For immediate release:
RECORD NUMBER OF SOUTH LANARKSHIRE SCHOOL LEAVERS IN ‘POSITIVE DESTINATIONS’
Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey has praised young adults, school staff and parents after a record number of pupils left school entering positive follow-up destinations.
According to the most recent figures, 96.4% of South Lanarkshire pupils entered work, training or further study within three months of leaving school last year – a rise of nearly 10% over the last nine years.
South Lanarkshire Council take numerous steps to increase positive post-school destinations.
For example, their Opportunities for All Partnership has a targeted model of support called Aspire which provides early support to school leavers who are at risk of not finding a positive destination after they leave school. Furthermore, their Children and Young People Improvement Collaborative supports services to help children and young people achieve positive post-school destinations.
Of the local authority’s 3,258 school leavers, 44.8% entered higher education, 23.3% further education, and 28.4% into work or training.
Across Scotland, official statics show 94.4% of school leavers last year were in a positive destination.
Commenting, local MSP Clare Haughey said:
“These welcome statistics show that more young people from South Lanarkshire are studying, training or working within three months of leaving school than ever before.
“Helping young people to make the transition to adulthood and the world of work is vital. Whether a young person chooses university, college, vocational training or employment, it is important that they get the best opportunities.
“Our school leavers, their parents and guardians, and teachers and school staff should be incredibly proud of themselves.
“The statistics are further evidence of how great our schools are across Rutherglen and Cambuslang.”
ENDS
Notes:
The 2009/10 summary statistics for attainment and initial leaver destinations are the earliest comparable figures
A positive destination includes higher education, further education, training, employment, voluntary work and activity agreements.
South Lanarkshire Council programmes, including Aspire, are referenced on page 19 of the ‘Getting it Right For Every Child Children’s Service Plan 2017-2020’ – which can be found on the link below:
https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/downloads/file/11688/childrens_services_plan_2017-2020
‘School leaver attainment and initial destinations: statistics’ – South Lanarkshire statistics can be found on Table L2.1:
Excerpt of South Lanarkshire figures taken from Table L2.1:
| Year | Number of leavers | Positive Destination | Higher Education | Further Education | Training | Employ-ment | Voluntary Work | Activity Agreement |
| 2017/2018 | 3,258 | 96.4 | 44.8 | 23.2 | 2.6 | 22.1 | 0.2 | 3.5 |
| 2016/2017 | 3,368 | 95.8 | 45.2 | 23.2 | 2.3 | 20.9 | 0.5 | 3.6 |
| 2015/2016 | 3,482 | 94.0 | 43.3 | 22.5 | 3.8 | 22.5 | * | * |
| 2014/2015 | 3,276 | 93.1 | 42.8 | 24.5 | 4.7 | 19.6 | 0.2 | 1.3 |
| 2013/2014 | 3,347 | 92.3 | 40.2 | 24.5 | 5.2 | 20.4 | 0.4 | 1.6 |
| 2012/2013 | 3,329 | 89.2 | 36.9 | 24.5 | 6.8 | 19.3 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
| 2011/2012 | 2,862 | 89.8 | 43.5 | 21.5 | 5.9 | 18.1 | 0.2 | 0.7 |
| 2010/2011 | 3,484 | 87.4 | 37.4 | 24.1 | 6.4 | 18.7 | 0.2 | 0.6 |
| 2009/2010 | 3,361 | 86.7 | 38.5 | 22.5 | 7.4 | 17.9 | 0.3 | n/a |
Date published: 6th March 2019
Clare Haughey MSP 