola Marshall with Sarah Rendall, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: August 2020
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TALIS 2018: New Zealand Year 7-10 Teacher Wellbeing
In 2017, most New Zealand year 7-10 teachers reported positive levels of wellbeing. They were satisfied with their job, their school and the teaching profession in general. However, they felt undervalued by society and many reported high levels of stress…
Author(s): Sarah Rendall and Nicola Marshall, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: August 2020
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PISA 2018: New Zealand students' wellbeing - School climate & student mindsets of 15-year-olds
This report summarises aspects of PISA 2018 data related to students’ wellbeing in New Zealand, such as literacy levels, support from parents and teachers, relationships with peers, experiences of bullying, behavioural climate at school and student mindsets.…
Author(s): Adam Jang-Jones with Alexandra McGregor, Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: December 2019
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PISA 2018: Reading in New Zealand - Reading achievement and experiences of 15-year-olds
Reading literacy is the foundation for achievement across nearly all subjects and for meaningful participation in society throughout life. This report summarises the PISA 2018 reading achievement story in New Zealand and explores major contributors to student success in reading…
Author(s): Emma Medina with Alexandra McGregor, Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: December 2019
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