The results also suggest that the timing of acquiring cognitive skills is a less significant factor. Unlike the Danish study comparing PISA and PIAAC results, this comparison for England is not based on longitudinal data. But it does show a worrying trend for England as it shifts from an average ranking on the PISA tests to a bottom ranking position on the PIAAC assessments for those in their late teens, and only a slightly better outcome for those in their early 20’s. This finding poses a stark question for British policy makers: why did young people in other OECD countries make greater progress in literacy and numeracy skills between the ages of 15 and the early 20s than their English peers?