Holding(s) in Company

Pearson PLC
12 March 2003


Letter to RNS


Notification of change in interest in shares

We write in accordance with rule 9.12, under the continuing obligations section 
of the Listing Rules, to notify you that we have today received information that,
pursuant to section 198 of the Companies Act 1985, the shareholding of The 
Capital Group Companies, Inc., which equals 97,133,532 shares, now represents
12.12% of the issued ordinary share capital of Pearson plc.

The registered holders of the shares are listed on the schedules attached to 
this fax. 

Letter from Pearson PLC


Letter to Pearson plc
Dated 10 March 2003

                              SECTION 198 NOTIFICATION 
                              Notification of Increase

This Notice is given by The Capital Group Companies, Inc, on behalf of its 
affiliates, including Capital Research and Management Company, Capital
International, Inc., Capital International S.A., Capital International Limited,
and Capital Guardian Trust Company, pursuant to Section 198 of the Companies Act
1985.

The interest in the relevant share capital indicated below arises by virtue of 
holdings attributed to the Companies (see Schedule A).  These holdings form part
of funds managed on behalf of investment clients by the Companies.

          Share capital to which this relates:

               Ordinary Shares (801,645,307 shares outstanding)

          Number of shares in which the Companies have an interest:

                97,133,532

          Name(s) of registered holder(s):

               See Schedule B


As of 10 March 2003

Pearson plc

                                                      Number of      Percent of
                                                       Shares        Outstanding

The Capital Group Companies, Inc. ("CG") holdings      97,133,532       12.117%

Holdings by CG Management Companies and Funds;

•  Capital Guardian Trust Company                      62,705,880       7.822%

•  Capital International Limited                       11,708,348       1.461%

•  Capital International S.A.                           5,804,505       0.724%

•  Capital International, Inc.                          9,297,527       1.160%

•  Capital Research and Management Company              7,617,272       0.950%

                                   
                                       Schedule A


                              Schedule of holdings in Pearson plc
                                    As of 10 March 2003

                              Capital Guardian Trust Company

Registered Name                                              Local Shares

Barclays Bank                                                 1,285,400

Mellon Nominees (UK) Limited                                  1,006,504

ROY Nominees Limited                                             45,100

HSBC Bank plc                                                    15,000

Deutsche Bank AG                                                  2,100

Citibank NA                                                      44,700

State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                    71,500

MSS Nominees Limited                                              98,400

Royal Bank of Scotland                                            29,600

Citibank London                                                1,020,786

Bankers Trust                                                  2,791,000

Deutsche Bank Mannheim                                               700

Midland Bank plc                                              12,194,900

BT Globenet Nominees Ltd                                         594,835

Chase Nominees Limited                                         25,707,859

Bank of New York Nominees                                      1,519,033

State Street Nominees Limited                                  9,246,171

Nortrust Nominees                                              7,032,292

                                              TOTAL           62,705,880

                                Schedule B


                        Capital International Limited

Registered Name                                             Local Shares

State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                    247,500

Lloyds Bank                                                       37,100

Citibank NA                                                       23,500

Deutsche Bank AG                                                 680,036

HSBC Bank plc                                                    536,930

MSS Nominees Limited                                              91,200

KAS UK                                                            27,525

Bankers Trust                                                  1,220,958

Bank One London                                                  146,300

Mellon Bank N.A.                                                  48,316

Royal Bank of Scotland                                             8,100

Nortrust Nominees                                              1,808,064

Morgan Guaranty                                                  200,559

Barclays Bank                                                     55,100

Midland Bank plc                                                  74,500

Chase Nominees Limited                                         2,396,934

Northern Trust                                                   419,835

Bank of New York Nominees                                      3,221,429

State Street Nominees Limited                                    369,062

Clydesdale Bank plc                                               74,100

Citibank London                                                   21,300

                                                   TOTAL      11,708,348


                                Schedule B


                       Capital International S.A.

Registered Name                                                  Local Shares

MSS Nominees Limited                                                17,800

HSBC Bank plc                                                      173,000

Deutsche Bank AG                                                   138,752

Citibank NA                                                         12,000

RBSTB Nominees Ltd.                                                 18,027

Vidacos Nominees Ltd.                                               44,090

Lloyds Bank                                                         85,800

National Westminster Bank                                           76,600

State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                       72,600 

J.P.Morgan                                                         475,600

Royal Bank of Scotland                                           1,059,518

Morgan Stanley                                                      12,900

Nortrust Nominees                                                   11,300

Brown Bros.                                                         73,900

Citibank London                                                     27,000

Barclays Bank                                                      712,418

Midland Bank plc                                                   560,000

Credit Suisse London Branch                                         20,000

Chase Nominees Limited                                           2,109,237

State Street Nominees Limited                                       10,636

Bank of New York Nominees                                           93,327

                                                         TOTAL   5,804,505

                             Schedule B

                     Capital International, Inc

Registered Name                                                  Local Shares

State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                      896,796

HSBC Bank plc                                                       26,800

Chase Manhattan Nominee Ltd                                         15,227

Bank of New York Nominees                                        1,094,490

Deutsche Bank AG                                                    93,000

Citibank NA                                                        245,857

RBSTB Nominees Ltd                                                  39,900

Citibank                                                            33,700

Royal Bank of Scotland                                             135,200

Nortrust Nominees                                                  817,698

Citibank London                                                    175,100

Bankers Trust                                                       51,500

Deutsche Bank Mannheim                                              33,600

Chase Nominees Limited                                           2,489,740

State Street Nominees Limited                                    2,956,119

Midland Bank plc                                                   192,800

                                                   TOTAL         9,297,527

                               Schedule B

                    Capital Research and Management Company

Registered Name                                                 Local Shares

State Street Nominees Limited                                      500,000

Chase Nominees Limited                                           7,117,272

                                                   TOTAL         7,617,272
                                 
                               Schedule B




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