Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Levels 2024-25

Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) levels: 2024-25 provides information on national performance in literacy and numeracy, based on all pupils in publicly funded Primary 1, Primary 4, Primary 7 and Secondary 3 classes, and for all pupils based in special schools/units.


Chapter 6  Achievement of CfE levels by local authority

If making comparisons between local authorities we recommend keeping in mind the context of the authorities and their approach to assessment. See Section 5.6 of the methodology report for more information.

Details of achievement of CfE levels by local authority (2016-17 to 2024-25) can be found in the supplementary tables. The supplementary tables also include a breakdown of local authority achievement of CfE levels by deprivation (SIMD quintiles).

In charts 14 and 15 the blue dots represent local authorities and the green bars represent the Scotland average.

The largest range in results among individual primary organisers (i.e. excluding literacy) occurs in P7 numeracy and P4 numeracy, with a range of 24 and 23 percentage points respectively. Ranges are often affected by individual local authorities with particularly high or low results.

Chart 14: Variation at primary level between local authorities was greatest for writing and smallest for listening and talking

Percentage of P1, P4 and P7 pupils achieving expected CfE levels by organiser and local authority, 2024-25

Chart showing that at primary levels, the range of achievement between local authorities is up to 24, although particularly high or low results for individual authorities can substantially increase the range.

The narrowest range among primary organisers was in listening and talking at P4 and P7, with 12 and 13 percentage points difference between local authorities respectively.

At S3 (third level or better), the range in results for attainment was smaller than at fourth level. There are likely to be differences between authorities in the assessment and recording of level 4 attainment.

Among individual organisers (i.e. excluding literacy) the smallest range at third level or better was in listening and talking where the range was 14 percentage points and widest for writing and numeracy at 19 percentage points.

Chart 15: Variation between local authorities at S3 level was greater for fourth level than for third level or better

Percentage of S3 pupils achieving CfE levels by organiser and local authority, 2023-24

Chart showing the range of attainment between local authorities at S3 level 3 tends to be higher than at level 4.

Detailed results by local authority can be found in Table 10 and Pivot Charts 10a and 10b of the supplementary tables.

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