Insight February Release 2026 ECSPB
Renfrewshire Council · 21 May 2026
Back to Education and Children's Services Policy Board — 21 May 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Education and Children’s Services Policy Board On: 21 May 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Children’s Services Heading: Insight February Release 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. This report summarises attainment and destination figures in the Insight release for February 2026. This release contains data on the total tariff points achieved by each leaver for the academic session 2024-25, the proportion achieving literacy and numeracy at levels 4, 5, and 6, as well as information on the number and type of positive destinations. 1.2. The February 2026 release demonstrates that there have been improvements in attainment across the lowest 20%, middle 60%, and highest 20% of learners in Renfrewshire. Additionally, there have been improvements in the proportion of leavers attaining both level 4 and level 5 literacy and numeracy. 1.3. Renfrewshire was ahead of the national average across most measures. The authority had higher proportions of leavers obtaining level 4 and level 5 literacy and numeracy, as well as higher average total tariff points among the 20% lower and middle 60% attainment cohorts. Renfrewshire also had the second highest proportion of leavers obtaining a positive destination in Scotland, as each individual establishment were ahead of the national average in this measure. __________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1. Members of the Education and Children’s Services Policy Board are asked to: • Note the contents of this report
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PUBLIC • Note the efforts of children and young people and the commitment and dedication of teachers, support staff, education managers and the wider central team. • Note and acknowledge the significant success of Renfrewshire having the second highest proportion of leavers obtaining a positive destination in Scotland. 3. Background 3.1. The February 2026 Insight release captures data on all leavers across secondary schools in Scotland. This includes the total annual tariff points for each leaver from the most recent academic session (2024-25), as well as information on the number and type of positive destinations. 3.2. Diagram 1 shows the Curriculum for Excellence framework in Scotland. From P1 to S3, all pupils are in the Broad General Education phase, which involves building knowledge within the four capacities: successful learners, effective contributors, responsible citizens, and confident individuals. Once pupils reach S4, they enter the senior phase. It is during this period that pupils build a portfolio of qualifications and continue to develop these capacities. 3.3. Insight is a benchmarking tool designed to bring about improvements for pupils within their senior phase of education. This data is gathered to support secondary schools and local authorities with analysing the performance of their learners across particular measures. 3.4. Data on Insight is published biannually – in September and February of each year. The September release contains data on the attainment of all senior phase learners from the most recent academic session, while the February release focuses on the attainment and destinations of school leavers. This includes pupils who left in S4 and S5. 4. Positive Destinations Diagram 1: Curriculum for Excellence Framework
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PUBLIC 4.1 All school leavers are recorded with a positive destination when there is an initial next step or plan in place for them as they exit secondary school. This can include higher or further education, training, voluntary work, employment, or personal skills development. 4.2 Graph 1 shows the percentage of school leavers who had a positive destination by the end of each academic year across Renfrewshire, as well as its virtual comparator and the national average. In 2024-25, this figure increased by 0.77 percentage points in Renfrewshire to 97.91%. This is the highest figure reported for Renfrewshire, and they now sit significantly ahead of both the national average and virtual comparator. 4.3 The positive destination figure varied across establishments in Renfrewshire from 96.27% to 100%, but they were all above the national average. When compared against local authorities, Renfrewshire had the second highest figure in Scotland. 4.4 While there were significant increases in the percentage of leavers obtaining a positive destination, gaps remain among certain groups. Table 1 displays the percentage of leavers from SIMD quintiles 1 (20% most deprived) and 5 (20% least deprived) with a positive destination. In 2025, there was a 3.39 Table 1: Percentage of School Leavers in a Positive Destination by SIMD Gap SIMD Quintile 2024 2025 Q1 (20% Most Deprived) 95.24 95.83 Q5 (20% Least Deprived) 98.71 99.22 Graph 1: Percentage of Renfrewshire School Leavers in a Positive Destination, by Year 96.5 96.6 96.4 97.1 97.9 95.5 95.7 95.9 95.7 95.7 96.1 96.3 96.4 96.0 96.1 93.0 94.0 95.0 96.0 97.0 98.0 99.0 100.0 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 Renfrewshire National Virtual Comparator
