High school attainment across Fife has reached a three-year high across most categories, according to a new report.

More than 94 per cent of  school leavers in 2022 left for a positive destination, such as higher education, further education and employment. 

Literacy and numeracy rates have also continued to grow in an increasingly positive trend.

The report on 2021/22 educational outcomes came from the executive director of education and children’s services. The document specifically relates to pupils from S4-S6.

The report states: “Our shared vision across Fife is to improve the opportunities for all learners by improving attainment."

Fife-wide, 61.5 per cent of students attained a Level 5 or higher numeracy qualification; 70.5 per cent earned a level 5 or higher literacy attainment. Both categories saw improvement compared to the previous school year. 

The report acknowledged that socio-economic factors, such as poverty and area deprivation; and additional support needs, such as family, emotional, and mental health factors, play a significant role in education outcomes. 

The report notes that these factors likely explain higher than average figures in North East Fife. 

“Pupils in North East Fife are less likely to live in household poverty or areas of deprivation than pupils in the rest of Fife,” the report notes.  “Attainment outcomes are generally better than for other parts of Fife, as would be expected given the social context of the area.”

Likewise, the report says, students at Dunfermline, Inverkeithing, Queen Anne, St Columba’s and Woodmill high schools are less likely to live in household poverty or areas of deprivation than pupils in the rest of the Kingdom.

The North East area numeracy attainment sat approximately 15 percentage points above the regional average and literacy attainment was around 5.4 points higher. 

South and West Fife numeracy was around 2.9 percentage points above the Fife-wide average, and literacy attainment was on par.