Levels of attainment for pupils across Edinburgh remain above those achieved before the Covid pandemic, while passes in vocational courses continue to climb, according to exam results released yesterday.
More than 9500 pupils in the Capital received their results from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) on Tuesday (8 August). 2023 was the second year since 2019 that pupils sat formal exams and attainment remains high in comparison. Different assessment models were used in 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of the pandemic.
Passes in National Progression Awards (NPA), vocational courses equivalent to National passes, have also increased, with 48 NPA courses leading to 941 passes at levels 4, 5 and 6. This is compared to 26 NPA courses and 296 passes in 2019.
A total of 51,941 resulted awards were certificated for 9,583 candidates (includes special schools, adults and mainstream secondary pupils) in over 85 subjects ranging from Accounting to Urdu.
National 5s saw passes (A-C grades) of 78% (up one percentage point from 2019 but down one percentage point compared to last year) and Highers saw passes of 78% (up two percentage points from 2019 though three percentage points lower than 2022).
Notable results include:
By the end of S4, 48% achieved 5 passes at National 5 or better (5 percentage points up on 2019 but 1 percentage point down on 2022)
By the end of S5*, 63% achieved 1 or more Higher passes or better (6 percentage points up on 2019 and the same as 2022)
By the end of S6* 69% achieved one or more Higher passes (1 percentage point down on 2022 but 3 percentage points up on 2019)
Pupil Vincent Rodziewicz, who is about to start S6 at Craigmount High School, said: “This year I got an A and a few Bs and I was quite surprised by these results, they were very positive actually – I expected to do worse in Maths.
“I don’t feel that stressed about the way exams are done though, I don’t mind being in a big hall.”
Zaneta, who is an S5 pupil at Craigmount, added:“I was really nervous, but I think my results are good – I wasn’t really expecting straight As.
“It will give me a lot of confidence going into S5 as well, because I know it’s going to be a difficult year.”
Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The Covid pandemic may seem like a distant memory for some, but recent years have posed a real challenge for pupils and teaching staff in all our schools who have had to deal with the impact on learning and teaching.
“All our teachers and staff have worked extremely hard in preparing pupils for these exams, as well as parents/carers whose support is invaluable and, most of all, our young people themselves should be praised for their hard work and achievements.
“We want to make sure all school pupils are able to fulfil their potential by attaining the highest level of achievements possible and by receiving the best possible experience – every learner’s journey is unique. We look forward to building on the success of this year’s learners as they move through the senior phase and onto positive destinations.”
Additional information – analysis
Results by the end of S4 5 passes at National 5 or better – 48% (1 percentage point down on 2022 but 5 percentage points up on 2019)
Results by the end of S5* 1+ pass at Higher or better – 63% (same as 2022 but 6 percentage points up on 2019) 3+ passes at Higher or better – 44% (same as 2022 but 6 percentage points up on 2019) 5+ passes at Higher or better – 24% (same as 2022 but 4 percentage points up on 2019).
Results by the end of S6* 1+ pass at Higher or better – 69% (1 percentage point down on 2022 but 3 percentage points up on 2019) 3+ passes Higher or better – 51% (2 percentage points down on 2022 but 2 percentage points up on 2019) 5+ passes at Higher or better – 38% (2 percentage points down on 2022 but 2 percentage points up on 2019) 1+ pass at Advanced Higher – 31% (1 percentage point down on 2022 but 4 percentage points up on 2019)
Students getting their exam results today should be very proud of their achievements, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has said, with pass rates remaining above pre-pandemic levels.
Data published by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) showed the overall pass rate for National 5, Highers and Advanced Highers has increased from the 2019 pre-pandemic level, with a record number of passes in an exam year achieved at National 5.
The number of vocational and technical qualifications achieved has also grown to a record high this year – with more than 72,000 qualifications awarded in 2023, an increase of 12.3% from 2022.
The poverty-related attainment gap remains narrower than it was in 2019 across National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “I want to offer my congratulations to all of you who have worked so hard and demonstrated so much resilience not just this year but over the course of your studies. Today is all about celebrating your achievements and you should be incredibly proud of all you have accomplished.
“I would also like to send my sincere thanks and gratitude for the continued dedication and commitment of those in our education system – thank you to all of Scotland’s teachers, lecturers, support staff as well as parents and carers for supporting our young people.
“There is much to celebrate in what is another strong set of results showing a clear and continuing recovery from the pandemic – with pass rates at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher above the 2019 pre-pandemic level, a record number of passes at National 5 and the highest number of vocational and technical qualifications ever awarded.
“While we know that the pandemic has disproportionately impacted young people from more disadvantaged backgrounds, these results show that the gap in attainment levels between the least and most deprived areas remains narrower than it was in 2019. We are determined to build on the progress that has been made and we are investing a record £1 billion in the Scottish Attainment Challenge during this parliamentary term.
