SQA results for Edinburgh pupils show positive trend

The Scottish Qualifications Authority has announced results for pupils all over Scotland today and in Edinburgh 8,000 students now have theirs.

There were no exams this year and instead the SQA has worked with estimated grades provided by schools to award final results. Edinburgh pupils appear to have done better than in previous years.

A total of 41,553 resulted awards were certificated for 8,189 candidates (includes special schools, adults and mainstream secondary pupils) in over 88 subjects ranging from Accounting to Urdu.

Particular successes include passes (A-C grades) for National 5s of 79% (up 2 percentage points from last year) and Highers of 80% (up 4 percentage points from last year). For A-D grades, the success rate was 90% at National 5 and 93% for Highers – an increase of 2 and 3 percentage points respectively from last year.

Councillor Ian Perry, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, welcomed today’s results: “This was without doubt an extremely difficult and uncertain time for our young people due to the pandemic and the effect it has had on their learning.

“So it’s really encouraging to see that overall there have been improvements in most areas compared to previous years especially with the increase in passes for National 5s and Highers.

“Thanks must go to our dedicated teachers and staff who worked extremely hard in pulling together all the estimated grades for the SQA. Our young people should be very proud of themselves in what has been an extremely challenging year.” 

The largest percentage increases were found at the following levels:

• By the end of S4, 47% of the S4 roll achieved 3 or more passes at National 5 – a 4 percentage point improvement on last year and a 6 percentage point improvement from 2018.
• By the end of S5, 61% of the S4 roll achieved 1 or more Higher awards (A-D) – a 2 percentage point improvement on last year. There was also a 2 percentage point increase for those achieving 3 or more Higher awards (A-D), from 38% to 40%.
• By the end of S6, 67% of the S4 roll achieved 1 or more Higher passes (A-C) – a 1 percentage point improvement on last year and a 4 percentage point improvement since 2015. Similarly, 28% achieved 1 or more Advanced Higher passes (A-C) – a 1 percentage point improvement on last year and a 6 percentage point improvement from 2015.

Councillor Alison Dickie, Education Vice Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “At the start of 2020 no one could have imagined how the world of learning and teaching would be so dramatically changed.  

“Our teaching staff are to be commended for their continuing commitment to delivering high quality learning experiences. Our young people are once again to be congratulated for all their hard work and successes over the past year, and their parents/carers for their support, under the most trying of circumstances.

“Let’s not forget there is no wrong pathway for our young people as everyone’s learner journey is different. School is about ensuring all our young people are able to fulfil their potential by attaining the highest level of achievements possible and by receiving the best possible experience.”