Two-thirds of school leavers go on to higher or further education
Figures have risen from last year.
The proportion of school leavers continuing their education, entering training or getting a job has reached a new high, figures show.
In 2015/16, 93.3% of pupils finishing school went on to what officials describe as a positive initial destination''.
The figure marks a marginal rise from 93% the previous year and reflects year-on-year increases since 2011/12, when the figure stood at 90.1%.
The data, published by Scotland's Chief Statistician, looked at the situation for youngsters in October 2016, about three months after they had left school.
Anyone engaged in higher education, further education, training, voluntary work, employment and activity agreements was classified as having a positive destination under the study.
In detail, the figures reveal two-thirds of school leavers, or 66.9%, continued their studies within higher or further education establishments in 2015/16, up slightly on the previous year's total of 66.5%.
Underlying that was a 1% drop over the year in leavers entering further education but a 1.5% increase in those going on to higher education.
Overall, 5.1% of school leavers in 2015/16 were unemployed and seeking employment or training. This is down from 5.4% the year before and marks a downward trend over the last five years.
The percentage of leavers entering training, however, has fallen from 3.8% in 2014/15 to 2.6% most recently, the figures reveal.
For school leavers in the most deprived areas, the proportion in an initial positive destination has risen by almost 5% in five years to 88.7% in 2015/16.
Further and higher education minister Shirley-Anne Somerville said:
We want every young person in Scotland to be able to realise their full potential and these statistics show we are making real progress in realising this ambition.
Last year, a record proportion of our young people went on to a positive destination after leaving school, whether that is continuing their education, additional training or going into employment.
It is especially encouraging to note that the proportion of school leavers in our most deprived areas going on to a positive destination is at a record high.
We clearly have a lot more work to do but the figures demonstrate that the range of actions we are taking to address this issue is beginning to bear fruit.''