“For those who don’t get the results they were looking for, a free and direct appeals service will give all young people the right to request a review of their marked exam papers or coursework for their National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results this year. Additionally, as you consider your next steps there is help available to guide you.
“The Skills Development Scotland Careers Helpline can offer practical information and careers advice as well as support for wellbeing. The SQA helpline is also open and can help students and their families with queries relating to the Scottish Qualifications Certificates.”
As exam results arrive this morning students are being assured that things may not be as bad as they seem – and that help and advice is at hand:
Adeniyi Alade, Service Head Helplines (Childline), Scotland, said: “At Childline we know that results day and the period running up to it can be a really stressful time for young people and it is vital they feel supported and listened to.
“Young people often tell us they are worried they will get lower grades than they need to get into their preferred course or University, and they feel anxious and unsettled because it’s out of their control.
“Often, they have high expectations for themselves, or they feel their family is putting them under pressure to perform well.
“Some young people think their whole future depends on these results and this is their last chance to get into the further education course of their choice, or an apprenticeship that they have applied for. But it is important they know there are many options, whatever their grades are.
“It’s possible the young person could appeal their results or resit their exams the following year. They could also look at alternative courses or universities through clearing, and there’s the option of taking a gap year. Speaking to a teacher could be very helpful in assisting a young person to decide on which is the best option to take.
“If any young person is feeling apprehensive and worried about their results, I’d urge them to talk to someone about it.
“It can be very upsetting for a young person not to get the grades they had hoped for or expected, and it can affect their confidence. But it’s important for them to know that many others are going through the same thing and there are a range of options to explore.
“There are also lots of trusted adults they can turn to for help and support, whether that’s a teacher, careers advisor, parent, carer or Childline.
“Every year our specially trained counsellors carry out counselling sessions with hundreds of children across the UK who are worried about their exams and results. They listen to the young person’s concerns, offer advice about dealing with anxiety and help explore the different options available for those who don’t get their desired results.
“The conversation is confidential and no worry is ever too small.”
One student said: “It’s my first results day this week and I’m so nervous. I don’t want to let my parents down. They push me so hard to study and excel that I can’t even imagine how they’ll react if I get bad grades.
“I worry everyone at school will see me as a failure. I try to distract myself but when I remember results day is coming, I’m overwhelmed by anxiety and fear. I just wish someone would tell me it’ll all be ok.“ (Gender unknown, aged 16, from Scotland)
Another explaned: “I don’t know what will be of me if I don’t do well on my exams. I feel so stupid I didn’t prepare enough for them.
“My parents told me I shouldn’t stress too much, but I can feel the pressure since my siblings all did super well in their exams and are off to great careers. I didn’t have a good night sleep in over a week, and I worry I may pass out when the results are out.” (Girl, aged 16, from Scotland)
Young people under the age of 19 can get free, confidential support and advice from Childline at www.childline.org.uk or by calling 0800 1111 for free.
Top Italian American restaurant Frankie & Benny’s is giving away FREE pizza and Coke Zero to students celebrating their Scottish Highers results.
No matter what your exam grades are Frankie & Benny’s, the ultimate family friendly restaurant, will help you celebrate your hard work.
This offer entitles guests on Tuesday August 8 results day who show their exam results to a member of staff to a free Margarita Pizza (Vegan & Gluten Free Available) and a regular Coke (Coke Zero, Regular Coke, Diet Coke).
The free meal offer is available on August 8 in Scotland only and additional pizza toppings can be bought from the menu. There are no catches, you don’t have to buy anything just come in and celebrate with Frankie & Benny’s.
Frankie & Benny’s Marketing Director, Andreia Harwood, said: “We recognise that the cost of living crisis is hard on us all but we wanted to make sure our hard working students can celebrate their exam results day on us. This summer has all been about our customers still being able to enjoy great meals out with the family particularly over the summer months when kids are at home and we look for treats to entertain them.
“The summer savings and the exam results FREE offers are all about Frankie & Benny’s putting our customers at the forefront of everything we do and making sure they can have an amazing summer.”
This summer, Frankie & Benny’s, the popular Italian restaurant, want families and friends to enjoy meals out on a budget and have announced a series of summer saving meal deals
The deals were introduced to help families facing the cost of living crisis.
Frankie & Benny’s is offering two ‘always on’ summer promotion offers which are available now and until the end of August.
The first is a weekday offer available Monday to Friday after 7pm allowing guests to have two main courses of pizza, burgers and or pasta dishes for just £20. This will give a saving of up to £15.
Main courses available include the double bacon cheeseburger with fries, and the creamy chicken and ‘nduja fettucine- both solid favourites with Frankie & Benny fans.
The second deal is designed for family and friends dining out at the weekend. Throughout the summer Frankie & Benny’s is offering two for the price of one main meals all day Sunday, saving up to £21.90!
Dishes include the New York BBQ chicken loaded up with bacon, cheese, onion rings and fries, as well the classic Mac & Cheese (with, or without, bacon!).
