4. Educational Achievement of Care Experienced Learners in North Ayrshire in 2022

North Ayrshire Council · 30 May 2023
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL
30 May 2023
Cabinet
Title: Educational Achievement of Care Experienced Learners in
North Ayrshire in 2022
Purpose: To update Cabinet on:
i. Curriculum for Excellence Broad General Education (BGE)
attainment levels of care experienced learners in 2022;
ii. Senior Phase attainment of care experienced school leavers
in 2022;
ii. Post-school participation of care experienced learners
Recommendation: That Cabinet:
a) Notes the content of the report, including the progress being
made by learners, specifically in literacy and numeracy;
b) Notes the achievements of school leavers in SQA
examinations in 2022.
1. Executive Summary
1.1 This report summarises the key performance measures of care experienced1 and
looked after learners2, focusing specifically on the published 2022 attainment data and
trends over time. Overall, educational outcomes for care experienced learners have
improved over the last five years. However, there remains a significant gap between the
educational outcomes achieved by care experienced learners and all learners, both in
North Ayrshire and nationally.
1.2 Care experienced school leavers are achieving better in literacy and numeracy than
their counterparts nationally and in the South West Educational Improvement
Collaborative (SWEIC) and there has been a positive trend in average total tariff score
over the last 5 years. The proportion of care experienced learners entering a positive
destination has been above the national figure for the last 5 years.
1 Care Experienced is a term we use in education; it has no statutory basis. Care experienced is an umbrella term which
can mean children / young people who are: Looked after at home through a Compulsory Supervision Order; Looked
after away from home; Previously looked after, where at some point in their lives they have had any of the above
experiences.
2 Looked after young people include those: Looked after at home through a Compulsory Supervision Order (CSO) or
Looked after away from home in a residential children’s house, in a foster placement or a kinship placement.

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2. Background
2.1 Care experienced young people are categorised for the purposes of our management
information system SEEMIS as: Looked After at Home, Looked After Away from Home
and Previously Looked After. The total number of care experienced young people in
North Ayrshire at the annual census date in September each year is shown in the charts
in Appendix 1. In 2022 there were 842 care experienced young people enrolled in North
Ayrshire schools.
2.2 This report focuses on the following key measures:
• Attainment in Literacy and Numeracy across the Broad General Education for care
experienced learners for 2022.
• Attainment in Literacy and Numeracy and overall attainment in all qualifications at
Senior Phase level for care experienced school leavers in 2022.
• Average Total Tariff Score of school leavers and the impact of the stage at which they
leave school.
• Post-school participation of care experienced school leavers for 2022.
2.3 Attainment in Literacy and Numeracy in Broad General Education for Care
Experienced Learners (These highlights are supported by charts in Appendix 2)
2.3.1 The charts at Appendix 2 indicate that the attainment of care experienced learners at
BGE stages P1, P4 and P7 continues to recover steadily towards pre-pandemic levels.
At all stages, achievement of Literacy and Numeracy levels have increased for care
experienced learners from 2021 figures. This mirrors the recovery journey overall for all
learners in North Ayrshire, with a similar pattern occurring for the full cohort groups.
Nevertheless, there remains a gap between the achievement of care experienced
learners and all learners across North Ayrshire.
2.4 Attainment in Literacy and Numeracy and overall attainment in all qualifications
at Senior Phase level for Care Experienced school leavers (These highlights are
supported by charts in Appendices 3-5)
2.4.1 It should be noted that the cohort size for care experienced school leavers varies from
year to year and is generally between 40-50 young people. Therefore, care must be
taken when analysing variations in performance for this group. For example, one care
experienced learner attaining/not attaining a specific qualification may account for more
than 2 percentage points of a difference in the overall attainment measures for care
experienced learners (whereas in the general population, one pupil would make less
than 0.07 percentage points of a difference in the same attainment measure).
2.4.2 Performance in Literacy and Numeracy at SCQF levels 4 and 5 is consistently lower for
care experienced leavers than for the overall school leaver cohort in North Ayrshire.
However, North Ayrshire care experienced school leavers perform generally better than
their counterparts nationally and in the SWEIC authorities (see Appendix 3).
2.4.3 For Level 4 Literacy (81.6%) and Numeracy (79.6%), care experienced leavers in North
Ayrshire are above both the National and the SWEIC performances. These figures are
also the highest recorded in the 5-year trend. For Level 5 Literacy (51%) and Numeracy
(32.7.%), leavers are also above both the National and SWEIC performances.

