SNP have failed to boost education for looked-after children – Labour
New figures show the SNP has failed to improve the educational attainment of lookedafter children, Scottish Labour has said.
An official report released yesterday said the proportion of care-experienced pupils who achieved at least one National 5 qualification was 35 per cent, compared with 85 per cent for all pupils.
Despite improvement in attainment over the past six years, progress has stalled in the past four years.
Last year’s figures for National 5 qualifications among school leavers who had been in care for a full year was 39 per cent and 36 per cent for those who were in care for part of the year.
School attendance rates among looked-after children also fell slightly from 89 per cent in 2012-13 to 87 per cent in 2018-19.
Scottish Labour’ s educ ati on spokesman Iain Gray said: “Today’s statistics paint a damning picture of the SNP government’s failure to improve the future prospects of care-experienced pupils.
“With the effects of the pandemic ... it has never been more urgent for the Scottish Government to take action.”
Education secretary Mr S win ne yr es ponded :“This data shows the attainment gap is gradually narrowing, with the proportion of looked-after children leaving school with one or more pass at National 5 and Higher level rising.”