Scottish Borders Council

Agenda item

Senior Phase Leavers Report for 2017-18

Consider report by Interim Service Director Children & Young People (copy attached).

Minutes:

3.1       With reference to paragraph 2 of the Minute of 4 September 2018, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Interim Service Director, Children and Young People, providing an update on destinations and attainment for school leavers.  Quality Improvement Officer, Catherine Thomson, was in attendance and gave a slide presentation to highlight the main points of the report, which provided the overall attainment data for the 1178 young people from S4-S6 who left secondary school in May 2018.  The report also contained data on the positive destinations of those leavers.  Tables within the report compared data from the Scottish Borders with a virtual comparator, the South East Collaborative, and with national figures.  It was stated that 95.67% of all leavers from S4-S6 in May 2018 left school into a positive destination.  This was greater than all the comparator data.  This performance was consistent over a five-year trend and put Scottish Borders Council in the top ten of Local Authorities in Scotland for this measure.  41% of 2018 leavers went onto Higher Education; 27% went on to Further Education and 26% went onto employment; 2% went onto training and 1% to do voluntary work. The highest percentage for five years of young people who lived within the  Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation deciles 1 and 2 moved onto Higher Education and the lowest percentage for those in a negative destination.  In terms of literacy and numeracy, 95% of all leavers in 2018 achieved SCQF Level 4 literacy and 92% achieved that level of numeracy.  This was in line with the virtual comparator for the authority. 87% of all leavers in 2018 achieved SCQF Level 5 Literacy and 71% achieved Numeracy.  This was in line with or greater than the virtual comparator.  Performance of the most deprived 20% of S4 leavers at SCQF Level 3-5 was above the virtual comparator and there was improved performance from 2017 for all Care Experienced leavers at SCQF level 5 Literacy and Numeracy.  The report went on to detail exam attainment data which indicated that attainment for all leavers in the Scottish Borders was in line with the virtual comparator and greater than the South East Improvement Collaborative and National levels.  It was confirmed that each school would provide a summarised update of this report to Parent Councils and staff.  Ms Thomson concluded her presentation by drawing attention to ongoing collaboration, in terms of investment in a skills and young workforce plan, with groups including South of Scotland Enterprise, City Deal and the Borders College.

3.2       Members welcomed the positive data provided in the report and in particular the figures showing a significant narrowing of the attainment gap and the development of young workforce teams through the increase in number of Modern Apprenticeships.  Discussion continued on how to keep young people in the Borders or encourage them to return.  Ms Thomson confirmed that the Education and Skills Partnership Group was looking at that and was also working with employers to ensure young people were being educated with the skills and attributes to meet local demand.  The Chief Executive advised that partners and agencies were being brought together to re-examine senior stage education to match with jobs and provide a route into the workplace.  This would include a programme of more meaningful work experience. Discussion continued about the need to consider the wider picture in terms of the economy and employment; to develop centres of excellence and concentrate on making the Scottish Borders a vibrant destination to encourage young people to work in the Borders or to return once they had completed their higher education.

 

DECISION

NOTED the update.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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