Introduction

This publication brings together headline statistics from the annual censuses on pupils, teachers and early learning and childcare. It also includes headline statistics on attendance which, from 2024, are published annually. Statistics on exclusions are collected and published in this report every two years.

The main purpose of this bulletin is to present the latest statistics. However, previously published statistics from recent years (usually back to 2018) are sometimes also presented to aid contextual understanding of the latest statistics. The complete set of statistics over time, as well as statistics containing more detailed breakdowns, are available for pupils, teachers, attendance and exclusions. A limited release of the 2024 edition of these supplementary statistics is available now and the full updates are scheduled for March.

Additional statistics on the early learning and childcare census are available through the supporting documents section of this publication.

The statistics in this bulletin supersede all previously published statistics.

An Accredited Official Statistics Publication for Scotland

These statistics are accredited official statistics. The Office for Statistics Regulation has independently reviewed and accredited these statistics as complying with the standards of trustworthiness, quality, and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics.

These statistics were accredited in April 2014; full details can be found in the accreditation notice.

Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.

Scottish Government statistics are regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

More information about Scottish Government statistics is available on the Scottish Government website.