"It is also encouraging to see the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers continue to narrow and parents, teachers and pupils deserve to be congratulated for their efforts," he said.
"While it is too early to draw direct conclusions from this data, I am encouraged to see the attainment gap has also narrowed slightly.
"I am particularly pleased to see the attainment gap between school leavers achieving a pass at Higher level or better is at a record low," he added.
Education Secretary John Swinney said he was encouraged to see the attainment gap between the most and least deprived had narrowed slightly.
Schools Minister David Laws said it was "encouraging to see the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers continue to narrow and parents, teachers and pupils deserve to be congratulated for their efforts".
During these meetings, the team accesses the patient's data in the online GAS data base (see Goal Attainment Scaling), reviews and discusses the patient's progress, and adjusts the GAS care plan accordingly (after consulting the patient and the informal caregiver).
In Liverpool, for example, the Families and Schools Together programme has seen improved attainment and participation in schools.
Cook acknowledged that standards were rising for 7-11-year-olds, with 19 of AET's 32 primary academies seeing improved attainment at key stage 2. "At 69%, the proportion of good or better primary academies is also increasing," Ofsted noted, "although it is still well below the national average".
A spokesman for the Scottish Children's Services Coalition said: "While we are therefore seeing the attainment gap closing between those with ASN and no ASN, in terms of those entering positive destinations the gap is widening.
Our generation sees educational attainment as the key to opportunity and abundance.
