Attainment Scotland Fund Evaluation: Interim Report, 2025
The interim report is a key output of the Attainment Scotland Fund Evaluation Strategy 2022-26. It brings together both quantitative and qualitative evidence available to date to provide learning on the implementation and impact of the Attainment Scotland Fund.
Footnotes
1 For further information on PEF, see Pupil Equity Funding: national operational guidance 2023 - gov.scot.
2 A summary of local authority stretch aims for raising attainment and closing the poverty related attainment gap is available at Scottish Attainment Challenge - Local stretch Aims: 2023/24 to 2025/26
3 Analytical Plans can be accessed at the following links: Analytical Plan 1 (2022-23); Analytical Plan 2 (2023-24); Analytical Plan 3 (2024-25).
4 Each local authority has a designated lead officer for the Scottish Attainment Challenge. Depending on the local authority arrangements, this may be a specifically designated role or undertaken as part of a wider remit. For example, in a number of local authorities, the Scottish Attainment Challenge Lead is the Head of Service for Education.
5 Findings from the SAC Leads Survey 2023 are available t the following link - SAC Leads Survey, 2023. Findings for the 2024 survey were published as part of the Implementation and Impact 2024 report.
6 See Annex C for a summary of the research method and sample. The full survey findings are available at the following link – ASF Evaluation: School Survey Report, 2025
8 Findings from national stakeholder interviews were published as part of the Implementation and Impact 2024 report.
9 The thematic evaluation reporting is summarised in the Attainment Scotland Fund evaluation: thematic evaluation summary report 2024.
10 Youthlink Scotland, CELCIS, Child Poverty Action Group Scotland and Young Scot all receive funding from the Scottish Government as part of the Scottish Attainment Challenge National Programmes.
11 CELCIS are funded as one of the SAC National Programmes to encourage sharing of good practice and approaches.
12 The Promise Scotland made to care experienced children and young people is that ‘they will grow up loved, safe and respected’. For further information see The Promise.
13 The Whole Family Wellbeing Funding (WFWF) is a £500 million investment over the life of this Parliament (2022 to 2026) to support the whole system transformational change required to reduce the need for crisis intervention and to shift investment towards prevention and early intervention. For further information see Whole Family Wellbeing Funding - Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) - gov.scot.
14 Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) is Scottish Government’s commitment to provide all children, young people and their families with the right support at the right time. For further information see Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) - gov.scot.
15 Further detail on the ASF Impact Feasibility Study is included in Annex C of the ASF Evaluation Analytical Plan 2 – Year 2023/24.
16 The Feasibility Study recommended taking a cross-sectional approach, involving primary research at different points in time to understand the impact of the Fund. This could seek to incorporate some longitudinal elements at repeated time series. It has not been feasible to undertake more than one ‘wave’ of the School Survey.
17 The National Improvement Framework and Improvement Plan published in December 2024 notes that of the 13 key NIF measures, the data source has changed for one measures (HWB: Children total difficulties score (age 13 and 15)) and so data is available for 2022 only.
19 The four response options on whether the poverty-related attainment gap has closed in literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing were as follows: (i) the gap has closed a lot; (ii) the gap has closed a little; (iii) the gap has not closed at all; (iv) don’t know.
20 Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels (ACEL) data for which consistent data is first available for 2016/17.
21 Schools with 25-49% pupils in SIMD quintiles 1 and 2.
22 Schools with 50-74% pupils in SIMD quintiles 1 and 2.
23 25-49% pupils in SIMD quintiles 1 and 2.
24 25-49% pupils in SIMD quintiles 1 and 2.
25 50-74% pupils in SIMD quintiles 1 and 2.
26 The Total Difficulties Score is a combined measure of emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, and peer problems.
27 The data source has changed for HWB: Children total difficulties score (age 13 and 15) and so data is available for 2022 only.
28 Thresholds are used to interpret scores. Normal is scores of 13 or less, borderline is scores between 14 and 16 and abnormal is scores of 17 or above.
29 This date is collected by members of staff within NHS Health Visiting Teams. Data has been collected since 2013. An Ages and Stages questionnaire is carried out which reviews the five main areas of child development: Communication and language, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, problem solving and personal and social development.
30 The initial positive destinations measure provides information on the outcomes for young people approximately three months after the end of the academic year (the 1st Monday in October). Positive destination includes higher education, further education, training, employment, voluntary work and Personal Skills Development.
31 When considering the APM as a measure in the ASF Evaluation it is important to note that the APM is measured from 1st April - 31st March annually, as opposed to the academic year considered in the ASF Evaluation. As such, the figures are not considered across a directly comparable time period.
32 Between 2015 and 2022, nine local authorities received Challenge Authority Funding through ASF on the basis of higher levels of deprivation.
33 Confirmation of ASF funding for 2026/27, based on existing SEF, PEF and CECYP allocations, was announced in March 2025.
34 The ASF Evaluation Working Group and the ASF Evaluation Advisory Panel are key groupings supporting the evaluation. The Evaluation Working Group comprises colleagues from Scottish Government Educational Analytical Services, Scottish Attainment Challenge Policy Unit and Education Scotland (including Attainment Advisors). The Evaluation Advisory Panel comprises a broader range of stakeholders, with representatives from local authorities, schools and ADES.
35 Individual companion reports can be accessed via the following links: Families and Communities Thematic Evaluation Report 2024; Readiness to Learn Thematic Evaluation Report 2024; Voice of Children and Young People Thematic Evaluation Report 2024.
36 Participatory Budgeting is a participatory process related to decision-making about how resources can be spent locally. See for example Future of Participatory Budgeting in Scotland: framework - gov.scot
37 A separate report on the case study element of the commissioned impact evaluation will be published in Autumn 2025.
Contact
Email: Fiona.Wager@gov.scot