Attainment Scotland Fund (ASF) Evaluation Summative report, 2026

Executive Summary

The Attainment Scotland Fund (ASF) provides targeted investment to improve outcomes for children and young people impacted by poverty, supporting the Scottish Attainment Challenge (SAC) mission to reduce the poverty‑related attainment gap. This summative evaluation report synthesises evidence gathered across the lifetime of the SAC with a focus from 2022 and the introduction of the SAC mission to assess progress towards its long‑term outcomes. Evidence is drawn from the SAC Leads Survey (2025), School Survey (2025), case study research (2025), and national stakeholder interviews (2025/26), alongside previous analytical outputs (see Annex 1).

This report is a key independent contribution towards evidence informed policy making. It has been produced to inform future decision making around funding and approaches to address poverty and improve education. It brings together evaluation evidence and findings to evaluate how the fund was introduced (Implementation of the fund) the extent to which it became embedded (Embedded practices and culture) and the impacts (Closing the gap and Achievement) in order to determine progress towards the SAC mission.

Implementation of the fund

National direction, provided through refreshed guidance and the SAC Logic Model, has played a key role supporting clarity of purpose and strengthening local planning. However, a challenge repeated across multiple SAC Leads Surveys is that national guidance is issued too late to be fully integrated into planning cycles. Attainment Advisors remain a central strength, however stakeholders highlight variability due to capacity constraints.

The introduction of the Strategic Equity Fund (SEF) in 2022 marked a significant shift in how resources were allocated to reduce the poverty‑related attainment gap, from targeting particular local authorities with higher levels of deprivation (Challenge Authorities) to funding all local authorities. Authorities not previously in receipt of strategic funding have established new structures and roles and improved responsiveness. The importance of strategic level funding for all local authorities was recognised across the data collected as being of critical importance. Concerns from the previously designated Challenge Authorities persist regarding the “tapering” down of their payments.

The strategic funding complemented Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) which was allocated directly to schools to underpin approaches based on local need/decision-making at the school level.

The ongoing misalignment between financial‑year allocations and academic‑year planning means that resource allocation is not yet fully optimised, and fixed funding has limited the extent to which permanent staff can be recruited in support of reducing the poverty-related attainment gap.

Improved use of data and evidence has been a key strength of SAC implementation. Local authorities have developed monitoring strategies, oversight protocols and collaboration approaches to effectively target resources. Some issues persist around reporting burdens and duplication.

Approaches to equity have evolved over the years of the fund, supported by increased understanding of the challenges associated with poverty, enhanced approaches to planning and knowledge of local contexts. The approaches are strongly underpinned by both learning and teaching and families and communities. Recent adaptations reflect ongoing pressures such as cost of living and the ongoing impact of COVID‑19. Many authorities have adjusted their strategic use of SEF and PEF for 2025/26. PEF investment is generally viewed as effective with evidence of increased headteacher confidence and spend reflecting local contexts, however variability in school‑level capacity persists.

The Care Experienced Children and Young People (CECYP) fund remains widely valued and has supported strategic decision-making and collaboration at the local authority level. CECYP funding has increasingly been utilised to support the introduction and development of Virtual School Headteachers within local authorities, which are viewed as effective in those local authorities who have introduced them so far.

Overall, SAC is increasingly embedded within wider policy frameworks. While challenges remain, the cumulative evidence demonstrates maturing structures, approaches responding to identified needs, increased understanding, strengthened governance and continued progress toward the SAC long‑term mission.

Embedded practices and culture

Meaningful engagement with families and communities is becoming increasingly embedded, with case studies highlighting schools’ roles in supporting families, particularly in the most deprived areas. The importance of family link workers and other similar post-holders to support families has been consistently highlighted throughout this phase of the evaluation. The extent to which children and young people’s voice is informing change has been strengthened through the national programmes and school‑level activity, though stakeholders advise that engaging children and young people can be inconsistent without sustained investment and participation must not be tokenistic.

Readiness to learn has become a strategic priority. Survey and case study evidence indicates improvements, particularly where wellbeing and nurture approaches are emphasised, even as COVID‑19 and cost‑of‑living pressures continue to affect learners.

An equity‑focused culture and ethos has become more embedded across the system, supported by leadership, collaborative working, effective use of data and evidence, professional learning, learning and teaching, inclusive practice, and work to reduce stigma. However capacity and workload impact on the degree to which this is effective across the board. Sustainability remains the key risk and area of concern; while many approaches and cultural shifts appear durable, all stakeholders highlighted the need for continuous, ongoing effort and funding to sustain them.

Strong progress has been made in systems and practice, though some stakeholders note that translating these gains into consistently measurable national outcomes remains an ongoing challenge.

