The proportion of young people leaving school with five or more passes at National Courses and Highers, as well as their equivalent vocational and technical qualifications, has increased over the past year.
A record high of 68.6% of young people left school with five or more qualifications at SCQF Level 5 (National 5 equivalent), according to the School Leaver Attainment and Initial Destination statistics 2024-25 published today. Those leaving with five or more passes at SCQF level 6 (Higher equivalent) rose to 40.8%. The gap between those from the most and least deprived areas leaving with five or more qualifications narrowed at Level 5.
Nine out of ten young people (95.7%) were in positive destinations – such as work, training, college or university – three months after leaving school. This is the same level as 2023-24 and the second highest on record.
There has also been a fall in the number of young people leaving school at S4, down by 544 pupils to 7,540, and in S5 (down 370), with more pupils (732) staying on until S6. This starts to reverse the trend seen in the immediate post-COVID period.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “An increasing number of young people are leaving school with five qualifications or more at SCQF Level 5 or better, including National 5s and Highers.
“This underlines the strong recovery we are seeing in education, following the pandemic and the importance of the breadth of choice schools offer to young people in the senior phase.
“It shows the hard work of learners, teachers and parents and carers and comes after we saw record levels of literacy and numeracy in Scotland’s schools in the recent ACEL statistics
“The Scottish Government has invested £1.75 billion in the Scottish Attainment Challenge over the past decade helping improve outcomes for children and young people impacted by poverty – and, while this latest data shows there is more to do, we remain determined to address this.
“The proportion of Scotland’s young people in positive destinations remains at a near record high. The welcome increase among those going on to Higher Education underlines the importance of our commitment to free tuition, ensuring in Scotland education is based on the ability to learn, not pay.
“The recently passed Tertiary Education and Training Bill will also put apprenticeships on a statutory footing for the first time, creating parity with other post-school routes to provide more choices for young people.”
Aid cuts, brought in by the UK Government exactly a year ago have been labelled “cruel and devastating” by a leading Scottish charity.
SCIAF – the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund – has hit out at a decision in 2025 to cut the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget from 0.5% to 0.3% by 2027 – set to be the steepest reduction of any G7 country.
SCIAF’s CEO Lorraine Currie said: “Quite simply these cuts hit the most vulnerable people in the world the hardest. They are cruel and devastating.
“Much needed aid programmes in some of the world’s most fragile and conflict-affected countries across Africa and Asia are at risk of closure. People will die as a result.
“These cuts were made without warning, preparation or consultation with organisations like SCIAF – charity experts who have daily dealings with overseas partners who know the reality on the ground. These cuts mean fewer families in conflict zones able to access shelter, food and water, and fewer children able to go to school.”
UK aid represents a tiny proportion of public spending yet delivers significant return on investment by preventing diseases before they become pandemics, reducing conflict and crises that force people to flee, and strengthening global stability to protect people in the UK and around the world.
Lorraine added: “The UK government’s own Equalities Impact Assessment of the 2025/26 cuts confirms that women and girls, people with disabilities, children and people affected by conflict, will be hardest hit. This decision will arguably have the most damaging global consequences of any this UK government will make.
“With a significantly reduced UK aid budget, the government must step up its ambitions around global financial sector reform and help build a fairer economic system that enables lower income countries to invest in their own sustainable development.
“The UK’s upcoming G20 leadership offers a critical window to advance this agenda, rebuild damaged partnerships, and re-establish the UK as a trusted global partner.”
SCIAF, together with a number of different UK charities is urging the UK Government to reverse the cuts. It has signed up to a letter from BOND – the UK network for organisations working in international development.
BOND includes over 330 organisations, ranging from small specialist charities to large international NGOs with a worldwide presence.
People affected by drug use across Scotland will continue to receive vital support thanks to funding for 28 projects delivering frontline services.
This is the final funding from the Scottish Government’s five-year National Drug Mission Funds, administered by the Corra Foundation. It aims to provide grassroots organisations with financial certainty and continuing support for those dealing with substance use, ahead of the introduction of a new Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan.
Speaking on a visit to Street Fit Scotland, one of the recipients, which works with people who use substances to help them build resilience and connect to supportive social networks through physical and social activities, Drugs and Alcohol Policy Minister Maree Todd said: “This funding, administered by the Corra Foundation, is a lifeline for the people these projects support, and the statistics speak for themselves.
“More than 51,000 interactions with support services in 2024-25, an increase of over 17,000 on the previous year, demonstrates the extraordinary reach and impact of these grassroots organisations.
