A new report looking at 11 measures to monitor the progress in closing the attainment gap in Scotland says “the gap has narrowed in nine measures between 2015-16 and 2022-23”.
Below, we take a look at the education-related measures that feature in the report and how they have changed over time, including those that are concerned with attainment, attendance and positive destinations.
The data shows any gains between 2015-16 and 2022-23 have typically been small - and sometimes the gap has narrowed not because the performance of the most disadvantaged pupils has improved, but because the performance of the most advantaged has deteriorated.
When it comes to attainment of national qualifications, the report acknowledges that “most of the progress was made before 2015-16” - and therefore before the Scottish Attainment Challenge was launched.
Primary literacy
The attainment gap between pupils from the most and least deprived areas who achieved their expected level in literacy (P1, P4 and P7 combined) was 20.5 percentage points in 2022-23. This is down from:
- 21.3 in 2021-22
- 24.7 in 2020-21
- 20.7 in 2018-19
- 21.6 in 2017-18
- 22.1 in 2016-17
(There was no data collected in 2019-20.)
Primary numeracy
The gap between the proportion of primary school pupils (P1, P4 and P7 combined) from the most and least deprived areas who achieved their expected level in numeracy was 17 percentage points in 2022-23.
This is down on 2021-22, when the gap was 17.8 percentage points and 2020-21 when it was 21.4.
However, the most recent attainment gap has become slightly wider than the 16.8 percentage-point gap recorded in 2018-19 and 2017-18.
In 2016-17, the gap was up at 17.6 percentage points.
Secondary literacy
The attainment gap between secondary school students in the most and least deprived areas has decreased for literacy compared to recent years, but is about the same as it was in 2016-17.
In 2022-23, the gap between the most and least deprived pupils achieving third level or better in literacy was 13.7 percentage points.
This is compared to 16.3 in 2021-22. In 2016-17, the gap was back at 13.6 percentage points.
Secondary numeracy
The attainment gap between secondary school students in the most and least deprived areas has slightly narrowed for numeracy.
In 2022-23, the gap among those achieving third level or better in numeracy was 13.6 percentage points, compared to a larger 15 percentage points in 2021-22. In 2016-17, the gap was 14.9 percentage points.
School leaver attainment
Overall, the percentage of school leavers gaining one or more qualifications (at SCQF level 4 or better, 5 or better and 6 or better) decreased between 2015-16 and 2022-23. However, today’s report says the attainment gap has narrowed over the same period at these levels.
Sometimes, this is by very small amounts (the attainment gap for attaining one or more qualifications at SCQF level 5 or better was 20.3 percentage points in 2015-16 and 20.2 in 2022-23).
It is also important to note the gap can close while student performance worsens.
For example, the attainment gap for one or more qualifications at SCQF level 6 or better went from 38.5 percentage points in 2015-16, to 36.9 in 2022-23. However, the performance of students from the least and most deprived backgrounds got worse over the period. The attainment gap narrowed because the performance of those from most affluent backgrounds fell faster - not because those from deprived backgrounds got better.
School attendance
School attendance rates in 2022-23 fell slightly compared with 2020-21, continuing “a trend for small decreases in attendance rates since 2016-17”, according to the report. The overall attendance rate went from 93.3 per cent in 2016-17, to 92 per cent in 2020-21 and then 90.2 per cent in 2022-23.
In 2022-23, the gap in attendance rates between children living in the most and least deprived areas of Scotland was 6.7 percentage points (compared with 4.7 percentage points in 2016-17).
Proportion participating in education, training and employment
The percentage of 16-19 year olds participating in education, training, and employment increased from 90.4 in 2016 to 94.3 per cent in 2023.
The participation gap between those in the most and least deprived areas decreased from 12.9 percentage points in 2016 to 8.3 percentage points in 2023.
The report advises that this was “driven by an increase in the proportion of 16-19 year olds from the most deprived areas participating in education, training and employment”, from 83.3 per cent in 2016-17 to 89.6 per cent in 2023.
Emma Seith is senior reporter at Tes Scotland. She tweets @Emma_Seith
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