Closing the gap

The evidence from the National Improvement Framework (NIF) basket of measures shows continued narrowing of the poverty-related attainment gap for literacy and numeracy in Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels (ACEL) and sustained recovery beyond the immediate post‑pandemic period. In 2024/25, Primary and S3 literacy and numeracy gaps were the narrowest on record. School‑leaver attainment National Qualifications show widening gaps at SCQF Levels 4 and 5 and a recent widening at Level 6. Attainment gains have been observed in the newer All SCQF five‑plus pass measures, with a record narrowing of the gap at Level 5 but a widening of the gap in 2024/25 for Levels 4 and 6. Participation among 16–19‑year‑olds reached its highest level in 2024, with the deprivation gap steadily narrowing since 2016. The positive initial destinations rate remains high despite a small gap increase in 2023/24 and a marked reduction since 2015/16 overall. Where data is available, the health and wellbeing gap is narrowing in attendance rates and the 27–30-month review. In addition there is a slight increase in the gap between the most and least disadvantaged with a total strengths and difficulties score of 14 or more.

It is important to note that drawing definitive conclusions about progress based on the NIF measures alone risks eclipsing broader progress in the system, as well as not fully capturing the progress and achievements of all learner journeys. Evaluation evidence should be seen in the round to provide a broader and more holistic view of progress.

Perceptions from stakeholders including school staff generally report improvements in literacy, numeracy, and wellbeing, with most perceiving at least some closure of the poverty‑related attainment gap. Enablers include collaboration, effective use of data and evidence, strategic planning, targeted staffing, focusing on wellbeing and nurture, study support, and headteacher autonomy over PEF.

Persistent risks include reduced funding for former Challenge Authorities, attendance concerns, and wider pressures linked to COVID‑19 and the cost of living, raising ongoing questions about sustainability. Concerns have also been raised about the increase in numbers of pupils with Additional Support Needs (ASN) and the impact this may have on the ability to improve attainment or close the poverty-related attainment gap.

Achievement

The evaluation evidence indicates that the ASF has succeeded in broadening opportunities to learn beyond the classroom and to achieve in wider domains, providing opportunities like residential/holiday activities, outdoor learning, after‑school clubs and sports. Positive impacts were widely reported across the board, with inclusivity, development of life skills, improvements to mental health and wellbeing, attendance and supporting transitions between school stages being regularly reported.

The participants responding to case studies have reported a wide range of very positive benefits both within and outside of school, and the School Survey indicates these benefits are widespread across schools.

Levels of provision in particular for care‑experienced children and young people have been increased, with tailored wellbeing initiatives, wider achievements/qualifications, attendance initiatives, outdoor learning, mentoring and Virtual School Headteacher support most frequently provided. PEF has been frequently used to remove cost barriers for those in poverty (funding trips and providing equipment) and is administered in schools discreetly to avoid stigma. Perceptions of the extent to which ASF has been used for wider achievement initiatives varies, with 96% of SAC leads saying funds have been used for this purpose, compared to only 45% of headteachers or those with a lead role. This difference in understanding between the strategic and school level could suggest barriers to delivery of wider opportunities at the school level. Secondary schools, urban and more‑deprived schools report greater emphasis than primary, rural/small‑town and less‑deprived schools.

Professional learning to support teachers to provide wider achievement options is not widespread but is increasing, and some schools have established leadership roles to embed this focus.

In terms of achievement at Senior Phase, there remains a gap between pupils from the most and least deprived areas who achieve 1 or more passes at All SCQF Levels 4, 5, 6 or above. However, considering pupils from the most deprived areas only, the proportion of pupils achieving five or more passes has increased from 41% to 53% at Level 5 and from 16% to 24% at Level 6, between 2015/16 and 2024/25. It should be borne in mind that the number of award providers and types of awards has expanded in this period. However, the important aspect of this trend is that pupils are achieving these awards.

Conclusion

Overall, SAC is increasingly embedded within wider policy frameworks. Challenges remain but cumulative evidence demonstrates maturing structures, approaches responding to identified needs, increased understanding, strengthened governance, and continued progress toward the long‑term mission. ASF has made substantial contributions to strengthening educational equity across Scotland in support of the SAC mission.

There has been strong and positive progress in the building blocks of developing culture and ethos including collaboration, use of data and evidence, support of and engagement with families and communities, engaging children and young people in decision-making, wider opportunities and a focus on readiness to learn. Improvements in learning and teaching, leadership and professional learning have been key contributors. Engaging with children and young people in decision-making has improved but remains an area for ongoing development.

The attainment gap has narrowed between the most and least disadvantaged for primary and secondary literacy and numeracy, however school leaver attainment shows less progress. Challenges remain in staff capacity and long‑term sustainability. There remains a mismatch between the quantitative NIF indicators and stakeholder perceptions on the extent to which the poverty-related attainment gap has been closed, with stakeholder reports being more positive.

The evaluation has determined that the SAC Mission is partially achieved, with strong foundations established but further sustained progress and funding required to deliver consistent, sustainable, measurable improvement at national level.