A review has been carried out of a new Equity and Inclusion Outreach Service one year after it was launched.
This has been an absolute game changer for my daughter... she has gained qualifications [and] is now hungry to learn and gain more.
- New team supports learners who struggle to attend school with bespoke approach
- Pupils gain qualifications and achieve targets in first year
- Feedback shows increased confidence and renewed love of learning
A new team set up to provide struggling East Lothian learners with individual support has helped young people achieve 115 qualifications in its first year.
Importantly, feedback from pupils has pointed to an increase in confidence and a renewed love of learning from their involvement with the initiative.
Working with schools
The Equity and Inclusion Education Outreach Service was developed to provide educational support to children and young people where it has been identified they will benefit from a more bespoke approach. This could include learners struggling to attend school for physical or mental health reasons. Led by a Depute Head Teacher, a team of ten Education Outreach Officers operates across the authority area using work and targets agreed with the child’s school.
The service received 171 referrals for one-to-one support in its first year 2024/25. A review carried out in August 2025 revealed that 78% of learners reached their set target and, between them, the group achieved 115 qualification and 142 national qualifications units. Meanwhile 88% of learners and 96% of parents rated their experience working with the service as 9 or above on a sliding scale of one to 10, with 10 being the highest. 87% felt that service helped them to feel more at ease or happier in their learning.
Positive feedback from parents and pupils
Comments from pupils included “It helped me to feel more confident about learning,”, “It was fun and encouraged me to enjoy learning again” and “my tutor broke the maths down well so it made it easier to understand.”
Parents highlighted the difference in their children’s confidence after working with the service, saying: “Outreach has made him more comfortable with learning; he has really blossomed with confidence as well.”
“This has been an absolute game changer for my daughter who was really lost with schoolwork due to long absences mostly health related. Outreach has given her confidence, and she has gained qualifications which has flipped her attitude to school. she is now hungry to learn and gain more qualifications. Officer absolutely got her back on track, I am so grateful for this service.”
“Child came home after every session full of praise that he learnt a lot.”
Closing the poverty-related attainment gap
The Outreach Service works in line with the council’s Raising Attainment Strategy which sets out how the authority will closing the poverty related attainment gap. Recent data from Scottish Qualifications Authority showed significant improvement in attainment between pupils in East Lothian’s most and least disadvantaged areas narrowing at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher levels.
"Congratulations"
East Lothian Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s and Family Services Councillor Fiona Dugdale said: “The specialised resource provided by the Outreach team is already having a positive effect on learner achievements and, just as importantly, on their confidence and love for learning. We know that time off school negatively affects attainment and causes significant stress for learners and their families. The team’s calm, practical and non-judgemental approach, coupled with close working with the relevant school, breaks down barriers and offers bespoke support to help pupils achieve their learning goals.
"I want to congratulate the Outreach team and all of the young people for their fantastic progress in this first year.”