Labour blamed by Keegan for Wales' education decline (Image: Getty)

       Performances in maths, reading and science have fallen to their lowest-ever levels, making Welsh schools the worst in the UK.

       In a stinging attack, Gillian Keegan claimed it showed what would happen across the UK if Labour gained power at Westminster at the next election.

       She said: “Not long ago, the Labour leader said we should look to Wales to see a blueprint for a future Labour government. The reality of what that would look like in education was made very clear this week.”

       The Minister declared: “There’s nothing more dangerous to children’s -education than the Labour Party.”

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       Education in Wales has been the responsibility of the devolved government since it was created in 1999 and Labour has led the administration throughout this period.

       Figures published last week by the Organisation for Economic Co--operation and Development, which conducted tests known as Pisa assessments in 81 countries, found the Welsh average score in maths was 466, down from 487 in 2018. In England the latest test result was 492.

       In reading, the average score in Wales fell from 483 to 466, compared to 496 for England, while in science the score fell from 488 to 473, with the score for England 503.

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       SNP-run Scotland also lags behind England in science and maths according to the OECD, although results in Scottish schools are better than those in Wales.

       Reading scores in Scotland are slightly behind those in England.

       England has gone up the Pisa ranks from 17th place to 11th in five years.

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       Ms Keegan said the failure in Wales is a result of Labour imposing so-called progressive policies on schools.

       A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Before the pandemic we saw a strong improvement in literacy and numeracy standards. Performance has fallen across Europe and in every part of the UK as a result of the pandemic.

       “We are focusing on improving our performance.”

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