Scottish school leavers staying on in education rises slightly

The majority of senior school pupils stay on in education after S4

The number of Scottish school leavers staying on in education, getting a job or doing voluntary work is up slightly.

In 2015/16, 93.3% of youngsters were in a "positive destination" three months after leaving high school. That was up from 93% in 2014/15.

The Scottish government figures also showed that those taking up training was 2.6%, down from 3.8% in 2014/15.

The data is based on what happened to 52,249 pupils in S4 to S6 attending council-run and grant aided schools.

Minister for Further and Higher Education and Science, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said the statistics showed that the government was making real progress in enabling young people in Scotland to realise "their full potential".

She added: "It is especially encouraging to note that the proportion of school leavers in our most deprived areas going on to a positive destination is at a record high.

"I am also pleased to note that the proportion of school leavers going directly into higher education has reached its highest ever level."

The statistics also showed that from the 20% least deprived areas of Scotland, 96.6% of former pupils were in a "positive destination". That is up from 95.1% in 2011/12.

When looking at the 20% most deprived areas, the data shows that 88.7% of former pupils continued in education, got a job or secured training - that is up by 0.2% on 2014/15 and up by 4.8% on 2011/12.

At a local authority level Glasgow (89.9% of 4,551 pupils) and Clackmannanshire (90.2% of 489 pupils) had the lowest percentage of pupils going on to "positive destinations" while Na h-Eileanan Siar (97.6% of 248 pupils) and East Dunbartonshire (97.5% of 1,368 pupils) had the highest percentages.