Table CNT4.1 shows the distribution of year four overall numeracy scores in Cook Islands against the PILNA numeracy proficiency scale. This scale converts a student’s overall numeracy score into a level ranking from zero to eight. The expected minimum overall numeracy performance for year four students is proficiency level three. Pacific stakeholders expect these students to reach or exceed this proficiency level.

The average overall numeracy score for year four students in Cook Islands in 2021 was 461.69 (SD = 85.78). This corresponds to proficiency level four in the PILNA numeracy proficiency scale, though at the lower threshold for this level (level four is assigned to scores 475–500), as shown in the common proficiency scale ‘meter’ of numeracy for year four students in Cook Islands (Figure CNF4.8). On average, year four students in Cook Islands are exceeding the minimum expected proficiency level in numeracy.

Although year four students in Cook Islands exceeded the minimum expected proficiency level in numeracy, they had slightly lower average numeracy scores (462) than year four students in the region (479).

The average numeracy score does not tell us the whole story. The proportion of students who are meeting the minimum expected standard is also important.  Approximately 58% of the year four students in Cook Islands, three out of five, performed at or above this expected level (levels 3–8) in PILNA 2021. Conversely, approximately 42% of the students, two out of five, performed below the expected proficiency level (levels 0–2). In other words, most year four students are meeting the minimum expected level for numeracy, but there is a significant proportion (42%) who are yet to meet the minimum expected proficiency level.

Table CNT4.2 compares the performance of year four students for numeracy in the Cook Islands, against that in Small Island States and the region. While 58% of year four students performed at or above the expected level (levels 3-8) for numeracy in the Cook Islands, this figure was higher in the Small Island States (63%) and in the region (67%) as a whole.

When looking at the Cook Islands distribution of year four numeracy proficiency scores in 2021 by gender (Table CNT4.3), slight differences can be seen for girls and boys. Approximately 64% of girls performed at or above the minimum expected proficiency level (levels 3–8) compared to approximately 53% of boys. Additionally, boys represented higher proportions of the students performing at level zero and level one than did girls; 15% of year four boys performed at level one compared to 10% of girls, and 24% of boys performed at level zero compared to 13% of girls.