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2.4.4 Care experienced leavers in North Ayrshire are continuing a positive 5-year trend of
attainment in the number of Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications achieved (see Appendix
4). In 2022, 90.3% of North Ayrshire’s care experienced leavers attained at least one
qualification at SCQF Level 4 or better, the highest performance in 5-year trend. In
2022, 67.7% of care experienced leavers achieved at least one qualification at SCQF
Level 5, which is also the highest performance in the 5-year trend. The percentage of
care experienced learners achieving at least 1 Level 6 award fell in comparison to 2021
with 34.4% achieving this. However, this is in line with all school leavers and at 34.4%,
this is still the second highest performance for NAC care experienced leavers in the last
5 years.
2.4.5 The average total tariff score for NAC care experienced leavers continues to increase,
with the figure in 2022 rising to 457, the best performance to date. There is still a
significant gap between the attainment of care experienced learners and those who are
not care-experienced, both locally and nationally. In North Ayrshire, the gap is gradually
closing. Over the last three years from 2020-22, the gap between care experienced
average total tariff scores and all North Ayrshire school leavers has been on average
491 points, compared to an average of 526 points for the three years previously from
2017-2019. Whilst this is clear progress, there is still a significant amount of work to be
done to reduce the gap more consistently and at a faster rate.
2.5 Post-school participation of care experienced school leavers (These highlights are
supported by charts in Appendix 6)
2.5.1 The overall percentage of North Ayrshire care experienced school leavers entering a
positive destination has remained consistently above the national performance for this
group over the last five years. In 2022, the percentage of NAC care experienced school
leavers in a positive destination is 91.4%, the 2nd highest figure recorded since 2016.
2.6 Proposed Improvement Actions
The Education Service continues to focus on improving positive outcomes for care
experienced learners at all stages. It is acknowledged that, whilst educational outcomes
for care experienced learners have improved over time, there is still significant scope
for further improvement. Attainment and achievement for this group of learners is an
area of focus during quality improvement visits in all schools and the annual attainment
review in each secondary school. The Education Service Improvement Plan makes
specific reference to actions impacting positively on care experienced learners.
3. Proposals
3.1 It is proposed that Cabinet:
a) Notes the content of the report, including the progress being made by learners,
specifically in literacy and numeracy;
b) Notes the achievements of school leavers in SQA examinations in 2022.
4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty
Financial
4.1 None.

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Human Resources 
4.2 None. 
Legal 
4.3 None. 
Equality/Socio-economic 
4.4 Tackling inequality is a key aspect of this report. The Council is committed to a
continued focussed approach to improve outcomes for care experienced leavers. 
Climate Change and Carbon 
4.5 None. 
Key Priorities 
4.6 NAC Council Plan 2019-2024: Aspiring Communities: “Children and young people
experience the best start in life”. 
This work relates to the following priorities in the Education Service Plan 2022-23: 
Priority 1: Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy
Priority 2: Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged
children and young people
Priority 3: Improvement in skills and sustained, positive school-leaver destinations for
all young people 
Community Wealth Building 
4.7 The Council will continue to consider the pillars of community wealth building in any
future developments in this area. 
5. Consultation 
5.1 None specifically related to this report. 
Audrey Sutton
Executive Director (Communities and Education) 
For further information please contact Kevin Herron, Senior Manager (Education), on
01294 324450. 
Background Papers
Appendix 1: LAC Census Rolld (2014-2022)
Appendix 2: Care Experienced ACEL (2019-2022)
Appendix 3: LAC Leavers Literacy & Numeracy attainment insight (2022)
Appendix 4: Care Experienced and LAC Leavers Highest SCQF Levels

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Appendix 5: Care Experienced and LAC Leavers ATTS
Appendix 6: Insight LAC Leavers entering Positive Destination 2016-2022)

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218 273 291 211 239 224 217 208 204
337
367 384
351 346 344 370 346 342
186
174 176
277 293 330 322 294 296
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Care Experienced Pupils ‐ All Schools
At home Away From Home Previously Looked After
Appendix 1

