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This Research Briefing summarises the views of children and young people that contributed to the Case Study Research. The overall research investigated approaches and initiatives implemented within schools using ASF funding.

Introduction and Background

The impact of economic inequality on educational achievement is well established and has been a focus of the Scottish Government’s education policy for some time. The Scottish Attainment Challenge, which has the aim of closing the poverty-related attainment gap between children and young people from the least and most disadvantaged communities, was launched in 2015.

The Attainment Scotland Fund (ASF) supports the Scottish Attainment Challenge and is made up of various funding streams: Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) made available to schools directly, based on the estimated number of children and young people in P1-S3 registered for free school meals (FSM) under the national eligibility criteria, and benefitting 97% of schools in Scotland; Strategic Equity Funding (SEF) distributed annually to every local authority based on Children in Low Income Families Data; investment to support Care Experienced Children and Young People (CECYP); and investment in national programmes supporting the fund’s aims.

The Scottish Government commissioned Progressive Partnership to conduct case study research as one part of the overarching evaluation programme, to provide up-to-date insight into the experiences and perspectives of Scottish schools on the impact of activities supported by the ASF. The research aimed to provide insight to the Scottish Government and stakeholders in Education Scotland, local authorities, and schools to help them maximise the impact of ASF, and to explore what factors are helping to improve attainment and close the poverty-related attainment gap.

This qualitative research element was designed to complement quantitative data gathered in the 2025 School Survey by providing more detailed insight, exploring the impact of specific local contexts, and obtaining the views of wider stakeholder groups including partner organisations, parents/carers and children and young people. This briefing outlines the key findings from research with children and young people undertaken as part of this case study research.

Research method

Qualitative case study research was undertaken in 14 schools across Scotland. Schools were recruited via an opt-in question for headteachers in the School Survey and the case study sample was designed to ensure a broad spread in terms of location, school type, size, urban/rural classification and SIMD profile. The content of each case study was tailored to the school’s circumstances, to include input from headteachers, senior leaders, teaching and support staff, other relevant partner organisations/professionals, parents/carers, and pupils.

A total of 45 pupils took part in the research at eight of the 14 case study schools (two primary and six secondary schools, although note that the feedback presented is largely from the secondary schools due to the larger number of secondary pupils contributing to the research).

Fieldwork was conducted between 20 May and 24 June 2025 and involved visits by researchers to each school. A combination of one-to-one interviews and small group discussions was conducted. Most pupils took part in small groups or friendship pairs.

Pupils received an information sheet about the research before taking part, and consent to participate was confirmed at the start of each discussion, with researchers making it clear that pupils were able to withdraw from the research at any time. Opt-in parental consent was also obtained in advance for all children and young people involved in the research.

Discussions with pupils

The overall research investigated approaches and initiatives implemented within schools using ASF funding, which aims to support schools in closing the poverty-related attainment gap and improve outcomes for children and young people impacted by poverty. Schools taking part in the research were keen to stress that many of their approaches were designed to reduce stigma, and in many cases pupils were unaware that they were receiving support specifically on the basis of need.

Discussions with pupils therefore focused on wider discussions of readiness to learn, perceptions of the support available for pupils at their school, and children and young people’s experiences and views of specific activities they had taken part in - this was based on information provided by school staff about how ASF funding has been implemented at each school with a view to closing the poverty-related attainment gap. Topic guides were used flexibly and tailored based on the activities pupils at each school had been involved in.

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