Mexican favourite Chiquito is putting the fiesta fun in results day by giving away FREE Garlic Tortilla Bread and Coke Zero to students celebrating their Scottish Highers.
No matter what your exam grades are Chiquito, known for delicious food and tasty cocktails, will help you celebrate your hard work.
This offer entitles guests on Tuesday August 8 results day who show their exam results to a member of staff to get a free portion of Garlic Tortilla Bread and a regular Coke (Coke Zero, Regular Coke, Diet Coke).
The free meal offer is available on August 8 in Scotland only and additional dishes can be bought from the menu. There are no catches, you don’t have to buy anything just come in and have fun with Chiquito.
Chiquito Marketing Director, Andreia Harwood, said: “We recognise that the cost of living crisis is hard on us all but we wanted to make sure our hard working students can celebrate their exam results day on us.
“This summer has all been about our customers still being able to enjoy great meals out with the family and friends. The summer savings and the exam results FREE offers are all about Chiquito putting our customers at the forefront of everything we do and making sure they can have an amazing summer.”
This summer Chiquito has helped families and friends with a series of super saving meal deals.
Chiquito, which has been delivering the best of Mexican cuisine for over 30 years, has two amazing ‘always on summer deals’ designed to make dining out more affordable until August 31.
Between Monday to Friday (after 7pm) Chiquito is offering two main meals for £20, which includes delicious sizzling fajitas, tasty burritos, Tacos, chimichangas and enchiladas. This will save guests up to £15.
Chiquito is also offering a summer always on promotions two for the price of one main mealsall day Sunday which will help out those dining out at the weekend. This will save guests up to £21.90.
Record number of Higher and Advanced Higher passes
Scottish school pupils will receive their official grades today. There were more than 200,000 entries for Higher and Advanced Higher courses this year – and this year’s students have achieved new records.
The number of Higher passes is at a record level since the advent of Devolution, and the number of Advanced Higher passes is the highest since their introduction in 2001.
Almost 137,000 learners are receiving Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) results today – the most since 2017.
Pass rates overall remain high, despite the exceptional challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis, and are significantly higher than the historic picture – up 12.6 percentage points for Highers compared with 2019, but down slightly on last year.
With an exam diet not possible because of the pandemic, this year’s grades for National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers were based on teachers’ judgement of evidence of attainment.
The results show:
the highest number of Higher passes since at least 1999
the highest number of Advanced Higher passes since the qualifications were introduced in 2001
an increase in the number of entries for National Qualifications compared with 2020
the percentage of grade As awarded at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level is at a record high
pass rates at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher are higher than in 2019, although slightly down on 2020
the poverty-related attainment gap is narrower than in 2019, although slightly wider than in 2020
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This is a strong set of results, achieved under extraordinary circumstances.
“It’s been one of the toughest academic years we’ve ever known, with the pandemic throwing significant challenges at our young people. So to have this many learners receiving certificates and for the number of passes at Higher and Advanced Higher to be so high is incredible.
“These results are testament to the hard work, resilience and determination of learners – and to the dedication of their endlessly supportive teachers and lecturers, who have been with them every step of the way, going above and beyond to make sure pupils got the grades they deserve.
“Learners can be confident that their awards are fair, consistent and credible. Indeed, industry representatives have made it clear how much they value this year’s qualifications.
“As in any year, the results highlight some areas for us to focus attention on. Closing the poverty-related attainment gap and ensuring every young person has the chance to fulfil their potential remains central to our work. We know that the challenges presented by the pandemic mean our efforts to deliver equity in education are more vital than ever, so we are investing a further £1 billion over the course of this Parliament to help close the gap.
“While congratulating those receiving SQA results today, we should also recognise, and celebrate in equal measure, the successes of young people whose achievements are not measured in national qualifications but in other ways. They should be proud of their hard work and resilience during such a difficult year.
“For some young people, today’s results may not be what they would have liked. There is always a next step – and there is a range of support and practical advice available for learners, and their parents and carers, to help in that onward journey, whether it’s staying in education, training, or moving into the workplace.”
Fiona Robertson, SQA Chief Executive and Scotland’s Chief Examining Officer, said yesterday: “Results Day, when learners receive their certificates and find out their grades, is always a significant and important annual date in the calendar.
“This year is very different for lots of reasons, not least because teacher judgement has replaced exams and because learners already know their grades after receiving provisional results before the end of term.
“The 2021 approach to assessment – the alternative certification model (ACM) as it is formally known – has not been without its critics.
“Perhaps that was inevitable given the need to agree and build a new model at pace, but it was the best possible solution in the exceptional circumstances we faced and I have yet to hear a credible alternative put forward.
“As we approach Results Day 2021 tomorrow, it is time to put those criticisms aside and to focus on paying tribute to the tremendous efforts made by Scotland’s young people in what has been a very difficult and challenging time for many.
“It’s also important to recognise the tireless professionalism and commitment of Scotland’s teachers, lecturers and support staff who have gone the extra mile to do their utmost for their learners, whom they know best.
