Raising Attainment Update 2024-25
Perth and Kinross Council · 4 February 2026
Back to Learning and Families Committee — 4 February 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Our vision is a Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequalities ___________________________________________________________________ Committee or Board: Learning and Families Committee Date of Meeting: 4 February 2026 Report Title: Raising Attainment Update 2024/25 Report Number: 26/33 Report Author: Rhona Munro, SAC and PEF Project Lead, (FBSCommittee@pkc.gov.uk) Organisational Lead: David Macluskey, Strategic Lead – Education and Learning ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide an update on progress on the Raising Attainment Strategy 2024-2027 (Report No. 24/82 refers). Specifically, it provides information on a range of performance measures across the Scottish Governments National Improvement Framework (NIF) for Education priorities. 1.2 Sections 1. Purpose 2. Recommendation 3. Background/Context 4. Main Issues 5. Conclusion 6. Impact and Value Assessment 7. Appendices 2. Recommendation It is recommended that the Committee: 2.1 Considers and comments as appropriate on the contents of the report.
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3. Background/Context 3.1 A new Raising Attainment Strategy 2024-2027 was approved by Learning and Families Committee in March 2024, building upon the previous version for the period 2020-2023. 3.2 The Education Improvement Plan 2025-2026 (Report No. 25/213 refers) was approved by the Learning and Families Committee in August 2025 and was subsequently submitted to the Scottish Government. This annual plan meets the requirement set out by the Scottish Government on planning and reporting progress on the priorities set out in the NIF. 3.2.1 It provides an update on key achievements for the academic session 2024/25 on the progress against this framework. This supplementary report provides more detailed reporting on the attainment data pertinent to the Raising Attainment Strategy 2024-2027. 3.3 The Raising Attainment Strategy 2024-2027 outlines the approach within Perth and Kinross Council’s Education and Learning service in the pursuance of the current relevant priorities of the NIF which are: Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy; Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged; Improvement in children and young people’s health and wellbeing; and Improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive school leaver destinations for all young people. 3.4 These priorities guide the reporting of progress using a range of measures describing both excellence, performance for all; and equity, focusing on poverty-related and other gaps in outcomes. 4. Main Issues 4.1 The Raising Attainment Report 2024/25 (Appendix 1) provides information on progress made in academic session 2024/25 towards each of the four NIF priorities. Key performance measures reported include: 4.2 Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy 78% of primary 1 children have met all of their expected developmental milestones prior to starting school. For primary pupils, achievement of Curriculum for Excellence levels has improved when compared to 2023/24 data.
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For secondary pupils in S3 (third year), achievement of Curriculum for Excellence levels at Level 3 have improved from 91% to 92% and at Level 4 from 68% to 72%. Our National 5 pass rate is higher than the Scottish average and the Higher and Advanced Higher pass rate is just below the Scottish average. 4.3 Closing the attainment gap between the most and least deprived The poverty-related gap (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) Quintile1 vs SIMD Quintile 5) for children who have met all of their expected developmental milestones prior to starting school has reduced by 8% since 2023/24. The poverty related attainment gap for those who have achieved the expected levels in literacy in primary 1, 4 and 7 has widened in 2024/25 to 25%. In numeracy, the gap has closed slightly to 20%. However, attainment in both Literacy and Numeracy is on a steady upward trend in both SIMD Quintile 1 and Quintile 5 although the rates of change over time may differ. The poverty-related attainment gap in terms of pass rates is better than the Scottish average for National 5 and Higher qualifications. 4.4 Improvement in children and young people’s health and wellbeing Primary school attendance has improved slightly in 2024/25. However, it still remains slightly lower than pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. There has also been a slight improvement in secondary school attendance levels. This remains a key priority in our effort to return to and exceed pre- COVID-19 pandemic attendance levels. Exclusion levels in 2024/25 have increased slightly from session 2023/24. 4.5 Improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive school leaver destinations for all young people The proportion of young people (16-19-year-olds) who are in education, training or employment has improved on 2023/24 data and sits positively within a Scottish national context. Effective partnership takes place between schools, colleges, universities, employers and the Developing the Young Workforce Board. 5. Conclusion 5.1 The report outlines, in detail, a range of measures describing progress in raising attainment and related outcomes for children and young people across Perth and Kinross.
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5.2 Notable improvements are seen in many key measures. There are some positive indications of narrowing the poverty-related gaps in many outcomes, to which, a sustained focus will be maintained to reduce these further. 6. Impact and Value Assessment 6.1 This report has been classified as being an operational report and as such does not require a full Impact and Value Assessment. 7. Appendices 7.1 Appendix 1 - Raising Attainment Report 2024/25