South Ayrshire Achieves Glowing Report for Positive School Leaver Destinations

This is an archived article from 6 March 2023. 

South Ayrshire Council continues to ensure that school leavers are supported to move on to positive destinations, as we achieve our highest performance to date.

The recent School Leaver Destination Report (SLDR) recorded an impressive 98.6% of pupils across South Ayrshire progressing from school to a positive destination. This result highlights our dedication to supporting our young people to achieve their goals, with the national average at 95.7%.

South Ayrshire Council's Portfolio Holder for Education, Councillor Stephen Ferry, said: "Once again I'm delighted with our performance stated in the School Leaver Destination Report. As the data shows, each year we continue to go from strength to strength, which is what our pupils deserve.

"It's incredibly important that all our young people feel that they have options and are fully supported when exploring the various pathways open to them when leaving school. While further education remains a popular route, it's not for everyone and I'm proud that our Education and Thriving Communities staff and partners are able to assist so many young people realise their potential."

South Ayrshire Council's Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Councillor Bob Pollock, said: "Leaving school is a pivotal part of a young person's life and it's paramount that we do our utmost to provide the guidance and support necessary to help them take their next steps.

"I'm pleased that our staff and partnership working with Ayrshire College and Skills Development Scotland continue to make such a positive impact and our young people are able to implement the wealth of knowledge and skills that they've gained."

Shona Mitchell, Head of Operations South West at Skills Development Scotland (SDS), said: "It's hugely encouraging to see South Ayrshire continuing to achieve such a high positive destination rate. Senior phase pupils in South Ayrshire have demonstrated great resilience after the disruption of the last few years and I'm delighted that their hard work and commitment has paid off."