“As the National Mission ends next month, we will shortly announce our new Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan and new support for the third sector.
“This funding provides a vital bridge to that – where we will again focus on sustained, need-based investment.”
Funded projects include recovery hubs in Kilmarnock and Forth Valley, residential rehab pathways in Ayrshire, treatment and health support in Edinburgh and West Dunbartonshire, family liaison in the Highlands, psychological therapy in Fife, and outreach services for homeless and vulnerable people in Aberdeen.
Projects in Glasgow and Dundee include recovery workshops, jewellery making, and a therapeutic programme for women in recovery with family support.
The continuation funding also supports the PanLanarkshire Drug Problem Solving Court, a peer harm reduction support worker project in Forth Valley, and organisations helping people manage health conditions and live independently at home.
Street Fit Scotland founder and CEO Michelle Reilly said: “We would like to express our sincere thanks for the funding and continued support provided over the years. We are truly grateful for this investment in our work.
“This support has enabled Street Fit Scotland to continue delivering a high-quality service, reach and engage more people, and strengthen what we describe as a growing ‘social wave of wellness’ across Edinburgh.
“Through this funding, we have supported community members to regain structure, purpose, and stability in their daily lives. Many individuals who come to us are rebuilding after significant challenges, and having consistent access to safe, supportive activity has been vital in helping them move forward.”
Threat to Georgian crescent from 544-bed venue highlighted by locals
Passionate local people trying to save a historic New Town street from a 544-bed “super hostel” have met face-to-face with one of Scotland’s most senior planning appeal officials.
Residents and neighbours gathered in solidarity on Atholl Crescent as a Reporter from the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) carried out a formal site visit yesterday (Tuesday 24 February).
The visit follows the hostel developer’s decision to lodge an appeal directly with the Scottish Government, before local councillors had the opportunity to determine the applications.
Philip Flockhart, director of architects Morris and Steedman Associates and spokesman for residents, said: “When nearly 300 people formally object, and when respected heritage bodies speak of irreversible harm, we would hope that the DPEA will listen.
“This is not about resisting change. It is about proportionality, suitability and the protection of a quiet residential community within a World Heritage Site.”
The proposal would see four Category A-listed Georgian townhouses at 14-17 Atholl Crescent converted into a large-scale budget hostel, accommodating up to 544 guests in dormitory-style pods.
The buildings form part of Edinburgh’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed New Town. Residents argue the location – a predominantly residential crescent and mews – is wholly unsuited to such an intensive, high-turnover commercial use.
A property audit compiled by the group shows the immediate area remains overwhelmingly residential, with 88 homes compared to just 16 commercial properties. Many homes sit directly adjacent to, behind and opposite the proposed development.
During the site visit the Reporter, Katherine Chorley, was invited to walk the crescent and Atholl Crescent Lane to view first-hand the proximity of established family homes, gardens and mews properties to the proposed hostel entrance, servicing arrangements and rear access.
Residents say their objections are not rooted in opposition to visitors or tourism, but in the real, immediate and seismic impact the development would have on daily life.
Among the concerns raised are:
Loss of residential amenity and the erosion of a quiet environment enjoyed by many retired residents.
Increased noise and disturbance from a 24-hour, high-occupancy operation.
Security and safety risks associated with transient, large-scale accommodation.
Pressure on narrow streets and lanes from servicing, deliveries and guest drop-offs.
The impact on neighbouring private gardens and the quiet residential street.
Campaigners say there is a stark inconsistency in planning policy. The council tightened restrictions on short-term lets and Airbnbs in residential properties on the grounds of loss of amenity. Objectors argue that approving a 544-bed hostel beside family homes would represent a significant loss of amenity.
Around 280 formal objections were lodged during the planning process, with the proposal attracting opposition from leading heritage and civic bodies.
The Cockburn Association warned the development would cause “substantial and irreversible harm” to the listed buildings. The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland raised serious concerns about compatibility with the architectural character of Category A-listed Georgian townhouses.
The West End Community Council, a statutory consultee, objected to the scheme “in both principle and detail,” citing transport impact, infrastructure intrusions and the effect on neighbours.
Philip Flockhart, a conservation architect, added: “This is one of the capital’s finest Georgian crescents – a residential street that has retained its character for more than 200 years.
“To introduce a 544-bed dormitory-style hostel into four interconnected townhouses would represent an intensity of occupation completely at odds with the scale, layout and spirit of these buildings.”