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PUBLIC percentage gap between these groups. This gap has reduced since the previous year however by 0.08 percentage points. 4.5 A gap can also be found when examining figures for care experienced leavers. Table 2 compares the percentage of leavers with care experience with those who are not care experienced. There was a gap of 0.67 percentage points between each of these groups for 2024-25. A 7 percentage point increase in positive destinations can be found however, when comparing this group’s figures from the previous year. 4.6 Insight publish data on the types of destinations leavers pursue. Graph 2 captures this information across Renfrewshire and Scotland. Within Renfrewshire, there was an increase in the proportion of pupils pursuing further and higher education (3.54 percentage points) when compared with their figures from 2023-24. Renfrewshire also had a higher percentage of pupils within each of these measures than the national average. Table 2: Percentage of School Leavers in a Positive Destination, by Care Experience Status 2024 2025 Care Experienced 90% 97.26% Not Care Experienced 98% 97.93% Graph 2: Percentage of Renfrewshire Schools Leavers in a Positive Destination, by Destination Type 18.8 28.1 44.7 0.4 0.3 5.1 0.9 0.8 0.9 21.6 26.0 42.3 0.4 1.1 4.0 1.6 2.4 0.7 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 Renfrewshire National
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PUBLIC Consequently, fewer leavers in Renfrewshire sought employment or training than those who left in 2023-24. 5. Attainment for all 5.1 Attainment for all captures the average total tariff scores of all school leavers. This score represents the awards leavers have achieved as a numerical value. Awards at higher SCQF levels usually have higher points than those at lower levels. Leavers are categorised into 1 of 3 attainment cohorts: the lowest 20%, middle 60% and highest 20% of attainers. This allows schools and local authorities to identify how best to support the needs of learners at all levels. 5.2 Graph 3 captures the average total tariff score for all leavers in Renfrewshire by year. In 2025, the lowest 20% of attainers achieved an average of 159 tariff points, while the middle and highest attainers achieved 923 and 1949 points, respectively. All attainment cohorts for Renfrewshire increased their tariff score when comparing these figures to the previous year, ranging from 24 points within the highest 20% cohort, to 40 within the middle cohort. Table 3: Average Total Tariff Score by Attainment Cohort and Establishment Establishment Lowest 20% Middle 60% Highest 20% Renfrewshire 159 923 1949 National 132 874 1965 Virtual Comparator 170 951 1988 5.3 Table 3 displays the average total tariff score across each attainment cohort within Renfrewshire, its virtual comparator, and across Scotland for leavers in 134 883 1925 159 923 1949 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 Lowest 20% Middle 60% Highest 20% 2024 2025 Graph 3: Average Total Tariff Score for all Leavers in Renfrewshire, by Year
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PUBLIC 2024-25. Across the lowest 20% and middle 60% cohorts, Renfrewshire are above the national average but behind within the highest 20% cohort. Renfrewshire also remain behind the virtual comparator across all three attainment cohorts. 6. Breadth and Depth 6.1 Breadth and depth measures the number of awards pupils achieve by SCQF level. This ranges from SCQF level 1 to 7. 6.2 The recent data published for school leavers shows that Renfrewshire has continued to make progress within their stretch aims. Graph 4 shows that the proportion of all leavers achieving 1 or more awards at SCQF level 5 has increased from 88.81% in 2023-24 to 90.85% in 2024/25. This is the 6th highest out of all local authorities in Scotland. The figure for leavers in SIMD quintile 1 also increased for this measure, from 80.33% to 81.36%. 6.3 Additionally, the proportion of pupils achieving SCQF level 6 increased for the second year in a row, from 70.52% in 2022-23 to 71.40% in 2024-25. This now places Renfrewshire in 9th place out of all local authorities for this measure. 7. Attainment Versus Deprivation 7.1 Attainment versus deprivation compares the average total tariff points between leavers from each SIMD decile. This allows schools and authorities to compare the attainment and achievement of leavers living in areas with varying levels of socioeconomic deprivation. Graph 5: Average Total Tariff Score by SIMD Decile Graph 4: Percentage of Leavers Achieving 1 or More SCQF Awards 90.86% 70.52% 88.81% 70.81% 90.85% 71.40% 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00% Level 5 Level 6 2023 2024 2025
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PUBLIC 7.2 Graph 5 displays the average total tariff points for leavers living within each SIMD decile. Renfrewshire’s figures follow a similar trend to that of the national average, as leavers from areas with high levels of deprivation (SIMD deciles 1 and 2) had lower tariff points on average than leavers from the least deprived backgrounds. However, Renfrewshire were ahead of the national average across almost all SIMD deciles. The exceptions to this were in SIMD deciles 2 and 10. 7.3 Renfrewshire also increased the number of tariff points across the majority of SIMD deciles when compared with figures from 2023-24, with the exceptions to this being SIMD deciles 2, 7, 8, and 10. 8. Literacy and Numeracy Attainment 8.1 Literacy and numeracy attainment across SCQF levels 4 and 5 is captured for leavers from the most recent academic session. 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 SIMD 1 SIMD 2 SIMD 3 SIMD 4 SIMD 5 SIMD 6 SIMD 7 SIMD 8 SIMD 9 SIMD 10 Renfrewshire The National Establishment
