School education statistics
A collection of statistics on school education in Scotland.
Introduction
Statistics on school education in Scotland, including pupil and teacher characteristics, and attainment and qualification results.
Summary statistics for schools in Scotland
Statistics bulletin reporting on the annual pupil, teacher and early learning and childcare provision censuses. Also includes statistics from the biennial attendance, absence and exclusions collection.
The 2011 and 2010 editions are available on the gov.scot archive.
- Summary statistics for schools in Scotland 2023
- Schools in Scotland 2022: summary statistics
- Summary Statistics For Schools In Scotland 2021
- Schools in Scotland - summary statistics: 2020
- Summary statistics for schools in Scotland no. 10: 2019 edition
- Summary statistics for schools in Scotland no. 9: 2018 edition
- Summary statistics for schools in Scotland no. 8: 2017 edition
- Summary statistics for schools in Scotland no. 7: 2016 edition
- Summary statistics for schools in Scotland - No. 6: 2015 Edition
- Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland, No 5: 2014 Edition
- Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland No.4 : 2013 Edition
- Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland, No.3: 2012 Edition
Pupil characteristics and class sizes from the pupil census
Statistics from the annual school pupil census on pupil characteristics (supplementary statistics), primary school class sizes, pupil numbers by stage and pupils registered for free school meals.
Pupil attendance and absence statistics
Statistics on school pupil attendance and absence. This information is collected biennially. Headline statistics with accompaniing commentary is included in the Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland bulletin.
Pupil exclusion statistics
Statistics on temporary and permanent school exclusions. These statistics are collected and published biennially. Headline statistics with accompaniing commentary is included in the Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland bulletin.
Pupil projections
Analytical report containing projections of pupil numbers for the primary and secondary school sector in each local authority.
School-level summary statistics and dashboards
Statistics on pupil and school characteristics and teacher numbers for each publicly funded school in Scotland. This product was updated in 2019 to incorporate statistics on free school meal registration and pupil numbers by stage.
Our interactive dashboards contain other school-level data:
Teacher characteristics from the school staff census
Statistics and management information on school teacher characteristics from data collected through the annual school staff census. Prior to 2017 these statistics included school support staff, for information on support staff from 2017 onwards please see school support staff statistics and school suppport staff management information.
School support staff statistics and management information
Statistics on the full-time equivalent of selected categories of school support staff - pupil support assistants, home-school link workers, behaviour support staff, educational psychologists, school nurses and library staff. This information is collected through the annual school staff census. Statistics prior to 2017 were published as part of the teacher census supplementary statistics.
Management information on the full-time equivalent of an extended list of school support staff categories is also available.
School Healthy Living Survey statistics (meals and PE)
Statistics from the annual Healthy Living Survey on registration for free school meals, uptake of school meals (both free and paid for) and physical education. Prior to 2019, headline statistics with accompanying commentary from this survey were published as part of the Summary Statistics for Attainment, Leaver Destinations and Healthy Living series, available from the archive.
Please note that due to the impact of COVID-19 and resulting distruption to schools at the time of the collection, information on school meals was not collected in the 2021 survey. Statistics on provision of physical education fromthe 2021 survey are available from the School Healthy Living Survey supplementary statistics link below.
- School healthy living survey: school meal uptake statistics 2024
- School Healthy Living Survey: school meal uptake and PE provision statistics 2023
- School Healthy Living Survey statistics 2022
- School Healthy Living Survey statistics: 2020
- School Healthy Living Survey statistics 2019
- School Healthy Living Survey supplementary statistics
School estates statistics
Statistics from the annual school estates core facts survey. Including information on school condition and suitability, and the number of new builds and refurbishments. Prior to 2019, headline statistics with accompanying commentary from this survey were published as part of the Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland bulletin.
Achievement of curriculum for excellence levels
Results of the Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Levels data collection, detailing pupils’ achievement (based on Teachers Professional Judgements) in reading, writing, listening and talking and numeracy.
