New figures released today show Scotland's poverty-related education attainment gap remains well above pre-coronavirus pandemic levels.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made it one of her key aims to reduce the gap between the most and least well off pupils across the country.
The latest Curriculum for Excellence for primaries one, four and seven and S3 pupils breaks achievement down into four levels, spread across literacy, numeracy, listening and talking, writing and reading.
In all of these indicators, the poverty-related gap for S3 pupils earning the third level or better has widened since 2018-19 - the last available figures for secondary schools.
Scottish Labour education spokesperson Michael Marra branded the latest statistics "damning", while he called for Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville to address the problem as a matter of urgency.
For reading, the gap has widened from 11.5 per cent to 14.2 per cent between 2018-19 and 2021-22, from 12.2 per cent to 15.1 per cent in writing, from 10 per cent to 12.7 per cent in listening and talks, 13.8 per cent to 16.3 per cent in literacy and 13.5 per cent to 15 per cent in numeracy. On average, the gap went from 12.2 per cent to 14.7 per cent for S3 pupils achieving the third level in these metrics.
The gap for S3 pupils achieving the fourth and highest level in these markers all fell, but remained around the 30 per cent mark, with the most well off pupils showing a marked difference in achievement compared to their more deprived counterparts.
On average, the attainment gap remains higher than before covid in Scotland's primary schools. The gap has risen from 17.34 per cent in 2018-19 to 18.22 per cent in 2021-22 in primaries one, four and seven, according to analysis of the data
Marra said: "These damning figures show once more the Scottish Government’s failure to get to grips with the impact the pandemic has had on our children’s learning. Just last week the Cabinet Secretary for Education challenged me to agree with her that the statistics published today would allow us to “look at what has happened and see what action needs to be taken.
"Today we have those statistics and the outcome is clear. The attainment gap remains higher than before the pandemic for literacy and numeracy in primary school children, and the gap in numeracy is even wider than in 2016/17.
"This is yet another setback in what was once the First Minister’s defining mission, and another demonstration of the Government’s failure to come up with any plan for addressing the impact of the pandemic.
"Pupils across Scotland should not be paying the price of SNP failure - the Cabinet Secretary must urgently come to parliament and outline what action will be taken following this latest failure."
Somerville welcomed the "record" fall in the gap in primary schools since last year. Sturgeon has made it a mission to reduce the gap saying she wanted to be judged on it.
The FM told the SNP's conference in 2015 that she would put her "own neck on the line" over the attainment gap.
Following the publication of the stats, Somerville said: "These figures demonstrate a real recovery from the pandemic and underline our progress towards tackling the poverty-related attainment gap, and achieving excellence for all of Scotland’s children and young people.
"This record improvement over one year for primary pupils achieving the expected levels in numeracy and literacy also shows more young people are getting the support they need to reach their full potential.
"However, there is no room for complacency. I recognise that attainment levels are still largely below pre-pandemic levels and the publication of local stretch aims by local councils last week sets out clear plans to significantly narrow the poverty-related attainment gap in the years ahead.
"We know that the impact of the pandemic – compounded by the current cost of living crisis – means children and young people need our support now more than ever. We are determined to do all we can to ensure they can reach their full potential, including a record investment of £1billion over this parliamentary term in the Scottish Attainment Challenge."
SNP slow to recognise problem
Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie slammed the government for refusing to "provide targeted support for pupils".
He said: "At best these figures show that the Scottish Government won't be closing the poverty related attainment gap by 2026, whether that is completely closed or even substantially closed.
"Six years on from the First Minister's defining mission on education there is little, if any, progress to show for it. On a number measures it is actually worse than at any other time since these records began.
"The SNP were slow to recognise the problem ten years ago and refused to provide targeted support for pupils. Now young people are paying the price as those from disadvantaged backgrounds continue to lag behind the performance of those from the least disadvantaged.
"Pupils and teachers can’t wait any longer. They need more in class support, proper stable contracts and stronger pupil equity funding which won’t be siphoned off to pay for things like campus cops."
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