Scots pupil attainment gap ‘is closing’

The attainment gap between the most deprived pupils in Scotland and their more affluent peers is closing, new data has shown.

An overall educational achievement score for S4-S6 students has risen by 15.1 per cent between 2011-12 and 2016-17. Pupils from the most deprived areas have the fastest rate of improvement at 30.5 per cent in the same period. The figures are contained in the Local Government Benchmarking Framework report, which notes that “major inequalities” between deprived and well-off pupils remain.

President of local authority umbrella body Cosla, Councillor Alison Evison, said: “It is particularly pleasing that the data released today clearly demonstrates that councils and schools are closing the attainment gap.”