THE number of pupils leaving school and going into work, training or more study has reached a record high.

Scottish Government figures found 91.7 per cent of school-leavers in 2013/14 went into a so-called "positive destination" with eight per cent unemployed.

However, the figures also show the scale of the task facing the Scottish Government in closing the attainment gap between rich and poor.

The proportion of pupils from the poorest areas getting at least one Higher rose from 35 per cent to 39 per cent, but there was also an increase in attainment in the richest areas from 77.4 per cent to 79.7 per cent.

Education Secretary Angela Constance said she was "very encouraged" by the rise in pupils reaching positive destinations, but added: "There is a small number of young people leaving school without qualifications.

"School-leavers from disadvantaged areas are improving faster, but there is still a gap between those from the most and least deprived areas and I am determined to tackle this."

Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) teaching union, said: "Poverty continues to have a negative impact on the education and life chances of too many young people across Scotland and the attainment gap between Scotland's most and least deprived pupils continues to be a huge challenge that society must tackle."

Liam McArthur, education spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, said the figures were a reminder of the scale of the task ahead to create a fairer society.

He said: "Four out of ten pupils from Scotland's most deprived backgrounds leave school with one Higher or more compared to eight out of ten from Scotland's least deprived backgrounds.

"Whilst there have been steady improvements in passes by pupils from the poorest backgrounds, there has been near corresponding improvements by pupils from better-off backgrounds. Scotland's attainment gap will not be closed unless bold action is taken."

Meanwhile, the figures also showed almost all schools are meeting the Scottish Government's target for exercise, with 99 per cent of primaries giving children at least two hours of physical education a week and 93 per cent of secondaries meeting targets.

And the percentage of pupils taking a school meal increased from 50 per cent in 2014 to 56.6 per cent this year as a result of the extension of free school meals in the first three years of primary where 79.3 per cent of pupils now take advantage of a free meal.