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Publication - Statistics

Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations, No. 8: 2026 edition

Published
24 February 2026
Directorate
Learning Directorate
Topic
Education, Work and skills

This statistical publication provides information on the educational attainment and initial destinations of 2024-25 school leavers from publicly funded schools in Scotland.

Part of

Supporting documents

Key Points

In Scotland in 2024-25:

Initial destinations

  • 95.7 per cent of school leavers were in a positive initial destination - the second highest figure (alongside 2021-22 and 2023-24) on record.
  • The gap between the proportion of leavers from the most (20 per cent) and least (20 per cent) deprived areas in a positive initial destination was 4.7 percentage points (pp). This is wider than in 2023-24 (4.3 pp) but narrower than in 2018-19 (5.4 pp).

Attainment under the All SCQF measure (includes a wide range of qualifications from SQA and other providers)

The proportion of school leavers who left with five or more passes at SCQF:

  • Level 4 or better was 84.3 per cent. This is an increase compared 2023-24 (84.1 per cent) but a decrease compared to 2018-19 (85.5 per cent).
  • Level 5 or better was 68.6 per cent. This is an increase compared to both 2023-24 (66.6 per cent) and 2018-19 (64.3 per cent).
  • Level 6 or better was 40.8 per cent. This is an increase compared to both 2023-24 (39.0 per cent) and 2018-19 (36.0 per cent).

The gap between the proportion of school leavers from the most and least deprived areas attaining five or more passes at SCQF:

  • Level 4 or better was 19.5 pp. This is wider than in both 2023-24 (19.0 pp) and 2018-19 (17.8 pp).
  • Level 5 or better was 33.6 pp. This is narrower than in both 2023-24 (35.0 pp) and 2018-19 (36.3 pp).
  • Level 6 or better the gap was 40.0 pp. This is wider than in both 2023-24 (39.7 pp) and 2018-19 (37.4 pp).

Attainment under the National Qualifications measure (includes Nationals, Highers, Advanced Highers and Skills for Work)

The proportion of school leavers who left with one or more passes at SCQF:

  • Level 4 or better was 94.8 per cent. This is a decrease from 2023-24 (95.2 per cent) and from 2018-19 (95.9 per cent)
  • Level 5 or better was 84.1 per cent. This is an increase from 2023-24 (83.5 per cent) but a decrease from 2018-19 (85.1 per cent).
  • Level 6 or better was 58.4 per cent. This is an increase from 2023-24 (57.4 per cent) but a decrease from 2018-19 (60.5 per cent).

The gap between the proportion of school leavers from the most and least deprived areas attaining one or more passes at SCQF:

  • Level 4 or better was 8.0 pp. This is wider than in both 2023-24 (7.3 pp) and 2018-19 (6.7 pp).
  • Level 5 or better was 21.4 pp. This is narrower than in 2023-24 (22.7 pp) but wider than in 2018-19 (20.2 pp).
  • Level 6 or better was 37.7 pp. This is narrower than in 2023-24 (38.4 pp) but wider than in 2018-19 (35.8 pp).

Contact

school.stats@gov.scot

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