Reactive Stats Summary: 2024 SQA Attainment Statistics
One of the aims of the Scottish Health Equity Research Unit is to produce reactive statistical / research briefings that summarise relevant data releases. Designed to improve the accessibility and visibility of important statistical findings, these briefings provide concise, easy-to-understand round-ups that highlight key insights from recent publications. By demystifying complex statistics, methodologies, and data limitations, the unit aims to make this information more approachable for a wider audience.
This reactive statistics briefing highlights the widening attainment gap between students from the most and least deprived areas in Scotland, as reported in the latest Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) results. It emphasises the need to tackle this issue further due to its impact on important life outcomes, including career opportunities, academic success, and long-term health.
A PDF of the briefing is available here
Scotland’s attainment gap widens
Early educational disadvantages can have long-lasting effects, influencing future academic achievements, employment prospects and health outcomes. School education is fully devolved to Scotland, funded through the Scottish budget and delivered by local authorities who have statutory duties to provide school places. Education policy is set by the Scottish Government and there have been a number of new initiatives in recent years, alongside the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE).
The latest exam results published by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) show that the attainment gap between pupils from the most and least deprived parts of Scotland has widened [1]. After a reduction in the gap during academic years impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, the poverty related attainment gaps at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher are all now wider than they were pre-pandemic (2019).
Teacher estimates were a significant part of the assessment process for the 2020 and 2021 academic years, with the system evolving to include a broader range of evidence and moderated approaches in 2021. By 2022, traditional exams had largely resumed, though some adaptations and considerations remained in place. These changes meant that caution had to be exercised when comparing the results over recent years, with 2024 now seen as the most comparable year to the results in 2019. This is because it is deemed the first full return to qualification requirements since the pandemic.
Closing the attainment gap has been a key goal of the Scottish Government for several years, with funding initiatives such as The Scottish Attainment Challenge and Pupil Equity Funding implemented to support this aim. The widening of the gap compared to pre-pandemic levels is therefore concerning, as addressing it is crucial not only for promoting educational equity and enhancing social mobility but also for improving long-term health outcomes and fostering overall economic and social well-being in Scotland.
[1] https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/files_ccc/equalities-monitoring-report-2024.pdf