“Following the cancellation of exams by the Deputy First Minister, the education sector came together last autumn to form the National Qualifications 2021 Group, which was tasked with developing and implementing an alternative.
“There was no ‘off the shelf’ solution but we quickly agreed that the ACM had to have evidence of learners’ learning and skills at its heart.
“And so provisional results, decided by teachers and lecturers using assessments completed by learners that followed the national standard set by SQA, were used to award this year’s National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher courses. Those provisional results are the same as the final results learners will receive tomorrow unless the SQA, in very exceptional circumstances, discovered an administrative error.
“As we all know, through this year there have been further restrictions and lockdowns and together with teachers, lecturers, learners, parents and carers, the ACM had to quickly adapt.
“Ways in which the model adapted include the in-built flexibility around when and how schools and colleges assessed learners so that they had the best chance to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
“A big congratulations to each and every learner getting their certificate. You have achieved so much.”
Open Letter to Young People
Introduction from Sandy Begbie, CEO Scottish Financial Enterprise, Chair of Young Person’s Guarantee Implementation Group, Chair of DYW:
We all know that this year has been a year like no other and understand that the impact on young people has been significant.
Research undertaken with young people by Young Scot reveals anxiety that this year’s qualifications and achievements will not be valued as highly by employers in comparison to previous years.
My many discussions with industry and employers resoundingly confirms the opposite. Instead my experience is widespread employer admiration for the fortitude and resilience young people have shown throughout all the challenges faced in the past year, and a solid commitment to create opportunities to help shape futures.
Official SQA results are due to be issued on 10 August. This is an opportune moment to communicate through an ‘open letter to young people’ that Scotland’s industry and employers stand in support of them, recognise their qualifications, and congratulate them on their achievements. The content of the open letter is attached and includes a number of signatories who represent a broad range of Scotland’s employers. We couldn’t include everyone, however I know there will be many more who stand ready to endorse it.
I therefore kindly ask for your support now, to get behind our campaign and help re-build youth confidence at this critical time.
An open letter to Scotland’s Young People
While you enjoy the summer and a well-deserved break from your studies we wanted to write to you in our role as Scotland’s business leaders and on behalf of our networks of thousands of Scottish employers.
As you receive your official SQA results, we want to reassure you that we recognise and value your qualifications as much as any other year. We congratulate you on everything you’ve overcome and achieved this year, and you have our support, whatever your needs and wherever your ambitions lie.
Over the past 18 months you’ve had to deal with a situation like no other and the flexibility, ingenuity and resilience you’ve shown gives us confidence in you as future employees.
We are committed to helping to create job opportunities for you so that you can have a positive future. We are also committed to ensuring that there are opportunities available for every young person and that you have help and support to develop further.
Many people in interesting job roles across Scotland may not have taken an obvious or traditional path. Look out for #NoWrongPath which will show you that, whatever your results, there are different routes into jobs.
There are lots of industries continuing to grow and new ones emerging which offer exciting opportunities. Employers need young people with fresh ideas and experience to get involved and work together with us to tackle big challenges, such as climate change. We will do all that we can to help you find ways to use your skills and talents in the workplace.
We all support the ambition of the Young Person’s Guarantee and its commitment that within two years, every young person aged between 16 and 24, will have the opportunity of a job, apprenticeship, further or higher education, training programme or volunteering. And we’ll keep speaking to young people across Scotland to understand how we can keep delivering on our commitment to you.
Wishing you the very best of luck with your next steps. Scotland’s employers stand ready to support you. This is our #CommitmentToYOUth.
Signed:
Sandy Begbie, CEO, Scottish Financial Enterprise Marc Crothall, CEO, Scottish Tourism Alliance Louise Macdonald, National Director Scotland, Institute of Directors Damien Yeates, CEO, Skills Development Scotland James Withers, CEO, Scotland Food and Drink Dr Liz Barron-Majerik, Director, LANTRA Lee Ann Panglea, Head of CIPD Scotland and Northern Ireland, CIPD Tracy Black, Director Scotland, CBI Anna Fowlie, CEO, SCVO Fiona Hodgson, CEO, SNIPEF Training Services David Lonsdale, Director, Scottish Retail Consortium Karen Betts, CEO, Scotch Whisky Association Martin Crewe, Director, Barnardo’s Susan Love, Head of External Affairs, The Federation of Small Businesses Liz Cameron, CEO, Scottish Chambers of Commerce Sara Thiam, CEO, Scottish Council for Development and Industry Paul Carberry, Director for Scotland, Action for Children Iain MacRitchie, Founder and Chair, MCR Pathways Anne Wexelstein, Director for Scotland, Career Ready Kate Still, Director Scotland, The Prince’s Trust Kirsten Urquhart, CEO, Young Scot Linda Hanna, Interim CEO, Scottish Enterprise Carroll Buxton, Interim CEO, Highlands and Islands Enterprise Jane Morrison-Ross, CEO, South of Scotland Enterprise
Wendy Robinson, Service Head of Childline, said: “At Childline we know that results day and the period running up to it can be a really challenging time.
