British schools slide down world league for sciences from 4th to 14th

Britain has tumbled down another education league table - this time in science.

In six years, the UK has slumped from fourth to 14th place in a table of 15-year-olds' performance in science tests.

Our schools trail major European countries such as Germany and the Netherlands, as well as smaller nations such as Estonia and Liechtenstein.

It is the second slide down an international education league in as many days and piles further pressure on Gordon Brown over Labour's multi-billion pound education reforms.

A separate report published yesterday on ten-year-olds' reading standards saw England fall from third to 19th place.

The latest study, from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, gave more than 400,000 students from 57 countries a two-hour science test containing 80 questions.

UK pupils averaged 515 points - 48 behind the leaders Finland. A breakdown for the UK's constituent nations will be published next week.

A smaller-scale international science test, containing 20 questions, was set in 2000 and 2003. In 2000, the UK was ranked fourth out of 44 countries, with a score of 532. In 2003, we were 12th with 518.

The OECD said comparisons between the 2006 tests and the earlier ones were not "strictly valid" since they were different.

However, critics said the contrast was evidence of falling standards.

The OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment study was published by a Government adviser who revealed that only eight per cent of pupils take three separate sciences at GCSE.

The vast majority take a generic 'double science' qualification - worth two GCSEs - while growing numbers are moving to 'single science' - worth one GCSE.

The adviser, York University's Professor David Jesson, found only one in 20 pupils in state secondary schools are now entered for GCSEs in physics, chemistry and biology.

Some 2,021 state comprehensives do not even offer the three sciences at GCSE - 68 per cent of the total.

Pupils at independent schools are five times more likely to be entered for "triple science" but their figure is still only 31 per cent.

Business leaders have warned they are being forced to look abroad to fill top jobs because thousands of bright British teenagers are dropping science and maths in favour of 'glamorous' A-level subjects.

Schools Minister Jim Knight said: "This study shows we're well above average, but we know we need to do more to be truly world class."

Tory children's spokesman Michael Gove said: "The Government has failed to equip our children properly for the future by using tried and tested teaching methods."