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Wide range of achievements celebrated.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has congratulated students across Scotland as they receive their Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) exam results.

Around 145,000 students – the highest since 2015 – have achieved a wide range of qualifications including National 5, Highers, Advanced Highers and SQA Awards.

With this year marking the return of full coursework assessment following the disruption during the pandemic, the data published by the SQA shows the pass rates for Advanced Highers are 75.3%, Highers are 74.9% and 77.2% at National 5 level.

A record 90,045 vocational and technical qualifications have been awarded this year, an increase of almost 25% on 2024, reflecting the wide range of opportunities available to students.

The data also shows the poverty-related attainment gap at National 5 and Higher has returned to levels broadly similar to 2019 – the last year of pre-pandemic results.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said:

“Congratulations to all of Scotland’s young people receiving their results for this year. Their resilience is remarkable, and their achievements all the more impressive given the significant disruption to learning due to the pandemic at the end of primary school and start of the secondary school journey. Today is a chance to celebrate the full breadth of achievements attained by Scotland’s young people. 

“I also want to give my thanks to the teachers, lecturers and staff in our schools and colleges – and, importantly, Scotland’s parents and carers – for supporting each individual young person.

“Among those achievements, I’m really heartened to see a record high 90,045 vocational or technical qualifications have been awarded this year, up almost a quarter on 2023’s results.

“Young people now have a much wider range of choice than ever before, allowing them to find the route into employment or further education that is right for them and we know that the poverty related gap has reduced by 60% since 2009 for young people leaving school and going on to a positive destination, such as work, training or further study.

“Of course Scotland is not unique – and like countries the world over, our education system is still in recovery from the pandemic. Undoubtedly, that has contributed to some of the variability we have seen in results this year, particularly with the full return to qualifications requirements for the first time since the pandemic.

“I am determined to work with our teachers, school staff and local authorities to drive further improvements in our schools.

“The curriculum improvement cycle is already underway, with mathematics and numeracy being prioritised first, which is being led by the recently appointed new national specialist in Mathematics. In the coming weeks, I will publish the Behaviour Action Plan, set out new action to improve attendance and confirm the Scottish Government’s next steps on qualifications reform early in the new parliamentary term.

“I am also conscious that there is a wide degree of variation in results between our 32 local authorities. To that end, I will be meeting with all local authority Directors of Education, the Chief Examiner and the interim Chief Inspector to consider the context of these results and how the Scottish Government can work with our councils to drive the improvements we all want to see.”

Background

Anyone who did not receive the results they had hoped for, or who is just unsure about their next steps, should get in touch with the SDS exam helpline for access to expert careers advice.

Students can also access the SQA’s free and direct appeals service will give them the right to request a review of their marked exam papers or coursework for their National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results this year.

Statistics and information – SQA

Summary statistics for Follow- Up Leaver Destinations, No. 6: 2024 Edition – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)