Europe’s education success story is showing serious cracks.

The latest PISA results reveal dramatic falls across some of the continent’s best-known education systems. France and Germany recorded their worst results ever, while the Netherlands also hit an all-time low. Even Finland, once celebrated as a global education leader, saw scores tumble.

The figures measure how effectively 15-year-olds use reading, maths and science skills in everyday situations. While England bucked the wider trend, the decline across much of western Europe has continued since 2018.

In France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, almost one in three teenagers now lack basic functional skills in literacy and maths.

The pandemic clearly made matters worse, but experts argue that the crisis runs deeper. Teacher shortages, constant curriculum changes, school integration and growing inequality are putting increasing pressure on schools.