“The impact of the pandemic has made this even more difficult – and young people have told our Childline counsellors they are understandably feeling anxious and stressed.
“The last year has been incredibly tough for young people with school closures, exam cancellations and changes to the assessment process – so it is vital that they are supported and listened to.
“Young people have told us they’re concerned that they may get lower grades than if they’d been able to sit their exams, or that their results are out of their control – whereas others are concerned that they won’t get the results they need for their future.
“Some also said they struggled to prepare and do the work they were being graded on due to having so much time out of school because of restrictions.
“If any young person is feeling apprehensive and worried about their results, I’d urge them to talk to someone about it.
“And if they don’t get the results they need, there are options they can take and there are trusted adults that they can turn to for help and support. This could be a teacher, careers advisor, parent, carer or Childline.
“Our counsellors are always here to talk to young people whether that be on the phone or online.
“The conversation will be completely confidential and no worry is ever too small. If it matters to a young person, it’s important to Childline.”
One 16 year old girl said: “It is exam season and I am missing three very important papers because I have COVID. I feel so trapped and alone in my room. I’m expected to study for exams as if the pandemic hasn’t happened.
“The exam board said they’d cancel exams yet they proceed to give the papers to schools to give to us to sit which I find so unfair. I have missed months of school, had to learn online, and now I have COVID right before exams. None of this is my fault and I don’t understand why my grades should suffer for something that is out of my control. (Girl, 16, Scotland)
Advice
For young peoplewho may not achieved the results they wanted:
Ask a teacher, careers advisor or any adult you trust what they think and discuss your options and how you are feeling.
Remind yourself of what you did well in whether that be specific pieces of coursework, or other parts of your life.
Don’t compare yourself to your friends.
If you do not feel your grade reflects your ability speak to your school about making an appeal. This doesn’t always mean you’ll get a better grade but it can help if you think things would have been different had you sat the exam.
Look at other courses or training programmes and apprenticeships that you can do.
If you haven’t got a place at your chosen university, try not to worry as there is a chance you could get a place at another university through the clearing process.
Take a gap year and do something different like volunteering.
Look at different courses that you can do with the grades you have achieved.
For parents and carers:
Your child may find it hard to talk to you about their results so be patient and supportive until they feel ready to talk about how they feel.
Encourage your child to take their time to think about what they want to do next. There’s no need to rush into a decision straightaway.
Help them think about their choices by writing down a list of pros and cons for each of their options
If they are finding it hard to talk to you, let them know they can contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice on 0800 1111 or www.childline.org.uk
Childline data for the UK
Between April and June this year Childline has delivered 1812 counselling sessions to young people who spoke about concerns relating to exams and exams being cancelled.
This has more than doubled when compared to the same period last year where 861 counselling sessions were delivered.
In 43% of these counselling sessions, a young person also spoke about their mental and emotional health.
985 sessions were delivered to girls (54%), 220 were delivered to boys and 607 of the sessions the gender of the child was either other or unknown (34%).
The EIS has congratulated Scotland’s senior students after a strong set of qualifications results were confirmed.
Commenting, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “Scotland’s young people have endured a particularly difficult period over the past year, with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic creating many challenges in all aspects of their lives including their education.
“The late decision to cancel the exam diet and to move to the Alternative Certification Model (ACM) inevitably created additional pressures on students, but it is clear that Scotland’s young people have performed exceptionally well in the most trying of circumstances and they can be extremely proud of all that they have achieved.”
Mr Flanagan continued, “The additional pressure and workload created by the late move to adopt the ACM, compounded by a three-month lock-down, placed a particularly heavy burden on teachers and lecturers, and they deserve sincere thanks for their absolute commitment to ensuring that young people could receive the grades that they deserved.”
Mr Flanagan added, “As we look ahead to the welcome replacement of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and a refresh of a qualifications system that still places too much emphasis on high-stakes end of year exams, there will be lessons to learn from this year’s experience.
“Today, however, is about recognising and celebrating the successes of Scotland’s young people.”
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House this afternoon:
Good afternoon, and thanks for joining us. I’ll start with the usual update on the most recent Covid-19 statistics for Scotland.
I can confirm that an additional 29 positive cases were confirmed yesterday. That represents 0.8% of the people who were newly tested yesterday, and it takes the total number of cases in Scotland to 19,027.
A full health board breakdown will be available later, but the provisional information I have is that 18 of the 29 cases are in the Grampian health board area.
It is not yet clear how many are connected to the ongoing outbreak in Aberdeen and I will say a little bit more about the situation there shortly.
A total of 267 patients are currently in hospital with confirmed Covid, that is six more than yesterday and three people are in intensive care and that is the same as yesterday.
