Exam pass rates reveal worrying attainment gap between deprived and affluent areas.

Pupils from wealthier backgrounds still statistically more likely to get best grades amid concern over uses of funding designed to address problem

Pupils from the most deprived parts of Tayside and Fife are far less likely to pass their Highers than those living in the area’s most affluent areas, this year’s pass rates reveal.

The figures, published by The Courier today, show more than 61% of fifth year pupils at Levenmouth Academy were not awarded a single higher qualification following the summer’s exams.

More than half of pupils at the school live in one of Scotland’s most deprived areas. By contrast, 53% of Madras College students, fewer than 5% of whom live in deprivation, gained three or more of the qualifications.

Liz Smith, the Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary, said: “The continuing disparity between school standards in deprived areas and those in the more affluent areas represents the ongoing failure of the SNP to close the attainment gap.

“Worse still, recent evidence presented to Holyrood’s education committee shows that more pupils in deprived areas are facing increasing constraints in the number of subjects they can take in comparison with pupils in more affluent areas.

“These concerns are very apparent in schools across Fife and Perth and Kinross which is why so many parents are deeply worried. It is time for the SNP to recognise the seriousness of this situation and urgently act to address it.”

Dundee University professor Jim Scott told MSPs last month a cut in school subject choice in many areas has created a “postcode lottery” for pupils.

The academic warned there was now a “very significant disparity of experience for learners”.

Labour’s education spokesperson Iain Gray said: “These statistics reveal that a young person’s chances in life in Scotland today remain defined by how much their parents earn.

“In schools and universities we have a situation where the attainment gap between the poorest and richest students has stubbornly remained while Nicola Sturgeon has been first minister. The gap in colleges is getting worse. At the heart of the issue is resources in our schools.

“Instead of being properly funded, we have seen school budgets slashed in real terms by £400 million since 2010.

“We are also experiencing a situation where subject choices in deprived schools are narrowing at a faster rate than average, cutting off opportunities for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“Instead of continuing to ignore the increasing evidence on these issues, John Swinney should tell us how he is going to sort it.”

Fife Council said it has a long-standing commitment to closing the attainment gap as part of its ambition to reduce inequalities. The authority said there has been “significant improvements” for those achieving Highers.

The attainment gap for the area has also closed by 4.3% over the past four years, according to the council.

In August, research by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre showed council spending on education fell from £5.3bn in 2009-10 to £4.9bn in 2017-18.

The Scottish Government provides a Pupil Equity Fund to help head teachers tackle the attainment gap between schools in the richest and poorest parts of the country. Concerns have been raised about how the money has been raised, however, with cash being spent to make up for budget cuts and to supplement teachers’ wages.

The evaluation report into the Attainment Scotland Fund, which the PEF is part of, analysed responses from 22 of Scotland’s 32 councils.

It said: “There were some concerns about a strong reliance on the funding to support staffing costs and a belief authorities would not be able to sustain this level of investment without the additional funding.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are taking forward a number of initiatives to ensure that every child can achieve their potential, no matter their background or circumstances.

“We are investing £750 million during the course of this Parliament to tackle the poverty-related attainment gap – this includes another £120m of Pupil Equity Funding directly to schools this year.

“We are also taking action to eradicate child poverty backed by a multi-million package of investment in a range of areas, including £12m for intensive employment support for parents, a national minimum school clothing grant of £100 to help with essential costs, Best Start Grant payments to help families in the early years and our commitment to doubling free childcare hours.”

“We are also experiencing a situation where subject choices in deprived schools are narrowing at a faster rate than average, cutting off opportunities