THE number of school leavers going to positive destinations in West Dunbartonshire has recovered to levels of four years ago.

Latest Scottish Government figures showed 92.2 per cent of leavers went on to further or higher education, employment, training, or voluntary work in 2015-16, an improvement of 2.3 per cent from the past year.

It had dipped down to 89.6 two years ago after being as high as 92.8 per cent in 2011-12, one of the best figures in country.

Of the 949 leavers last year, 40 per cent went to higher education, 27 per cent to further education and 20 per cent to employment. Only one person was recorded as “unemployed, not seeking” and another seven were still looking for employment.

Gil Paterson, the MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, said: “The Scottish Government is committed to continually improving standards in our schools and ensuring that young people have opportunities to go on to work, education or training and make the best start in adult life.

“Our schools across Clydebank and West Dunbartonshire are benefitting from this commitment from the Scottish Government.

“They are making excellent progress in helping our young people have the best chances in life – and additional spending in the budget and the funding to close the attainment gap will go further still to helping more young people from the area find positive destinations after leaving school.

“I’m delighted to see 92.2 per cent of school leavers in West Dunbartonshire now going to positive destinations such as employment, training, university or college after leaving school.

“This shows the continued progress the Scottish Government is making to give young people the best start in life.”