NAHT Northern Ireland has welcomed the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results, which show that Northern Ireland's 15-year-olds continue to perform strongly by international standards, while warning that persistent inequalities and funding pressures must not be ignored.

The latest PISA survey found that Northern Ireland outperformed the majority of participating education systems, although performance was below England and scores in mathematics and reading have declined since 2015.

Responding to the findings, Dr Graham Gault, National Secretary of NAHT Northern Ireland, said:

"While PISA is only one measure of an education system, it provides a useful international benchmark.

"School leaders will take encouragement from the fact that Northern Ireland continues to perform strongly in international comparisons. These outcomes reflect the commitment, professionalism and hard work of school leaders, teachers, support staff, pupils and families across Northern Ireland.

"At the same time, we must avoid complacency, and the results show clear signs of pressure within the system, including declining performance in some areas and continuing attainment gaps between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.

"These findings come against a backdrop of severe budget constraints, increasing demands on schools and growing concerns around pupil wellbeing. Maintaining high standards becomes ever more difficult when schools are being asked to do more with less."

NAHT Northern Ireland noted that the PISA report highlights substantial attainment differences linked to socio-economic disadvantage.

Dr Gault added: "One of the most significant messages from these results is that educational outcomes are still heavily influenced by disadvantage. Closing these gaps must remain a priority for policymakers.

"School leaders cannot continue to absorb financial pressures indefinitely. If Northern Ireland wishes to remain a high-performing education system, it must invest accordingly in schools, staffing, special educational needs provision and mental health support.

"The dedication of our education workforce has enabled Northern Ireland to maintain a strong international position. They deserve recognition, but more importantly they deserve the resources necessary to build on that success."

NAHT Northern Ireland said it looks forward to working constructively with the Department of Education and Executive ministers to ensure the lessons from PISA translate into meaningful support for schools and pupils.