Irish children prove the best in Europe at reading

Irish children are the best in Europe at reading, thanks to major improvements among fourth-class pupils in the last five years.

Results of tests in 50 countries last year further vindicate an increased focus on literacy that has seen most primary teachers undergo specific training to target improvements in this area.

Only children in Russia and Singapore scored significantly better than the 4,607 Irish fourth-class pupils tested at 148 primary schools in April 2016 for the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study.