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-23.3
-25.9
-31.1
-28.9
-6.8
-22.7
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Numeracy Literacy
PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN ACHIEVING CFE LEVEL
North Ayrshire CE attainment gap P1 - Early Level - 2022,
2021, 2019 (percentage points)
Care Experienced Children - 2019 All pupils (not CE) 2019
Care Experienced Children - 2021 All pupils (not CE) - 2021
Care Experienced Children - 2022 All pupils (not CE) - 2022
Appendix 2
-30.7 -30.6
-26.5
-30.7
-27.9
-27.9
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Numeracy Literacy
PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN ACHIEVING CFE LEVEL North Ayrshire CE attainment gap P4 - First Level -
2022,2021, 2019 (percentage points)
Care Experienced Children - 2019 All pupils (not CE) 2019
Care Experienced Children - 2021 All pupils (not CE) - 2021
Care Experienced Children - 2022 All pupils (not CE) - 2022
-32.1 -26.3-30.0
-31.7
-35.0 -34.2
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Numeracy Literacy
PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN ACHIEVING CFE LEVEL North Ayrshire CE attainment gap P7 - Second Level - 2022,
2021, 2019 (percentage points)
Care Experienced Children - 2019 All pupils (not CE) 2019
Care Experienced Children - 2021 All pupils (not CE) - 2021
Care Experienced Children - 2022 All pupils (not CE) - 2022

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71.7
55.0
40.0
33.3
71.2
61.5
41.0
27.1
70.3
58.8
37.2
29.1
75.0
71.2
40.2
28.0
76.8
70.7
44.6
30.1
81.6 79.6
51.0
32.7
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
55.0
60.0
65.0
70.0
75.0
80.0
85.0
90.0
% Level 4 Literacy % Level 4 Numeracy % Level 5 Literacy % Level 5 Numeracy
LAC attainment in Literacy and Numeracy ‐ North Ayrshire vs. National and SWEIC ‐
2020‐2022 (percentage attaining out of annual leavers' cohort)
NAC 2020 NAC 2021 NAC 2022
National 2020 National 2021 National 2022
SWEIC 2020 SWEIC 2021 SWEIC 2022
Appendix 3

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85.1% 84.7%
77.2%
86.1% 90.3%
80.9% 77.4% 76.9% 80.3%
87.8%
98.1% 97.3% 97.1% 97.4% 97.3%
70.9% 69.8% 71.8% 70.9%
N/A
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22
Percentage of School Leavers achieving 1 or more qualification at
SCQF level 4 or better
NAC Care experienced NAC Looked After NAC All Other Leavers (not CE) Looked after leavers - National
50.0% 50.6% 53.2%
62.4% 67.7%
40.4% 37.7%
53.8% 50.8%
67.3%
89.9% 89.4% 88.6% 91.7% 89.9%
36.1% 34.6% 38.1% 37.6%
N/A
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22
Percentage of School Leavers achieving 1 or more qualification
at SCQF level 5 or better
NAC Care experienced NAC Looked After NAC All Other Leavers (not CE) Looked after leavers - National
20.3%
27.1% 29.1%
40.6%
34.4%
10.6% 17.0%
30.8% 32.8%
26.5%
68.0% 67.5% 69.8% 73.0% 70.2%
11.9% 10.6% 14.2% 14.9% N/A
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22
Percentage of School Leavers achieving 1 or more qualification
at SCQF level 6 or better
NAC Care experienced NAC Looked After NAC All Other Leavers (not CE) Looked after leavers - National
Appendix 4

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324
382
295
252
404
348 377
332 383
352 327
393
448
457
919 917 911
811
888
949 935
282 293
291 273 293
341 378
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Average Total Tariff Score for LAC, Care Experienced and all non‐LAC School 
Leavers NAC vs. National performance for LAC children
North Ayrshire LAC North Ayrshire Care Experienced NAC all Leavers ‐ not Care Experienced* National ‐ LAC Leavers
Appendix5
*not looked after and not previously looked after‐ and unable to determine status for 2016 only

Page 11

83.0
87.3
80.9
83.0 84.6
93.4
85.7
73.6
76.4
80.4
82.4 81.4
87.9
86.0
73.1
77.9 80.0
76.5
86.7
91.9
88.6
83.1
88.1
83.8
88.2
84.8
94.1
91.4
95.5
93.7
96.3
94.4
93.0
95.3
96.3
70.0
75.0
80.0
85.0
90.0
95.0
100.0
2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22
Percentage of Care Experienced and Looked After Leavers entering a 
Positive Destination
North Ayrshire ‐ LAC National ‐ LAC South West Collaborative ‐ LAC
Care Experienced ‐ NAC Leavers not Care Experienced ‐ NAC
Appendix 6