I’m also very pleased to say that yet again in the past 24 hours, no deaths were registered of patients who tested positive over the previous 28 days and therefore the number of deaths under that measurement remains 2,491. Obviously though the total number of deaths still reminds us every single day of the dreadful impact of Covid and my condolences again go to everyone who has suffered loss.
And as always, I want to thank everyone who is working hard to help our country through this pandemic.
I have two things I want to update on today. The first is the current situation in Aberdeen and then I want to say a bit about the reopening of schools from tomorrow.
I’ve just mentioned that in the last 24 hours, 18 new cases were confirmed in the Grampian Health Board area.
That means that in the 15 days since 26th of July, a total of 231 cases in Grampian have been identified.
We understand that 157 of those are linked in some way to the Aberdeen cluster.
And a total of 852 contacts have now been identified from those 157 cases.
Now it’s important to stress that those 852 contacts might not equate exactly to 852 people – there is likely to be some overlap between different cases.
But that figure helps to give some idea, I think, of the scale of the tracing exercise which is underway in Aberdeen.
The majority of those contacts have already been traced, and tracing procedures are in place for the others. And that in itself shows how hard and well our Test and Protect teams are working – even in relation to a large and complex cluster.
In addition, I hope that the measures that we put in place in Aberdeen last week will help to slow and then stop transmission before it becomes widespread within the community.
And the advice we have put in place about not travelling to or from Aberdeen – unless absolutely essential – should reduce the risk of cases spreading from Aberdeen to other parts of Scotland.
That said we do expect the number of cases and contacts in the Aberdeen cluster to rise further in the days ahead. But I want to take the opportunity again to thank all those working hard locally to seek to contain this cluster as quickly and as effectively as possible.
More generally, the events of the past fortnight have been a reminder of how fragile Scotland’s overall position is and that is the same in countries across the world.
We have seen and we are still seeing, thankfully, low rates of transmission in most parts of the country.
But we have also seen in Aberdeen how quickly that can change, it can literally change in an instant. And it will change, if we drop our guard.
So, for that reason, whenever you are out and about, please continue to think about your own actions, not just in Aberdeen but wherever you happen to be in the country.
Let me remind you that no more than three households should be meeting together indoors at any one time – in each other’s homes, and in places like bars and restaurants. It is important to recognize that household limit applies in places like bars and restaurants just as it does in your own home.
And people from different households should be staying physically distant from each other at all times. And again that is something we advise strongly if you are in a bar, just as we do if you are meeting other households in your own house.
And each of us should be thinking about our recent behaviour. All of us asking ourselves have we been a bit more relaxed about things like physical distancing when we’ve been meeting up with friends recently?
Are we creating more bridges that allow this virus to spread, to travel from us to another household, or from another household to us?
Because if we are doing that, and I think it is inevitable that many of us will have dropped our guard that little bit, then now is the time to recognise that and try to rectify it, because the fact is we all still need to be really careful right now. And Aberdeen is very hard proof of that fact.
Nobody’s life, while our lives have regained a bit of normality in recent weeks, nobody’s life should be feeling absolutely normal at the moment. Covid is still present, and we know it is still highly infectious.
So all of us have a big role to play in trying to keep it under control. And one reason why that is so important, why suppressing and hopefully eliminating the virus is so important, is that it is the best way of ensuring that schools can reopen, and then stay open, safely. That has to be a priority for all of us, and it is very much a priority for Government.
Earlier this morning I visited West Calder High School in West Lothian, to see for myself the preparations that they are making for reopening this week.
Like many schools across the country, they are having a phased return.
Tomorrow is an in-service day for staff.
Wednesday is for students in secondary school years 1 to 3. And Thursday is for students in year 1, and years 4 to 6.
And then from Friday, all students will be in the school full-time.
I think it is worth saying that for students and staff, school will feel different to how it was before.
There will, for example, be a lot more handwashing.
Some schools will have staggered starts and lunchbreaks – at West Calder for example, school lunches have to be ordered on an app in the morning and collected at lunchtime.
And for staff, while young people are not required to keep two metres apart within schools, teachers and other adult staff do need to keep that distance.
Now, I know that there will be nerves and anxiety for children, parents and teachers this week and I think that is entirely understandable.
Hopefully induction days that I know are happening in many schools will help young people to get used to the changes, and to being around each other again.
But fundamentally all of us know that the reopening of schools is essential for children’s education, personal development and indeed I think for their general wellbeing and happiness.
So what we are doing, is trying to ensure that the reopening is safe and effective.
I was really impressed and reassured this morning by what I saw of the preparations at West Calder, and I know those preparations are being repeated in schools right across the country, and I am very grateful to everyone – teachers, teaching assistants, local authority workers and all school staff – who are enabling schools to safely reopen.
There are three other quick points I just want to make in relation to schools.
The first is that although schools can reopen from tomorrow, this reopening does not yet apply to unregulated indoor activities for school children – for example some indoor play or activity clubs, and some faith-related education such as Sunday schools and madrassahs. They should not start again until agreed guidance is in place.
