The attainment gap between care experienced school leavers and their classmates has almost disappeared as a result of focused work to help all learners to succeed in East Lothian.
Along with colleagues across schools and the wider council we are determined to build on this work, increase attainment further and help all learners achieve excellence
East Lothian Council’s Raising Attainment Strategy outlines the authority’s commitment to help all learners to succeed in school and reduce the gap between the most disadvantaged children and young people. This includes the poverty-related gap between pupils in the most and least deprived areas of East Lothian. Progress is tracked and monitored throughout the year and schools receive monthly data to help direct time and resource where it is most needed with support from the council’s central team.
Members of East Lothian Council’s Education Committee were told that the number of care experienced young people leaving school with five or more awards at SCQF level 1 or above increased by 21% in 2022-23 compared to the previous year. This reduced the attainment gap for this group from 24.7% to 0.8%.
Rising attainment
Data shows that attainment levels have risen in numeracy and literacy for all learners in primary 1, 4 and 7 and the gap has decreased in literacy between children in the least and most deprived areas (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, or SIMD, quintiles 1 and 5 respectively). At secondary school level, the number of learners in quintile 1 leaving school with five or more awards at level one or above had risen and the poverty-related gap compared to their peers in quintile 5 had reduced by 11.7%.
Equity and Inclusion Education Outreach Service
East Lothian Council appointed School and Family Support workers to four of its primary schools with the highest incidence of children living in poverty and Principal Teachers of Equity in each of its secondary school. Following the success of this model and the potential for wider impact, a new Equity and Inclusion Education Outreach Service has been developed on a 23-month pilot basis. A dedicated Depute Head Teacher of equity and inclusion will lead eight education outreach officers working county-wide supporting children and young people at risk of underachieving. There will be a particular focus on children and young people impacted by poverty, care experience and those with additional support needs. The new team will be in place from the start of the new school year and will work alongside and complement other services.
"Set for success"
East Lothian Council’s Head of Education Nicola McDowell said: “Our approaches in East Lothian have been developed to ensure that we support our children and families to have the very best start in life and set them up for success in whatever field they choose.
“Robust tracking and monitoring procedures including school attendance allows us to identify at the earliest opportunity those children and young people who are at risk of underachieving and put appropriate interventions in place. We can already see the results of our focused work in literacy and numeracy in primary school for all pupils, and in our school leavers’ achievements. Our new Outreach Service will allow us to build on our successes and further reduce the attainment gap.
“I’m proud of what we have achieved so far. Along with colleagues across schools and the wider council we are determined to build on this work, increase attainment further and help all learners achieve excellence.”