IT is not clear how the education of pupils from deprived backgrounds will be improved by flagship new policies, politicians have warned.

MSPs from the Scottish Parliament's education committee made the claim in a letter to Angela Constance, the Education Secretary.

The committee is due to take evidence from Ms Constance later this year on plans to close the attainment gap between rich and poor.

However, after interviewing parents, teaching unions and members of the voluntary sector, committee chairman Stewart Maxwell has asked for clarification on a number of questions.

His letter to Ms Constance states: "There is clearly a desire for improvements to be made to our education system in order to ensure that far more pupils leave school and achieve a good outcome, be that a job, or further education that leads to a job.

"It is not clear, however, the extent to which the efforts under way and the further improvements suggested will serve to narrow the attainment gap."

An official report last November found only 3.9 per cent of pupils in Scotland's most deprived communities managed to get three A grades in their Higher exams compared to 24.2 per cent in the wealthiest areas. Children living in the poorest areas were half as likely as the national average to get three Highers.

Shortly after taking over as First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon said it would be a priority of her government to close the attainment gap and unveiled a four-year funding package of £100 million for councils.

Under the first tranche of the Attainment Scotland Fund projects to boost literacy and numeracy as well as health and wellbeing will be developed in Glasgow, Dundee, Inverclyde, West Dunbartonshire, North Ayrshire, Clackmannanshire and North Lanarkshire councils.

Mr Maxwell said: "What exactly does the Scottish Government mean when it refers to attainment and closing the attainment gap and what are the likely implications for all pupils of seeking to close the attainment gap?

"How can the definitions provided be easily understandable to pupils, parents and employers and provide a clear direction to the education profession?

"If attainment is measured in terms of examination results, and the attainment gap is to be narrowed, does this mean that more pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds will have to do significantly better in exams than other pupils? If so, how is this to be achieved?"

The committee also questioned how the Scottish Government intended to asses schools' performance and asked for clarity on whether university was seen as the "best" route for pupils.

The letter states: "If perceptions about the benefits of vocational education are to be changed.... then education authorities and others may have to become better at communicating the career benefits of vocational education.

"Various people told us that some schools, parents and pupils still saw going to university as being the ultimate purpose of schooling. It was suggested that, as a result, some schools could be unduly focussed on exam results and qualifications, to the possible detriment of other pupils.

"Are some schools placing too much emphasis on university, to the detriment of some pupils? If so, what actions could the Scottish Government take as a result and what would be the possible impact on our universities?"