The second point is about travel. We know that the reopening of schools will put extra pressure on public transport and on our road network.
So Transport Scotland is today launching a Travel Safe campaign. It asks commuters to help the transport system by only travelling if you need to, and by working at home when you can.
But if you do need to travel, please walk, cycle or wheel to work whenever that is possible.
And if you need to use public transport or if you need to drive, which will be the case for some people, think about whether you could make your journey outside of the peak times.
The continued need for physical distancing on public transport, as schools reopen and as more business activities resume, will put more pressure on transport services. So the Travel Safe campaign is intended to help you think about ways in which you can help with that.
The final point I want to cover today is for those pupils, and indeed parents of pupils, who received their SQA results last week.
John Swinney will make a statement in parliament tomorrow about the steps we intend to take to address concerns about this year’s results.
And at the heart of that, we will be taking steps to ensure that every young person gets a grade that recognises the work they have done.
Let me be clear about this – in a very difficult and unprecedented situation, we took decisions that we thought, on balance, were the right ones, and we took them with the very best of intentions. These were broadly the same decisions that have been reached for England and Wales as well.
But our concern – which was to make sure that the grades young people got, were as valid as those they would have got in any other year – perhaps led us to think too much about the overall system and not enough about the individual pupil.
And that has meant that too many students feel that they have lost out on grades they should have had – and also that has happened as a result, not of anything they’ve done, but because of a statistical model or an algorithm. In addition, that burden has not fallen equally across our society.
So despite our best intentions, I do acknowledge that we did not get this right and I am sorry for that. But instead of doing what politicians sometimes do and dig our heels in, we are determined to acknowledge that and to put it right.
There are, of course, deeper questions that we will need to resolve for the longer term – about the impact of exams on the attainment gap, and on the difference between exams and teacher judgment.
But the most immediate challenge is to resolve the grades awarded to pupils this year.
As I have said we will set out our approach tomorrow to the Scottish Parliament, but let me be clear that we will not expect every student who has been downgraded to appeal.
This situation is not the fault of students, and so it should not be on students to fix it. That is on us, and we will set out tomorrow exactly how we intend to do that.
.@NicolaSturgeon says she still has confidence in her Education Secretary John Swinney.
FM also reiterates her commitment to address the issue of the exam results.
These are the two main issues I wanted to cover today.
Obviously we will talk a lot more about both of these issues, and no doubt others, as the week progresses.
Before I hand over, first to the Health Secretary and then to the Chief Medical Officer, let me just close by reminding everybody again of FACTS – the five rules that we all must follow to stay as safe as possible.
Face coverings in enclosed spaces
Avoid crowded places.
Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly.
Two metre distancing remains the overall rule.
and self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms.
If we all comply with these five golden rules, then we will collectively reduce the risk of this virus spreading.
So I encourage everybody to do that and to do that rigorously because it is in the interest of all of us, individually, in the interest of our families, but also in the interests of the country as a whole.
School pupils across Scotland are receiving their results this morning. Around 138,000 students will find out their grades in Nationals, Highers and Advanced Higher courses.
This year’s results are based on estimates from their teachers after the Covid-19 pandemic forced exams to be cancelled for the first time in history.
Students who signed up for text or email alerts will receive their grades from 8am onwards, while certificates will arrive in the post over the course of today.
Today 138,000 learners have received their SQA results.
Education Secretary @JohnSwinney congratulates all learners on their achievements.
The @skillsdevscot helpline is open from 8am, advice is available on 0808 100 8000.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney has congratulated all learners who have today received their results.
With exams cancelled for the first time ever due to Coronavirus, young people are receiving qualifications based on a combination of teacher judgment and national moderation by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), which show that:
the National 5 pass rate was 81.1%
the Higher pass rate was 78.9%
the Advanced Higher pass rate was 84.9%
In 2019:
the National 5 pass rate was 78.2%
the Higher pass rate was 74.8%
the Advanced Higher pass rate was 79.4%
Deputy First Minister John Swinney met senior pupils at Stonelaw High School in South Lanarkshire to discuss their results and how they dealt with the challenge of learning during lockdown. He also took part in a video call on digital learning platform e-Sgoil with pupils from around Scotland to congratulate them on their results.
Mr Swinney said: “In the face of an incredibly tough few months for pupils and teachers, we can today celebrate the achievements of all learners. Young people have received awards that recognise their hard work and allow them to move onto the next stage in their lives.
“Scottish exams have never before been cancelled. I am immensely grateful to all teachers and lecturers who worked incredibly hard to assess achievement this year, and to the SQA for developing the certification model – without either, young people could not have received qualifications.
“There was a rise in pass rates at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher. While comparisons with previous years need to be considered carefully, given the disruption to learning this year this is a good set of results for our learners. I am pleased to see the number of skills based awards, that teach vital knowledge and experience valued by employers, rise by 18% to 64,221.
“This year’s results also show there has been a narrowing of the attainment gap at grades A-C between the most and least disadvantaged young people, which is now narrower this year for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher than last year, or indeed the average for the last four years.
