A senior SNP minister has been branded ‘delusional’ for claiming schools should not be judged on the performance of 15-year-olds in an international study.

Education Secretary Mairi McAllan said several other factors must be taken into account after Scotland slumped to its worst ever performance in the Programme for International Student Assessments (Pisa) study for 2025, which records the knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds and is co-ordinated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

She also dismissed concerns that the attainment gap has only narrowed in the study because of a large decline in the performance of pupils in the least deprived areas.

It comes as it was revealed that the Scottish Conservatives will host a schools summit featuring experts including former UK Government Education Secretary Michael Gove – but Ms McAllan refused to commit to attending.

In a statement to the Scottish Parliament on the Pisa results, Ms McAllan said: ‘I do believe success should be judged not only by test scores at age 15 but by where young people go next and whether they are equipped to succeed in work, training and further education.

‘I am proud that in Scotland, 95.7 per cent of school leavers move into a positive destination, one of the highest figures on record.’

She added: ‘It is important that the Pisa results are not viewed in isolation. And as Education Secretary it is important, to our young people, parents and carers and teachers themselves, that I recognise the strengths of Scottish education.’

Education experts including Professor Lindsay Paterson have highlighted that the Pisa study shows inequality reduced between 2018 and 2025 because there was a steeper decline in performance for the least deprived pupils compared to the most deprived.

Under Education Secretary Mairi McAllan Scotland slumped to its worst ever performance in the Programme for International Student Assessments (Pisa) study for 2025

Ms McAllan has refused to commit to attending Scottish Conservatives education summit featuring Michael Gove 

Liberal Democrat MSP Duncan Dunlop said the Government is ‘limiting children’s life chances and dumbing down Scotland’s potential’.

Ms McAllan said: ‘Whilst I was assessing that downward trajectory that Pisa demonstrated to me, I could see that, for example, since 2009/10 the number of care-experienced young people who have entered positive destinations has increased from 58.1 per cent to 84.1 per cent.

‘So that to me is another indication of a successful education system and we must keep pursuing that work.’

Scottish Conservative MSP Meghan Gallacher, who invited Ms McAllan to join education experts including Mr Gove at her summit, said: ‘Mairi McAllan’s statement was full of delusion and denial.

‘It told you everything you need to know about the SNP’s approach to education – ideology comes before better results.

‘I have invited Michael Gove to Scotland because I want to learn from what worked in England and explore what we can do better here. 

‘Under his leadership England expanded the academies programme, introduced a more rigorous curriculum and qualifications, and brought in phonics screening to improve early literacy.

‘But apparently, Mairi McAllan would rather shut the door because she doesn’t like who he is.’

In response to the offer, Ms McAllan said she will work with anyone pushing for improvement but added: ‘Whilst I am keen to work with anyone, the architects of Conservative austerity, which our schools are grappling with the effects of so much, would not be top of my list.’