Previously the properties were used as offices for a renowned law firm. Permission has previously been granted to convert the townhouses into 34 apartments. Residents question why claims of commercial viability are now being used to justify a large-scale transient accommodation model instead of housing.
Campaigners say the decision will set an important precedent – not just for Atholl Crescent, but for residential streets across the New Town and West End – and signal if residential life is to be prioritised over transient tourism.
Prior to the appeal being submitted to DPEA, the applications were expected to be considered by elected councillors on the Development Management Sub-Committee. A decision from the Reporter is now awaited.
20 years ago on 25 February, the National Theatre of Scotland staged its first production. Today, the Company launches a special project to celebrate 20 years of game-changing theatre.
National Theatre of Scotland is issuing a nationwide call out for stories from the public, with one chosen in 2026 to be brought to theatrical life in 2027.
Leading broadcaster and presenter Lorraine Kelly comes on board as a True Story Ambassador.
Leading Scottish cultural figures take on roles as True Story Champions with Val McDermid, Greg McHugh, Shereen Nanjiani, Len Pennie and Irvine Welsh supporting the call-out to encourage the nation to participate.
In the Company’s 20th year and for the first time ever, Scotland’s National Theatre is inviting the public to share real-life stories that deserve to be told on Scotland’s stages; be they true stories rooted in history, place, or community, the personal and family narratives that have shaped lives, or authentic tales that resonate through humour, resilience, struggle, triumph or hope.
“Everyone’s got a story to tell. What’s yours?”
From a shortlist, one incredible story will be selected by public vote, and brought to life by a team of leading Scottish theatre artists, for public presentation in 2027.
The call out will be live until 13 May 2026 with a short list announced to the public in September 2026, with the winner announced in November 2026.
Over the last twenty years, the National Theatre of Scotland, has gained a world-wide reputation for turning compelling real life Scottish stories into unique new plays that have been shared with audiences, and earned plaudits on stages in Scotland and beyond.
The soldiers in the Black Watch regiment, deployed to Iraq, (Black Watch), the group of girls from Glasgow, who fought for their friend to be saved from deportation, (Glasgow Girls), the story of Adam who crossed borders and genders to find himself (Adam), the historical exploits of three Scottish medieval kings (The James Plays), or the story of Fred Goodwin and the rise of fall of RBS (Make it Happen); all these exceptional stories have captured the imaginations of audiences over the last 20 years.
The National Theatre of Scotland’s 20th birthday programme also includes Stand and Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit In which will bring the powerful story of the Lee Jean’s Factory workers to life in a new piece of touring gig theatre.
The Company is delighted to have the support of celebrated Scottish cultural figures to encourage the nation to participate.
Jackie Wylie, Artistic Director said :”It feels entirely fitting to mark the Company’s 20th birthday with a project that celebrates Scotland as a nation of storytellers. Real life stories have become part of the DNA of NTS; ordinary people living extraordinary lives, or indeed extraordinary events in history that have resonated across time.
“These stories and characters have captured the imaginations of artists and audiences throughout NTS’s history, and I can’t wait to listen to the great Scottish public and to find out their true stories and to then support the journey of one special story onto the stage, alongside a team of brilliant Scottish artists.”
Lorraine Kellyis joining the team as a True Story Ambassador, and she will be involved in the call out and judging process.
Lorraine is a Scottish television presenter, journalist and Sunday Times bestselling author, best known for her ITV show Lorraine. In 2024, she was awarded a BAFTA for her outstanding contribution to the television industry, marking four-decades of service to broadcasting. She has also been awarded an OBE and a CBE.
She has made special documentaries commemorating both the tragedies in Dunblane and Lockerbie. In addition to her eponymous show, she has also presented many other TV programmes including Lorraine Kelly’s Norwegian Odyssey, The Last Leg, Queens for the Night and Have I Got News For You?
She is also a best-selling novelist with her debut novel, The Island Swimmer, set in Orkney, published in 2024.
Lorraine Kelly, True Storyambassador said: “Ever since I started out as a teenage reporter on the East Kilbride News, and later as a presenter and author, I have been fascinated by real life stories.
“I am a naturally curious person, and I have had the privilege of listening to thousands of stories over the years, allowing me insight into the personal, the extraordinary and the sometimes, dramatic.
“I am thrilled to be an Ambassador for the National Theatre of Scotland’s True Story project and to support their call out to the great Scottish public to find a special story that will resonate with Scottish audiences.
“I can’t wait to sit with the True Story submissions later this year and immerse myself in what I imagine will be a treasure trove of compelling testimonies and exceptional stories.”
