Shaping the Future: Strengthening Scotland's education system through empowered schools

Appendix B - Poverty Related Attainment Gap

The Scottish Attainment Challenge has been running since 2015 with various

changes over the years. The Scottish Government’s current commitments to the Scottish Attainment Challenge are to invest up to £1 billion in the SAC programme over the course of this parliamentary term; and to continue funding through the 2026/27 academic year to provide councils and schools with some certainty of funding beyond the May 2026 Scottish Parliamentary elections.

When considering data by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), it is important to note that the data show the difference between young people living in the most and least deprived areas. Not every person living in a deprived area will themselves be experiencing high levels of deprivation and not everyone experiencing deprivation will live in a deprived area.

Broad General Education: Attainment Gap

The attainment gap among primary pupils combined was at its narrowest ever for literacy and numeracy. The gap has been declining in the last five years.

The attainment gap among S3 pupils for the proportion achieving third level was at its narrowest ever for literacy and numeracy. The gap has been declining in the last four years.

There is significant variation in ACEL data for literacy and numeracy at P1, P4, P7 and S3.

Senior Phase: Attainment Gap

Leaver Attainment (All SCQF measures – five or more passes): The gap between those in the most and least deprived areas at SCQF Level 4 or better was 19.5 percentage points, the highest it has been over the last five years. The gap at SCQF Level 5 or better was 33.6 percentage points, narrower than 35.0pp in 2023-24 and narrower than 36.3pp in 2018-19. The gap at SCQF Level 6 or better was 40.0 percentage points, wider than 39.7pp in 2023-24 and wider than 37.4pp in 2018-19. The gap at SCQF level 4 or better, 5 or better and 5 or better is worsening.

Leaver Attainment (National Qualifications – one or more pass): The gap between those in the most and least deprived areas at SCQF Level 4 or better was 8.0 percentage points, wider than 7.3pp in 2023-24 and wider than 6.7pp in 2018-19. The gap at SCQF Level 5 or better was 21.4 percentage points, narrower than 22.7pp in 2023-24 but wider than 20.2pp in 2018-19. The gap at SCQF Level 6 or better was 37.7 percentage points, narrower than 38.4pp in 2023-24 but wider than 35.8pp in 2018-19.

There is a significant gap in attainment (whether measured at all SCQF or National Qualifications) between FME and non-FME or Quintile 1 and Quintile 5 (See table below). At higher levels of qualifications, the gap is wider if using the quintiles than FME.