Scottish schools have been under fire recently thanks to a Pisa performance that improved in reading, but remained average in science and maths.

There has also been an apparent drop in S4 attainment by a third since Curriculum for Excellence was introduced, although some academics have pointed to “a lack of robust methodology” underpinning that research.

There have been accusations, too, that data on Scottish education is now so poor it is impossible to know whether standards in Scottish school education are rising or falling.

However, Scotland’s body for education directors, ADES, is now hitting back and has gathered data that it says paints a more favourable picture of the achievements of Scottish schools.

Pisa results: Pisa 2018 results reveal a mixed picture for Scotland

Exclusions: Scottish schools get rid of exclusion ‘reflex’

More exclusions: Just three pupils permanently excluded in Scotland

Academics’  take: What does data really say about Scotland’s curriculum?

Related: Swinney hits out at ‘culture of negativity’

In the introduction to the 15-page document, Carrie Lindsay, Fife’s director of education and children’s services and president of ADES, said that “significant progress” had been made in Scottish education in recent years and that was giving young people “improved life chances”.

However, she added that ADES was not complacent and that there were “areas we need to improve”.

Some figures highlighted in the document include:

• 65% The reduction in exclusions nationally between 2006-07 and 2018-19.
• 22.3% The proportion of pupils achieving five or more awards at Higher or equivalent by the end of S5. This has almost doubled since 2009-10, when the figure was 11.3 per cent.
• 44.4% Proportion of school leavers in the most deprived areas of Scotland achieving at least one Higher or equivalent in 2017-18. In 2012-13 that figure stood at 34.9 per cent.
• 62.2% Proportion of school leavers gaining at least one Higher or equivalent in 2017-18, compared to 55.8 per cent in 2012-13.

This last statistic is one of Glasgow director of education, Maureen McKenna’s “favourites”.

She said: “One level six qualification gets you into an HNC at college so it gets you into higher education. That’s a really tangible goal for young people - and if they can get one Higher maybe they can get two?”

She added: “This is a response to all that guff about things in Scottish education being terrible. There are a lot of people painting a very negative picture. We are not saying everything is rosy but what we are saying is that there are a range of statistics out there that point to another side, that create a different narrative. For instance the reduction in exclusions points to a much more inclusive education system.”

However, the figures also showed in 2018-19 there was “a very slight decline” in the average tariff score by the end of S5 - so the overall attainment across all the different types of qualifications and awards Scottish schools offer.

The analysis also ignores the earlier levels of attainment - National 4s and National 5s for instance - which have been the subject a lot of the controversy in Scottish education.

Ms McKenna, who recently featured in a Tes Scotland podcast, said this was the first analysis and more would follow.