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Scottish Attainment Challenge strengthens educational equity.

A flagship education fund aimed at helping young people from more deprived areas has helped broaden opportunities to learn beyond the classroom and improved outcomes in a range of areas, a new report has found.

The Attainment Scotland Fund (ASF) has helped narrow the poverty related attainment gap for primary and secondary literacy and numeracy to record lows, the latest evaluation report shows. The gap in young people leaving school and going onto a positive destination after school has reduced by almost two-thirds since 2009-10.

The funding supports the Scottish Attainment Challenge (SAC) and will provide up to £200 million in 2026-27, building on the almost £1.75 billion already invested since it was launched in 2015.

Opportunities for young people, including care experienced young people, have increased as a result of the ASF which has delivered strong foundations to improve outcomes for children affected by poverty, the evaluation concludes, with further progress required to deliver more consistent and sustained improvement.  

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth yesterday said:

“The Scottish Government has invested almost £1.75 billion in the Scottish Attainment Challenge since its inception in 2015 and this report shows that clear progress is being made to help improve outcomes for children and young people impacted by poverty.

“Last summer’s exam results for 2024-25 and more recent statistics also underline the strong recovery we are seeing in schools following the pandemic. The poverty-related attainment gap is narrowing at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher levels, with record low poverty-related attainment gaps for literacy and numeracy in  Scotland’s primary and secondary schools.

"There has been strong progress made on widening access to higher education no matter a young person’s background or circumstance, with record levels of 18-year-olds from deprived areas securing places at university, who will benefit from free tuition.

“We know there is more to be done, and that is why the Scottish Government is investing up to £200 million in the Scottish Attainment Challenge programme in next year’s budget, including Pupil Equity Funding to schools, to ensure continued progress.”

Background

The evaluation report  is based on existing National Improvement Framework (NIF) measures, as well as surveys undertaken with local authorities, case studies carried out in schools across, as well as a series of interviews with national stakeholders.