JUST one in four S2 pupils from deprived areas are meeting standards in numeracy at school according to official figures.

New statistics have been branded a “disgrace” as they reveal the education gap between the least and most affluent is widening.

Numeracy statistics show the number of pupils doing ‘well’ or ‘very well’ in numeracy at the three assessed stages is far lower in the poorest communities than in the richest.

The results show standards are slipping across the board but the gap is widening and the poorest have dropped further.

Glasgow is home to the most poorer areas with the city home to 30% of the most deprived datazones in Scotland.

The Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy for 2015 assessed pupils at P4, P7 and S2.

In four years the rate of least deprived P4 pupils doing well or very well dropped from 82% to 76%, while the most deprived fell from 70% to 55%

For P7 the least deprived was static between 2011 and 2015 at 77% doing well or very well while the most deprived dropped from 61 to 54.

For S2 pupils the least deprived fell from 56% to 53% and the most deprived fell from 28% to 25%.

Labour education spokesman, Iain Gray, said: “These figures are a disgrace, and show what happens when a government cuts education budgets by 10%. Our children pay the price in poorer literacy and numeracy skills. No wonder the SNP hid these figures until after the election. They lay bare their failure on education. Performance fell in every category and every stage, and the gap between the richest and the rest increased.”

Education Secretary John Swinney said the figures don’t measure the impact of initiatives since last year but showed there was work to do.

He said: “Today’s statistics reinforce the need to improve attainment and to close the gap between the performance of young people from different backgrounds in Scotland’s schools.

“We have much to do to ensure our young people are supported to improve their understanding and use of numeracy and our teachers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to drive up standards in this area.”

“We have increased our investment in the Attainment Scotland Fund to £750 million over the next five years. This will support schools, communities and local authorities in areas of socio-economic need through the Scottish Attainment Challenge.”

Ross Greer, equalities spokesman for the Greens said it shows inequality becoming embedded in society.

He said: “Ministers must also accept that budget cuts to local authorities have resulted in Additional Support Needs being squeezed, which disproportionately affects children from less well-off backgrounds.”