94% of Edinburgh school leavers are in positive destinations

SNP MSP Gordon Macdonald has welcomed new figures that show 94% of school leavers across Edinburgh are in positive destinations nine months after finishing school.

Across Scotland, the proportion of school leavers in the 2021/22 cohort accessing further or higher education, employment, training or an apprenticeship nine months after leaving school is at its highest since records began. The number of school leavers in work has also reached a record high of 31.8%.

This year has also seen a reduction in the poverty related attainment gap, with the gap between young people from the most and least deprived areas across Scotland in work, training or further study narrowing to a record low of seven percentage points – down from 18.7 percentage points in 2009-10.

Commenting, Gordon Macdonald MSP said: “Despite the challenges of the pandemic and the impact of the ongoing Tory cost of living crisis, young people across Edinburgh are continuing to achieve and excel, and I welcome that 94% have went on to secure work, further education or a training post nine months after leaving schools.

“These encouraging numbers are testament to the hard work and commitment of our young people, teachers and parents – and show that this Scottish Government is delivering on its education commitments and closing the attainment gap.

“Much progress has been made in Scotland to increase opportunities for young people, but the only way to properly tackle the poverty related attainment gap is to tackle poverty – which will always be impossible under this Tory UK government, and their punitive austerity measures.

“Scotland needs independence now, so that it can have the full powers at its disposal to properly address poverty and continue to support young people across the city to thrive.”

Year	LA code	LA Name	Number of leavers	Positive Destination	Percentage %
2021/22	100	Aberdeen City	1,791	1,627	91%
2021/22	110	Aberdeenshire	2,803	2,630	94%
2021/22	120	Angus	1,310	1,214	93%
2021/22	130	Argyll & Bute	836	788	94%
2021/22	150	Clackmannanshire	542	476	88%
2021/22	170	Dumfries & Galloway	1,642	1,532	93%
2021/22	180	Dundee City	1,389	1,272	92%
2021/22	190	East Ayrshire	1,297	1,204	93%
2021/22	200	East Dunbartonshire	1,427	1,395	98%
2021/22	210	East Lothian	1,102	1,042	95%
2021/22	220	East Renfrewshire	1,428	1,392	97%
2021/22	230	Edinburgh, City of	3,587	3,379	94%
2021/22	235	Na h-Eileanan Siar	267	257	96%
2021/22	240	Falkirk	1,700	1,576	93%
2021/22	250	Fife	4,079	3,758	92%
2021/22	260	Glasgow City	4,976	4,716	95%
2021/22	270	Highland	2,554	2,384	93%
2021/22	280	Inverclyde	835	767	92%
2021/22	290	Midlothian	1,084	1,020	94%
2021/22	300	Moray	960	903	94%
2021/22	310	North Ayrshire	1,514	1,410	93%
2021/22	320	North Lanarkshire	3,903	3,585	92%
2021/22	330	Orkney Islands	213	[c]
2021/22	340	Perth & Kinross	1,460	1,384	95%
2021/22	350	Renfrewshire	1,907	1,751	92%
2021/22	355	Scottish Borders	1,246	1,187	95%
2021/22	360	Shetland Islands	259	246	95%
2021/22	370	South Ayrshire	1,176	1,140	97%
2021/22	380	South Lanarkshire	3,441	3,243	94%
2021/22	390	Stirling	1,140	1,069	94%
2021/22	395	West Dunbartonshire	980	877	89%
2021/22	400	West Lothian	2,182	2,011	92%

Record number of school leavers in work, training or study – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)