The City of Edinburgh Council confirmed today that exam results in Edinburgh have improved on last year according to almost all key measures.
More than 11,226 candidates in Edinburgh sat exams in 164 subjects, and 59,459 awards were delivered by the Scottish Qualifications Authority in a wide range of subjects including accounting, web design, carpentry, beauty and sport science.
In the capital students achieved pass rates of A-C grades in National 5s at 80.9% which is a small increase on 2025 figures, and in Highers there was an increase of 1.9% with a pass rate of 78.5%.
Edinburgh Education Convener, Cllr James Dalgleish said that he has seen “a really positive picture” in terms of results in Edinburgh. He said: “I think pupils and teachers and the parents and carers that are supporting them have really done themselves proud today. So my message to them is well done, and they’ve done absolutely brilliantly.”
Cllr Dalgleish outlined that the council had put an extra £1 million into hiring some staff to work in schools. He admitted that it is not a silver bullet, but it is “certainly a step in the right direction”. He said: “We will be calling on the Scottish Government to make sure councils get the funding that they need so we can pass it on to schools as well. And we are always reviewing our plans and out policies about schools and how to improve them. So it is a constant work in progress, but I am really proud of the results today.
The Education Secretary, Màiri McAllan, visited Broughton High School in Inverleith on Tuesday to meet pupils as they were opening the large white envelopes containing their exam results. Broughton has three specialist schools – the City of Edinburgh Music School, the Dance School and the SFA Football Performance School – in which the school offers specialist tuition alongside the main curriculum. Pupils have to audition to gain entry.
All the students available for interview on Tuesday had been carefully selected and all had passed, so there were big smiles all round.
Shivali was a pupil at Broughton High. She said: “I’m really happy with my exam results. I’m happy because I can go and study medicine at the University of Dundee.”
Moustafa Watti haș just left Broughton High School. He said: “I got three As in my results and I’m going on to study medicine at the University of St Andrews. I really enjoyed my time at Broughton. I found the environment very supportive. The teachers are always here to help.”
Kiayla Darice Curry said: “I’m quite happy with my exam results. I got four As and two Bs. There was one B in Graphic Communication and another B in Physics. The As were in Mandarin, French, English and Maths. Next year I will be taking Biology, Chemistry, Maths, English and Health and Food Technology (HFC).
“After school I hope to be a dietician or a food technologist.”
Jason Cartwright said he is really excited about his results. He said: “I am coming back to do my Highers, and I hope that I can go to university. I got an A in Maths and am going to do that at Higher.
“I love problem solving and I would love to go to university to study computer science.”
Amber Craighead is delighted to have finished S4 with seven As. She said: “I’m really happy with it. It is obviously the best I can do. I am going to do five Highers next year and I want to go on to do something at uni but I’m not sure what yet. Maybe politics or international relations but I’m not sure yet.”
Bibi Coane said: “I just got my Nat 5 results and I got seven As which I am really happy about. Next year I am going on to do Highers and then I would like to go on to university after year six, maybe to study history or music. I am in the Music School and play cello and piano. I have done my Grade 8 Cello and I am about to sit my Grade 8 Piano.”
Lexi McWhinnie is a pupil at the Dance School and was one of three dancers who entertained everyone after the interviews were over. She has just sat her Nat 5s and got five As. She said: “I am going on to do further education in dance.
“I do all styles of dance including contemporary and jazz.”
Sylwester Lalewicz is hoping to study dentistry in Glasgow. He has just completed S5 and sat exams in Biology, Chemistry, Physics Computer and Maths and got all As. Next year he will study Biology, Chemistry and Maths all at Advanced Higher.
The exam body Qualifications Scotland issued Results Day data for the first time. The numbers show:
- a record 269,115 National 5 passes and an increase in Grade A percentages
- a second annual increase in the pass rate for all three graded national qualifications – National 5 (pass rate 79.2%, up by 0.8 percentage points), Highers (76.7%, up 0.8 points) and Advanced Highers (77.6%, up 0.9 points)
- an increase in the pass rate compared with 2019 for National 5 (up 1 point) and Highers (up 1.9 points)
- a narrowing in the poverty related attainment gap for A-C passes across the graded national qualifications, with attainment having gone up for both the most deprived and least deprived areas
- increases in pass rates and the percentage of A grades for learners with additional support needs across National 5 and Highers compared with last year and 2024
- more than 120,000 vocational and technical qualification awards, a record high and a 9.1% increase on last year.
Last week the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, said that the curriculum in England will be widened to recognise “preparation for work” and will include subjects like manufacturing and AI.
He said that “for too long” pupils have been advised to study academic subjects like Maths and English so that they can feel they have done well and be respected.
He added: “My message to young people is this – whether you choose construction, coding or classics, or maths, manufacturing or mechanics, you’ll get the skills you need and be given the respect you deserve.”
Deadline News asked the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Màiri McAllan, whether there was a need for The Scottish Government to do the same. She said that she is very conscious of the debate in England and she will be watching that “very carefully”. But, she rejected the notion that Scotland need to change the curriculum here to accommodate the range of subjects to be studied in Scottish schools.
She said: “The truth of the matter is in Scotland’s education system. we have been confidently pursuing both for very many years.
“Last year’s exam results which demonstrated academic attainment rising and a surge in vocational awards have been beaten even further this year by Scotland’s young people once again having academic attainment up and an even greater surge in vocational awards – awards in things like childcare, construction and personal finance.
“So what I would say is I think we’ve got an excellent mix in Scotland’s education system one that is pursuing both academic excellence and vocational excellence and really preparing our young people well for the world ahead.”