TRUE STORY CHAMPIONS
Five fabulous Scottish cultural figures have taken on the role of being True Story Champions, supporting the call out for true stories.
They are Val McDermid, crime author known for Karen Pirie and The Wire in the Blood; Greg McHugh, actor and writer who created and starred in Gary Tank Commander; Shereen Nanjiani, broadcaster for the BBC, and MBE for services to broadcast in Scotland; Len Pennie, poet, Scots language performer; and writer and Irvine Welsh, novelist, screenwriter and filmmaker known for Trainspotting, Filth and Porno.
Val McDermid,author, said: “We’re a nation of storytellers. Everybody’s got a story. You hear it at the bus stop, you hear it in the pub, you hear it everywhere you go. You’ve all got stories.
“We want to hear your stories. And that’s why the National Theatre of Scotland has started a campaign to gather your stories together to make new stories for the next generation and beyond.”
Greg McHugh, actor and writer, said: “They say that truth is stranger than fiction. The National Theatre of Scotland have taken this on board in a big way with their project True Story that involves the great Scottish public.
“They are choosing one brilliant true story to put on stage which I think is a great idea and a fabulously fun way to celebrate the Company’s 20th birthday.”
Shereen Nanjiani,broadcaster, said: “In my 40-year career as a news broadcaster I have reported on hundreds of Scotland’s stories, big and small.
“I was the first person of Asian heritage to become a TV newsreader in Scotland, and that’s made me acutely aware of the need to tell stories that reflect our country in all its rich diversity, and to hear from those whose voices often don’t get heard.
“I’m also passionate about the power of theatre to bring us together, to make us think, to move us, to make us laugh and cry.”
Len Pennie, poet, said: “I am a firm believer that every single person has a story that is worth telling and worth hearing.
“There’s nothing like a good story for making you feel happy, sad, scared – the full spectrum of human emotion!
“But even more special than that is sharing a story with somebody. It’s about connection, community, empathy, just knowing that you’re not alone.”
Irvine Welsh,author, said: “True stories inform everything. They inform our imagination or experience or creation of other stories or embellishment of stories or creation of fiction.
“So there’s the old saying that the truth is stranger than fiction, and generally it’s true.True stories are important because they’re the the bedrock of our creativity and our culture.”
Health Secretary hails ‘undeniable progress’ in tacking long waits
New figures show waiting lists in Scotland continue to fall with waits of over a year decreasing for 8 consecutive months.
Data from Public Health Scotland shows, at 31 January 2026, new outpatient waits of more than 52 weeks have more than halved since July 2025 – with the total waits decreasing by 52.6% in that period.
Long waits for inpatient and day case procedures have also fallen every month since July 2025, with 52 week waits decreasing by 29.8% in that 8 month period.
New quarterly diagnostics statistics also show that, at 31 December 2025, the number of waits for one of the eight key diagnostic tests had decreased by 15.1% when compared to 30 September 2025.
The figures also show diagnostic activity has risen – 245,377 diagnostic tests were completed from September 2025 to December 2025, a 10.2% (22,741) increase in activity when compared to the same quarter last year. This means thousands of patients receiving their MRIs, scans and scopes quicker to support faster diagnosis and referral onto the right patient pathway.
On a visit to the dermatology department at the Lauriston Building in NHS Lothian, where new outpatient waits over 52 weeks have fallen by more than 46%, Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “We are making undeniable progress in clearing waits of over a year – we are demonstrating consistent month-on-month improvement.
“We know there is still more to do but these latest figures show that our plan is working and our NHS is turning a corner.
“We continue to see downward trends across nearly all waiting list indicators and diagnostic activity is up – this means thousands more people getting their MRIs, scans and scopes quicker.
“Our targeted funding for this year is delivering thousands more operations and procedures and appointments compared to last year, and we are determined to build on this momentum. This progress has been driven by our dedicated and hard-working NHS staff. I thank them for their outstanding efforts.
“I was pleased to meet the dermatology team at the Lauriston Building to hear how they are driving progress in clearing waits at NHS Lothian.
“The total list size for new outpatient waits of more than 52 weeks has reduced by 46.4% since July 2025, with dermatology waits reducing by 67.78% in that period. This is outstanding progress that we want to see replicated across the country.”
Following enquiries from concerned local teachers seeking clarity on funding for anti-racist curriculum resources, Lothian MSP Foysol Choudhury raised the matter with the Scottish Government in Parliament last Thursday.
