The number of school leavers in Scotland’s Capital going onto study, find a job or enter training has increased from last year and exceeded the national average according to new figures.
In total 96.1% of the school leaver population in Edinburgh entered positive destinations, up from 95.1% in the previous year, according to the latest Scottish Government statistics for 2021/22.
The School Leaver Destination Report also showed that Edinburgh exceeded the national average of 95.7% and the gap between students from the most and least deprived areas in a positive destination narrowed to 3.2 percentage points (pp) (94.71% to 97.88%) compared to 5.1 pp (91.72 and 96.85) the previous year.
Cllr Joan Griffiths, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said:
These figures are really encouraging and demonstrate that the exceptional efforts taking place every day in our schools to deliver high quality teaching, learning and support are achieving tangible results.
It’s all the more impressive given the enormous impact the pandemic has had on education in the past three years that we are now back on track despite these challenges. Everyone has showed great resilience and this is totally a team effort where everyone deserves credit for their hard work and commitment.
To see increases in our overall figures, our achievements compared to the national average and more importantly narrowing the gap between the most and least deprived areas is something we should all take great pride in.
What’s important now is not to rest on our laurels but to continue and improve on these achievements. We will develop a variety of available pathways for all young people by progressing new partnerships involving more of the city’s key economic and cultural stakeholders and continue our relentless focus on supporting every young person into a sustained positive destination.