Scottish Greens comment on attainment stats
Commenting on statistics published in The Times newspaper that reveal a correlation between wealthier postcodes and pupils leaving school with far more Higher qualifications, Scottish Greens Education Spokesperson Ross Greer MSP said:
“It is no secret that poverty is the biggest driver of inequality in our schools, a fact these figures reinforce. What is extremely concerning is that this huge inequality existed before the current crisis took hold.
“We know that the pandemic will only make this gap grow, with wealthier parents often able to stay at home and support their children, whilst many essential workers are among the lowest paid and unable to offer their kids the same support. Even access to an internet connection, which is essential for learning from home, is impossible for many families.
“A few weeks ago the Greens secured a government review of the relationship between the availability of Highers and poverty levels in a school community. That review will be essential to understanding this problem in the long term but there is a need to take bold action now to make sure our most disadvantaged children don’t see their education suffer the most during this lockdown.”