During Portfolio Questions, Mr Choudhury asked the Cabinet Secretary: “What specific funding allocations will be made to support participative curriculum resourcing in anti-racist materials, and how will schools be supported to access high-quality materials to ensure racist incidents are handled effectively to prevent far-right narratives from filling the gaps?”
In response, Cabinet Secretary Jenny Gilruth outlined funding already available to support anti-racism work in schools, noting that two additional funding streams are also in place. She confirmed she would write to Mr Choudhury with further details, and he said he looks forward to receiving that information.
As MSP for the Lothian region and a lifelong equality campaigner, Mr Choudhury has repeatedly raised issues around racism in schools, including funding for anti-racism education, improving reporting of racist incidents, and ensuring inclusive curriculum reform.
He has also been a leading voice on equality throughout his career, including serving as Chair of the Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council and supporting minority ethnic communities and anti-racism initiatives across Scotland.
In previous parliamentary questions, he sought clarity on government funding for anti-racism education initiatives, including programmes delivered through organisations such as Education Scotland and Intercultural Youth Scotland as part of the wider Anti-Racism in Education Programme.
Mr Choudhury said: “Our schools must be places where every child feels safe, respected, and represented. Teachers who contacted me were keen to ensure they have the right resources to support their pupils, and well-supported anti-racism programmes are an important part of that work.”
He added that he will continue working constructively with teachers, parents, young people and anti-racism organisations to understand what support schools need and to follow up with ministers as further information becomes available.
Concerns have been raised about whether the cost to monitor and repair the Cairngorm Funicular could outweigh the benefits to the local and national economy.This stark warning comes from a new report issued today by the Scottish Parliament’s Public Audit Committee.
The report follows the Committee’s look at the funding and operation of the troubled funicular.
Opened in 2001 at a cost of £19.5 million, the funicular was closed for four years from September 2018 due to issues with the track. It briefly opened again in 2023 before closing once more for further repairs. It finally reopened in February 2025.
During this time, ownership of the funicular has moved into public hands with Cairngorm Mountain Ltd, a company owned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
Now, with costs of over £16 million to reinstate the funicular and a reliance on public finance, the Committee has raised concerns about whether the costs of regular monitoring and maintenance may become disproportionate to its benefit.
The Committee has also called on the Scottish Government to be more transparent about its plans for the funicular and to ensure that the project remains value for money.
During the Committee’s consideration, there was also frustration about the level of information available to the Committee to take a judgment on HIE’s decision-making on the future of the funicular.
The report now calls on HIE to make significant improvement in this area as well as ensuring that the governance arrangements in place for the funicular are be simplified and made more transparent.
Speaking as the report launched, Committee Convener Richard Leonard MSP said:“It is safe to say that the Cairngorm Funicular has had a somewhat troubled history, with repeated and lengthy closures and requiring significant public investment.
“This Committee has heard from those in charge of the funicular, the public bodies supporting it, those living and working in the area and nature conservation activists. We have heard both optimism and scepticism about what comes next. And it presents a picture of concern for us that the future benefits are not as clear as they ought to be.
“There also needs to be a much more transparent governance structure in place for the running of the funicular. A simplified structure would allow for better public scrutiny of public money and decisions on the future plans for the Cairngorm Mountain resort.”
Black Gold (4.4%), a session stout by Cairngorm in Aviemore, has won silver in CAMRA’s Champion Winter Beer of Britain award, announced at Liverpool Beer Festival. Proving its credentials as a truly great winter beer after also being crowned the winner in 2025.
After a year of local and regional blind judging heats, the Campaign’s top three beers have been crowned. Black Gold will now go forward to the final judging in May at CAMRA’s Cambridge Beer Festival where it’ll battle it out to take the crown of Supreme Champion 2026.
Judges were blown away, with judging panel coordinator Christine Cryne describing Black Gold (4.4%) as: “A black session stout with red hues and oyster head. Aromas of black treacle and faint hits of dark fruits. Caramelised fruits on a sweetish chocolate base with some plums create a moreish stout. The dry finish is slightly sweet with some spicy notes.
The judging and announcement took place at Liverpool Beer Festival, in the Lutyens Crypt at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, just ten minutes’ walk from Liverpool Lime Street station. Competition beers are available at the festival while stocks last.
CAMRA’s Awards Director, Shelly Bentley, said: “Our Champion Beer of Britain competition is the only truly independent beer contest in the UK. Brewers can’t simply enter their beers into it; they have to be nominated by beer lovers or expert tasting panels.
“Everyone taking home a category win or top three placement should be proud that their beers have been declared the cream of the crop by expert judges.”
