The gulf between the proportions of wealthy and poor children in Scotland who attend university widened last year, according to official figures showing little change in the school attainment gap.

Scottish Government statistics showed less than 26 per cent of school leavers from the most deprived areas entered higher education in 2017/18, compared to almost 62 per cent from the richest communities.

The wealth gap widened from 35.7 point to 35.9 points despite Nicola Sturgeon's push to force universities to 'widen access' and admit more pupils from poor backgrounds.

John Swinney, the Education Minister, said the huge gulf between the percentages of those from the most and least deprived areas leaving school with a Higher is now at a record low, having fallen for eight years.

But the gap narrowed by by 0.2 points, with 81.8 per cent of the wealthiest children leaving school with at least one Higher compared to only 44.4 per cent of the poorest youngsters.

At this rate of progress, it would take 187 years for the attainment gap for Highers to be closed.

In addition, the gaps at both National 4 and 5 levels widened further, with the number of poor school leavers passing at least one of these exams falling.