“All exam systems rely on an essential process known as moderation to uphold standards. This ensures an A grade is the same in every part of the country, making the system fair for everyone, and across all years. As the national exams body, only the SQA can maintain the consistency and the integrity of our qualifications. This year, by necessity, the moderation model is different and has been subject to additional scrutiny.
“Teachers and lecturers applied their judgements against national standards and today’s data shows that three out of every four grade estimates were not adjusted by the SQA.
“133,000 entries were adjusted from the initial estimate, around a quarter of all entries. 6.9% of those estimates were adjusted up and 93.1% were adjusted down, with 96% of all adjusted grades changed by one grade.
“Without moderation, pass rates at grades A-C compared to last year would have increased by 10.4 percentage points for National 5, by 14 percentage points for Higher and by 13.4 percentage points for Advanced Higher – annual change never been seen in Scottish exam results. I know teachers and lecturers will always want the best for their pupils but I believe that teachers have acted professionally.
“I know that learners who did not achieve what they were expecting will be disappointed, however the SQA will be operating a free appeals process this year. The appeals process is an integral part of awarding this year, and will play an important role in giving schools and colleges the opportunity to present evidence in support of teacher and lecturer estimates.
“The SQA has ensured that sufficient resources are in place to support this process and priority will be given to learners who need their grades to meet a conditional university or college offer.
“This year has been exceptionally challenging but these robust processes mean we have upheld standards so that all learners can hold their heads up and move onto the next phase in their life, whether that be further study, employment or training.“
Detailed information on attainment statistics, and the SQA’s full awarding methodology, Equality Impact Assessment and Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment, is available from the Scottish Qualifications Authority
Over 8,000 pupils across Edinburgh received their results from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).
This year there were no examinations due to the Covid-19 pandemic so schools were asked to submit estimated grades based on inferred attainment. The SQA then worked with the estimates and final grades were awarded.
Early indications are positive with pupils from City of Edinburgh Council schools once again making improvements in most areas compared to 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 Higher – an increase of 2 and 3 percentage points respectively from last 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 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.”
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.”
Additional information – analysis:
Results by end of S4
5 passes at National 5 or better – 47% (4 percentage points up on 2019, 8 percentage points up on 2015).
Results by end of S5*
1+ pass at Higher or better – 61% (2 percentage points up on 2019).
3+ passes Higher or better – 40% (2 percentage points up on 2019, 5 percentage points up on 2015)
5+ passes at Higher or better – 21% (1 percentage points up on 2019, 4 percentage points up on 2015)
*based on the percentage of S4 pupil roll.
Results by end of S6*
1+ pass at Higher or better – 67% (1 percentage point up on 2019, 4 percentage points up on 2015).
3+ passes Higher or better – 47% (2 percentage points down on 2019 – the first drop in six years)
5+ passes at Higher or better – 35% (1 percentage point down on 2019 – the first drop in six years)
1+ pass at Advanced Higher – 28% (1 percentage point up on 2019, 6 percentage points up on 2015).
It should be noted that the performance of this cohort locally and nationally showed a drop when in S4 (due to new examinations introduced for National 5), and in S5 (when new Higher examinations were introduced). It is therefore not unexpected to see a slight drop in two measures for the same cohort in S6.
*based on the percentage of S4 pupil roll.
Shaun Friel, head of Childline, said: “We know that for many young people, receiving exam results can be an extremely stressful experience with the pressure to get certain grades to secure college or university places.
“And, this year, some may be feeling the added strains of lockdown and the disappointment of not being able to do their best through sitting exams.
“So that young people do not feel overwhelmed as they receive their SQA results, it is so important they have someone there to listen to how they are feeling and to discuss their options, such as a friend, a parent, a teacher or even Childline.”
Children and young people can contact Childline about any worries by calling 0800 1111 or visiting the site. They can get advice from Childline about exam results here.
Entries and pass rates for National 5 have increased and Higher results in Science have improved according to annual SQA results.
In a set of results that reflect the continued high standards of the Scottish qualification system, the pass rate for National 5 increased by 0.7 percentage points to 78.2% and the pass rate at Higher decreased 2.0 percentage points to 74.8%. Continue reading John Swinney: “These are a strong set of results”
The nervous wait is finally over today (Tuesday 7 August) as 8,000 pupils across Edinburgh receive their exam results. Early indications are very positive with candidates from City of Edinburgh Council schools once again making improvements on their performances in most areas from last year.Continue reading Exam success for city pupils
Help is at hand from Scotland’s national careers service
#ExamResults day can bring mixed feelings – if you or anyone you know would like some help or advice after receiving results the @skillsdevscot and @mywowscotland helpline is open from the 7th August!
A free helpline offering advice, information and support for young people receiving exam results opens this morning. Skills Development Scotland’s (SDS) exam results helpline will be available from exam results day until August 15 and is open to all young people and their families seeking careers advice.