School level
Our interactive dashboards also contain Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels data.
Publications and statistics
- Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) levels: 2022/23
- Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence levels: 2021/22
- Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Levels 2020-21
- Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Levels 2018-19
- Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Levels 2017-18
- Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Levels 2016-17
- Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Levels 2015-16
School leaver initial destinations and attainment
Data on initial destinations of school leavers, is based on approximately three months after the end of the school term and their post review (previously post appeal) attainment information.
School level
School level Senior Phase (S4-S6) information, including attainment on a consistent basis is available through Insight (a professional benchmarking tool used by local authorities and schools) and published on the School Information Dashboard:
Publications and statistics
- Summary statistics for attainment and initial leaver destinations, no. 6: 2024 edition
- Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations, No. 5: 2023 Edition
- Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations, No. 4: 2022 Edition
- Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations, No. 3: 2021 Edition
- Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations, No. 2: 2020 Edition
- Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations, No. 1: 2019 Edition
School leavers follow-up destinations
Data on follow-up destinations of school leavers, is based on approximately nine months after the end of the school term.
Publications and statistics
- Summary statistics for Follow- Up Leaver Destinations, No. 6: 2024 Edition
- Summary statistics for follow-up leaver destinations, no. 5: 2023 edition
- Summary Statistics for Follow-up Leaver Destinations, No. 4: 2022 Edition
- Summary Statistics for Follow-up Leaver Destinations, No. 3: 2021 Edition
- Summary Statistics for Follow-up leaver Destinations, No. 2: 2020 Edition
- Summary Statistics for Follow-up leaver Destinations, No. 1: 2019 Edition
PISA results for Scotland
Results for Scotland from the triennial Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) which is undertaken under the auspices of the OECD. This includes scores for Maths, Science and Reading, as well as results from student and school questionnaires.
Most recent results
- Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2022): Scotland's results - highlights
- Sample questions from PISA assessments
Previous results
Scotland has participated in every PISA cycle since its inception in 2000. Previous results can be accessed below:
- Scotland’s performance in the PISA 2018 assessments
- Scotland’s performance in the PISA 2018: Global Competence assessments
- 2015
- 2015 Collaborative Problem Solving
- 2012
- 2009
- 2006
- 2003
- 2000
Interactive dashboards
This contains a range of information about publicly funded schools in Scotland, including pupil numbers and characteristics, teacher numbers, pupil teacher ratio, attendance and absence, school condition, whether schools are meeting the PE target, Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Levels, and senior phase attainment and leaver destinations.
NOTE: The dashboards are published in R Shiny.
Health and Wellbeing Census 2021 to 2022
This statistical publication provides information on the first Health and Wellbeing Census 2021/22 undertaken by local authorities (LAs) between October 2021 and June 2022.
Health and Wellbeing Census Scotland 2021- 2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Parental Involvement and Engagement Census 2022
This statistical publication provides information on the Parental Involvement and Engagement Census 2021/22 in local authority schools in Scotland, conducted between January and June 2022.
Parental Involvement and Engagement Census Scotland 2021/22 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Historical publications
Historical data and discontinued publications can be found in our archive. In some cases the information is still collected but is now published in compendium publications and/or supplementary datasets.
School contact details
Consultations
You can find older consultations in our archive.
Here are the latest consultation results:
Data access, privacy notices, data collection specifications and data uses
Background data and further analysis of the statistics published here may be available on request, subject to consideration of legal, ethical and other factors. Please contact school.stats@gov.scot for further information.
To find out about access to record level or disclosive aggregate data see the information below on school education data access.
Other school education analysis
Analysis of information and data on school education that doesn't form part of Official Statistics or Government Social Research.
Data Sources and Methodology
Information on the methodology and data sources used to produce some of the statistics on this page.
School leaver Follow-up Destinations
Contact
Email: school.stats@gov.scot
Post:
Education Analytical Services Division
Area 2-A (North)
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
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