Closing the poverty-related attainment gap: progress report 2016 to 2021 - summary report

1. Introduction

The shared vision for Scottish education is to deliver excellence and equity for all, with the defining mission of closing the poverty-related attainment gap, ensuring every child has the same opportunity to succeed.

This is a long-term commitment that has been supported by a system wide, collaborative endeavour between all partners within Scottish education to make Scotland the best place to grow and learn.

The Scottish Attainment Challenge (SAC) was launched by the First Minister in 2015 to bring more urgency and focus to the issue of the attainment gap which has remained a feature of our society for generations. During the course of this parliamentary term, the Scottish Government has upheld a relentless focus on efforts to close the poverty-related attainment gap. The Scottish Government's commitment to this agenda is demonstrated by the record level of funding that has been invested in education and in the Scottish Attainment Challenge.

Closing the poverty-related attainment gap - a report on progress 2016-2021 assesses the progress that has been made through the Scottish Attainment Challenge and wider education policies towards closing the attainment gap during this Parliamentary term by analysing the wide range of evidence available. This summary report provides an overview of what that evidence tells us about the progress made.

The evidence clearly shows that whilst there is good but variable progress in attainment data, both across the range of attainment measures and across local authorities, significant progress has been made across the education system. This progress is evident in the raised profile of equity in the culture and ethos of the system; improved learning and teaching, underpinned by effective use of data and enquiry; effective collaboration; increased engagement with families and communities; and a focus on health and wellbeing. These are strengths on which the system can build in its ongoing efforts to continue to tackle and reduce further the poverty-related attainment gap.