Positive National 5 and Highers exams trend continues in the Highlands
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Highland S4 pupils have recorded "excellent" levels of National 5 awards with 45 per cent pupils in S5 achieving five National 5s.
The figure is an increase of six per cent since 2015 and an increase of 2.5 per cent compared to last year.
There has also been a significant increase (8 per cent) in the number of passes in Higher English - 94 per cent passed this year compared to 86 per cent last year.
Similarly there has also been an increase (5 per cent) in the number of passes in Higher Maths - with 87 per cent passed this year compared to 82 per cent last year.
A dramatic decrease in the number of no awards at Higher (440 less no awards compared to last year) was also very welcoming.
A-grade awards at Higher have increased by 0.8 per cent and there is a 20 per cent increase in 2019 of pupils attaining five A-grades compared to 2018.
Highland Council education bosses said overall the exam results in S5 are very strong.
Councillor John Finlayson, chair of Highland Council’s care, learning and housing committee, said: “This is a fantastic result for Highland Council pupils who have attained excellent results in both National 5 and Higher courses which have been refined in recent years.
"The results are a real credit to the hard work of pupils, staff and the support of parents and carers.
"Well done to everyone for all their hard work and effort. It is super to see Highland pupils continue to achieve better results year upon year resulting in a very positive attainment trend.
"I am also very pleased that 93 per cent of pupils received an award and that there are fewer pupils receiving no award.
"This is very positive as our ambition is to reach a position in which we have no pupils in a no awards situation. Well done to all and remember if you didn’t get what you expected, help and advice is at hand from organisations like Skills Development Scotland on their hotline 0808 100 8000, website and social media.”
Results have shown that there are more young people in the Highlands achieving A - C passes in S4 at National 5 with 8997 awards this year at National 5 compared to 8829 last year.
Nearly 350 pupils achieved five Higher passes with 18 per cent of pupils in S5 achieving five Highers - the highest level ever achieved and an increase of 2.4 per cent compared to last year.
All Maths and English pass rates are significantly better this year at Higher and National 5 and the council said it is very pleased to see a significant improvement in the attainment of young people from the most deprived backgrounds in 2019 compared to 2018 with:
• 9 per cent increase in Higher passes for these pupils compared to 6 per cent for all pupils;
• 12 per cent increase in Higher English passes for these pupils compared to 8 per cent for all pupils;
• 8 per cent increase in Higher Maths passes for these pupils compared to 4 per cent for all pupils.
Donna Manson, Highland Council’s chief executive, said: "Analysis of our exam results are ongoing as national and comparator trend data comes through.
"As an ambitious council, we will be carrying out a lessons-learned-approach both in terms of what has been successful this year and what we can improve upon both at council and school level.
"Initial expectation is to praise, celebrate and support pupils with their next steps."
Help is at hand for anyone looking for advice – pupils, parents and carers can phone the Skills Development Scotland hotline on 0808 100 8000. Results information and advice is also available on Scotland’s careers website My World of Work at myworldofwork.co.uk/examresults which has practical help and links to UCAS, SAAS, Young Scot and the SQA.
To get in touch with the SDS helpline via social media go to My World of Work on Facebook at facebook.com/myworldofwork or Twitter at twitter.com/mywowscotland .
