One of the core aims of the Curriculum for Excellence is to improve the numeracy and literacy skills of our young people. The graphs show the percentage of school leavers in Scotland who attained  literacy and/or  numeracy at  SCQF level 4 or better, and SCQF level 5 or better.

Further information is available in the  background paper

In many countries, including Scotland, levels of attainment are linked to the levels of deprivation in the geographical areas in which learners live. Education policy in Scotland aims to raise attainment for all learners and ensure every child has the same opportunity to succeed.

The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) enables the areas in which school leavers live to be mapped to concentrations of deprivation and grouped accordingly. SIMD rankings do not relate to individual learners or households.

Like other aspects of achievement tariff scores are dependent on the context of the school and should not be used to make comparisons between schools. To understand how well a school is doing in relation to the tariff scores of school leavers, you should compare the school to its virtual comparator.

The graph below shows attainment across school leavers by level of deprivation. (1 = most deprived areas, 5 = least deprived areas). The school's average total tariff score is shown below alongside its virtual comparator.

​This measure is known on Insight as the 'National Benchmarking Measure: Improving Attainment for All'.

The graph shows the average total tariff score of school leavers from Scottish schools.

School leavers' individual total tariff scores have been calculated and grouped into the lowest 20%, middle 60% and highest 20% of attainers across Scotland. The average total tariff score of each of these groups of school leavers is displayed.

Like other aspects of achievement tariff scores are dependent on the context of individual school and should not be used to make comparisons.

This measure is known on Insight as the 'Breadth and Depth: Leavers'.

The first table below shows the full range of  SCQF accredited awards gained at SCQF levels
1 to 7 and provides the most representative view of the breadth and depth of awards achieved by school leavers in Scotland.

When a pupil has been awarded a course at a SCQF level, they will be counted in the corresponding box(es) in the table. For example, a pupil gaining three awards at SCQF level 4 would be counted in the cells for:
'1 or more awards’ at 'SCQF level 4 or better';
'2 or more awards' at 'SCQF level 4 or better'; ¬and
'3 or more awards' at 'SCQF level 4 or better'.

They would also be counted once in equivalent boxes for:
'1 or more awards’ at 'SCQF level 3 or better',
'2 or more awards' at 'SCQF level 3 or better'; ¬and
'3 or more awards' at 'SCQF level 3 or better'.

And similarly for 'SCQF level 2 or better' and 'SCQF level 1 or better'.

Only the latest and best awards in each subject are counted. For example if someone has a National 5 and a Higher in Mathematics, it is only the Higher that will contribute to this measure.

Schools that offer young people a curriculum based on a range of leaver destinations may have young people who sit fewer qualifications but who are better prepared, with more appropriate skills and experiences for the world of work.