Positive destinations for young people

A report to a meeting of West Lothian Council Education Executive revealed that 94.6% of all school leavers in West Lothian went into a positive destination in the school year 2021/22.

In total, 2185 school leavers from West Lothian secondary schools were counted in the 2021/22 dataset. There was an increase of 135 leavers compared to last year.

A school leaver is defined as a young person of school leaving age, who left school during or at the end of the school year.

Those that are engaged in higher education, further education, training, voluntary work, employment or skills development are classified as having a 'positive destination'. Other initial destinations include school leavers who are unemployed not seeking employment or training, unemployed seeking employment or training and those where their initial destination is not known.

Some of the additional key points highlighted within the report include:

• 26.7% of young people went in employment putting West Lothian above the national average.
• 91.7% of young people from the most deprived 20% have gone into a positive destination. This was in line with the Forth Valley and West Lothian Collaborative.
• The gap between the most and least deprived 20% has continued to close and is reported at 5.4% which is nearly half the 2015/16 when it sat at 10.71%
• 97.0% of black and minority ethnic young people moved into a positive destination.
• 96.6% of young people identified as having significant learning needs moved into a positive destination

Executive councillor for Education, Andrew McGuire said: "A great deal of effort and planning goes into working with pupils across all backgrounds to give them the very best chance of moving onto a positive destination when they leave our secondary schools.

"The strategies and interventions which have been put in place are effective in targeting key groups of young people in West Lothian, in raising their aspirations for the future and in supporting them to attain positive destinations. Going forward, the council has introduced a more targeted approach to track and identify any issues at an earlier stage so that additional support and guidance can be put in place where needed."