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PUBLIC 8.2 Graph 6 displays the percentage of leavers obtaining a level 4 and 5 in both literacy and numeracy from 2021-25. Across levels and curricular areas, there was a decrease in the percentage of pupils achieving an award between 2021 and 2024. In 2025 however, there have been increases within each of these measures. The most significant increase was in level 5 literacy at 3.08 percentage points. 8.3 Table 4 displays the percentage of leavers achieving levels 4 and 5 in literacy and numeracy across Renfrewshire, its virtual comparator, and Scotland in 2024-25. Renfrewshire were ahead of both comparators for 2024-25 across all measures. In 2023-24, Renfrewshire were ahead of the national average across all measures, but marginally behind the virtual comparator for levels 4 Table 4: Percentage of Pupils Achieving Levels 4 and 5 in Literacy and Numeracy by Establishment Establishment Level 4 Literacy Level 4 Numeracy Level 5 Literacy Level 5 Numeracy Renfrewshire 96.31% 93.33% 85.73% 77.36% National 93.14% 91.12% 81.9% 73.43% Virtual Comparator 94.58% 92.84% 85.33% 77.19% Graph 6: Literacy and Numeracy Attainment by Level and Year 97.4 94.5 90.2 80.1 96.3 93.4 87.1 76.9 96.1 93.0 85.3 75.3 94.4 92.9 82.7 76.1 96.3 93.3 85.7 77.4 % Level 4 Literacy % Level 4 Numeracy % Level 5 Literacy % Level 5 Numeracy 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
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PUBLIC and 5 literacy. The significant increases in this area have now led to them outperforming the virtual comparator. 8.4 Table 5 captures the literacy and numeracy attainment of leavers from the most (SIMD quintile 1) and least (SIMD quintile 5) deprived areas. Gaps remain between leavers from each of these quintiles, although they are greater at SCQF level 5. For example, 95.58% of leavers from quintile 5 achieved level 5 literacy, compared with 75% of those living in areas with an SIMD quintile of 1. There was also a 27.1 percentage point gap in numeracy between leavers living in areas with a SIMD quintile of 1 (63.38%) and quintile 5 (90.39%). 9. Conclusion and next steps 9.1 The February 2026 release from Insight demonstrates that the attainment and destinations of leavers in Renfrewshire has continued to improve, with increases across all attainment cohorts. 9.2 Positive destinations in Renfrewshire are now the highest recorded. An increase of 0.77 percentage points has placed them second in Scotland for this figure. Improvements were also found among particular groups, including leavers from the most deprived backgrounds (SIMD quintile 1), as well as care experienced leavers. 9.3 Attainment gaps remain present between leavers from the most and least deprived backgrounds. In particular, the gaps between leavers obtaining level 5 literacy and numeracy are significantly larger than the gap at level 4 within these curricular areas. However, these gaps have decreased for level 5 literacy since 2023-24. Renfrewshire were also ahead of the national average across most SIMD deciles when comparing their average total tariff points. 9.4 Renfrewshire have been consistently ahead of the national average and virtual comparator for the percentage of leavers obtaining a positive destination, and this trend has continued in 2024-25. Additionally, every establishment within Renfrewshire was ahead of the national average. When comparing across attainment, Renfrewshire was ahead of the national average for the percentage of pupils achieving a level 4 and level 5 in both literacy and numeracy. They were also ahead of the national average for the lowest 20% and middle 60% of attainers. Table 5: Percentage of Pupils Achieving Levels 4 and 5 in Literacy and Numeracy, by SIMD Quintile Gap SIMD Quintile Level 4 Literacy Level 4 Numeracy Level 5 Literacy Level 5 Numeracy Q1 92.76% 88.6% 75% 63.38% Q5 98.7% 96.88% 95.58% 90.39%
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PUBLIC 9.5 The February 2026 figures are very positive, but we recognise that there is potential for further improvement, especially around improving attainment among pupils from the most deprived backgrounds. We will continue, through our quality improvement framework, to support our secondary schools whilst identifying areas for further improvement and ensure continual professional learning is available across a wide range of areas. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of this report 1. Financial Implications No financial implications 2. HR and Organisational Development Implications No implications 3. Community Plan/Council Plan Implications Children and Young People - High levels of attainment and achievement provide our children and young people with the best start in life 4. Legal Implications No legal implications 5. Property/Assets Implications No implications 6. Information Technology Implications No implications 7. Equality and Human Rights Implications The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because for example it is for noting only. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health and Safety Implications No implications 9. Procurement Implications No implications 10. Risk Implications No risks
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PUBLIC 11. 12. 13. 14. Privacy Impact No impact COSLA Policy Position None. Climate Risk No risks Children’s Rights This links to, Article 28 (right to education) Every child has the right to an education. Primary education must be free and different forms of secondary education must be available to every child. Discipline in schools must respect children’s dignity and their rights. Richer countries must help poorer countries achieve this. List of Background Papers (a) none ____________________________________________________________ Children’s Services 15/04/2026