'No complacency': Cautious welcome for positive leaver destination figures
Pupils are going on to positive destinations post-school but teaching unions warned against complacency
The proportion of pupils going on to “positive destinations” after school is at its joint highest level, government figures show.
However, more than double the number of well-off pupils go on to university than their more deprived peers and the gap is widening.
Teaching unions praised the improvement in positive leaver destination (PLD) figures but warned against “complacency”.
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Statistics released by the Scottish Government show 89.7 per cent of last year’s school leavers from the 20 per cent most deprived areas were in education, training or work as of April this year.
That is a one percentage point increase from last year and matches the previous high seen in those who left at the end of the 2021-22 year.
While the gap between the richest and poorest has reduced, according to the figures, 7.6 per cent more of the most affluent youngsters are ending up in positive destinations.
An EIS spokeswoman said the figures reflect the “commitment of teachers and lecturers” in giving young people the skills to move on to next steps.
However, she added, there are “no grounds for complacency”.
The teaching union cautioned that the data only represents a snapshot and not the complete picture of the post-school landscape for teenagers.
“Indeed, the figures reveal that a significant proportion of young people who are in positive destinations three months after leaving school are no longer there six months later, with Further Education identified as the area of greatest drop-off,” she added.
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“The EIS is clear that the transition from school to employment and further or higher education is an absolutely critical stage for all young people – but particularly for those from backgrounds of socio-economic deprivation – and that structured, transitional support must be fully resourced.”
The union called for more funding for colleges “to provide the necessary academic and pastoral support”.
PLDs can include employment, volunteering or further and higher education.
For university places, 65.1 per cent of the richest pupils go on to study, compared to 26.1 per cent of those from the least well-off areas – a 35.4 percentage point gap, up from 34.7 points the previous year.
In total, 93.5 per cent of youngsters ended up in positive destinations, compared to 93.1 per cent the year before and the joint highest figure – along with 2021-22.
Mike Corbett, NASUWT Scotland National Official, called the trends “encouraging” and added his praise for pupils and teachers.
However, he urged the Scottish government to continue to fund support for youth employment and training.
“At a time rates of young people not in employment, education or training are rising across the UK it is critical that the Scottish Government takes all steps to support continued positive progress on youth employment and training,” he said.
“Participation rates among young people from lower income backgrounds still lag behind their more affluent peers and there is still much more to do to close the gap.”
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Education Secretary Mairi McAllan said the figures show Scotland to be among the best places for people to start their careers and “pursue their life’s passion after finishing school”.
“It’s fantastic to see record-high levels of young people going on to training, education, and employment when they leave school,” Ms McAllan added.
“This is testament to the hard work of those young people, teachers and staff that support them.
“Our commitment to free university tuition, generous student support and more apprenticeships means that young people, regardless of the path they choose, have a variety of great opportunities available to them.”
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