FEWER than one in 12 children in care leave school with one Higher or more, compared to three-fifths of all students in Scotland.
In 2014-15, 60.2 per cent of all school leavers had passed at least one qualification at SCQF level 6 - a Higher grade A, B or C, official education figures have revealed.
But in the most deprived parts of Scotland, the proportion of pupils who achieved this was 41.2 per cent, while just eight per cent of children in care leaving school achieved the same level of success.
In the most affluent communities, four-fifths (80.3 per cent) of school leavers had at least one Higher, the figures from Scotland’s Chief Statistician show.
Overall, 92 per cent of all those who left school in 2014-15 were in a “positive destination” – a job, a place at college or university, or an apprenticeship – by March 2016.
Education Secretary John Swinney accepted the figures showed “there is much more to do to raise attainment and ensure all our young people have the very best chance to build the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to succeed – regardless of their background.”
Swinney said he and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon “have made clear that our firm priority is to substantially close the attainment gap between young people from our most and least deprived areas within the next five years”.
He added that an action plan, to be published next week, would “set out how we will build on today’s figures to ensure Scottish education is the best it can be, and delivers the best possible opportunities for our young people."
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