Edinburgh’s pupils continue to be among the best performing in Scotland
Results from the SQA Insight report shows Edinburgh’s learners are performing better than their virtual comparators in 14 out of 15 key measures, with 7% more pupils gaining at least one Advanced Higher than in other areas in Scotland.
Edinburgh learners are also out-performing their virtual comparators in Literacy and Numeracy for all stages and levels.
A virtual comparator is a sample of students from other areas of Scotland who have similar characteristics to a school’s students.
The news builds on the SQA exam results in August showing levels of attainment for pupils across Edinburgh remaining above those achieved before the Covid pandemic.
Insight provides teachers and lecturers with a summary of how learners have performed in their exams and coursework for each subject at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level over the past year.
Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This has been another positive year for our pupils. I want to congratulate them, as well as all our teaching and support staff. Their hard work has certainly paid off and praise should go to them as well as all the parents and carers who have supported the children.
“I welcome the results from the SQA Insights report. We have invested heavily in improving the skills of our workforce and I am confident that our staff will continue to improve the quality of teaching and learning to meet the needs of the city’s young people.
“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.
“We want all our learners to find their pathways into the world of higher and further education, employment or training and to narrow the gap between those living in different areas of affluence.”
Course reports – written by principal assessors and principal verifiers – are published to give an insight into how learners performed, detailing which areas of the course assessment where learners performed well, and which areas proved to be more demanding.
Principal assessors and other senior appointees are experienced teachers and lecturers who work with SQA to produce the course reports and highlight examples where candidates have performed well in their external assessments.
The reports also contain advice for teachers, lecturers, and training practitioners on preparing learners for the coming year’s assessments, as well as statistical data relating to grade boundaries.
Top tips for helping children set off on two wheels
Teaching a child to ride a bike can be daunting and frustrating for all concerned, but Balanceability is helping parents and carers get their little ones moving on two wheels, in support of Cycle to School Week, 23 – 27 September.
By downloading Balanceability’s Parent Guide and following its top tips for learning to ride two-wheels, stress can be replaced with fun and children can set off to school or nursery with confidence.
A recent survey of bike-riders* by Balanceability revealed that most people learnt to cycle with help from their dad (55%), while 13% were self-taught, 11% taught by their mum and just 2% of cyclists learnt to ride at school. One in five cyclists surveyed said they learnt to ride a bike before school age, with the majority (61%) confirming they learnt to ride when they were primary school age.
Balanceability offers a sustainable programme for schools to promote the physical benefits of cycling for children as young as 2½ years old, as well as providing a fun and engaging activity, but it believes that parents and carers can also play an important role in getting children cycling.
Samantha Wright, Commercial Manager for Balanceability, part of the TTC Group a pioneer on road safety education advises: “We recommend taking the first step to cycling on a balance bike, as it helps children learn and gain confidence on a bike more quickly.
“Whilst using stabilisers does work, children can become reliant preventing them from developing balance skills. Once stabilisers are taken off the child needs to learn how to balance and steer all over again which can also affect their confidence on a bike.
“On a balance bike, children learn to balance naturally, more quickly than when reliant on stabilisers, setting them up for a smooth and easy transition to pedal bikes when they’re older.
“Cycling is fun, it’s good exercise and when children cycle to school and nursery instead of being driven it reduces air pollution and brings environmental benefit.
“By following our tips, it will help children transition from a balance bike to a pedal bike successfully.”
The Department of Transport’s Bikeability Level 1 is for children 6+ years, with other Government cycle programmes aimed at children 10-11-years-old, so Balanceability fits as the precursor.
The UK’s only afPE-approved learn-to-cycle programme, Balanceability offers packages for schools, local authorities and leisure sites for children aged 2½ years and upwards.
The programme teaches children how to ride without stabilisers, giving them important gross motor skills, core stability and plenty of fun through physical activity.
Balanceability Top Tips for helping children set off on two wheels
Get to know the bike – Simply sitting on the stationary bike is an important first step for young children, getting them comfortable with the bike and giving them the all-importance confidence to get started on their cycling adventure.
Pick your path – A smooth, relatively flat traffic free space is perfect for practicing on a balance bike – Avoid steep slopes when they are starting out.
Utilise all opportunities – If you are going for a short walk, you could let your child bring their bike along with you on the path. Most balance bikes are small and light enough to carry if they run out of cycling steam before you get back home.
Boost balance – Learning to balance doesn’t all have to involve the balance bike. When you’re out and about in a safe environment such as a playground, encourage your child to jump, hop, climb, balance safely on low objects and walk along narrow lines like a tightrope.
Take it slow – Trying to rush or push a child learning to balance on their new bike will only end in tears – not necessarily the child’s. Pressure will cause frustration and slow their progress.
Be child-led – Let your child set the pace. They may need to walk while standing over the bike for a while before they are able to sit and walk, this is an important stage of learning to ride so don’t rush them to sit.
Praise progress – Help to boost their confidence by praising their efforts and any progress – however small, and even if you’re finding it a frustratingly slow process!
Know when to move on – Once your child is confidently zooming around obstacles and lifting their feet off the ground while they go, it may be time to try learning to pedal. You will need to ensure the new bike is the right size and the seat is set to the correct height, or it will be too difficult and knock the new cyclist’s confidence.
Ask the pros – Many schools and Early Years settings run Balanceability balance bike training courses for children as young as 2 ½, even providing the bikes on which they learn. Children enjoy learning with their teacher and their friends and pick up the skills quickly.
Schools can purchase a Balanceability Pack which includes all the equipment, resources and training required to deliver the sessions as a sustainable programme. Balanceability can be run by teachers indoors or outdoors as part of the weekly regular PE activity and has been developed to fit into school lesson planning.
The programme offers children the ability to become competent cyclists at an early age through the development of balance and control, with 94% of children aged 4 to years 6 years old able to safely ride a pedal bike at the end of the programme.
One of Edinburgh’s top independent schools, Merchiston Castle School, is opening its 196-year-old gates to welcome prospective families for an Open Morning on Saturday 28 September.
An opportunity to explore the stunning 100-acre campus and see first-hand Merchiston’s premium facilities, families are invited to discover the top-tier educational experience offered at Scotland’s leading independent school for boys.
Visitors will have the chance to speak to the dedicated teaching staff, hear from the Head Teacher, Jonathan Anderson, and chat with both existing parents and students about their personal experiences of the school.
Pupil-led tours will run throughout the day, offering interested families the chance to view boarding houses, communal spaces, and subject classrooms.
For those inspired by recent sporting performances, a visit to the school’s world-class sporting facilities is on the cards – including the pioneering Tennis Academy in which Wimbledon competitor Jacob Fearnley first cut his teeth.
Interactive sessions for both tennis and golf will take place, offering a chance to meet the respective academy Directors, and get a sense of how Merchiston encourages sporting ambitions alongside a top-tier academic education.
Jonathan Anderson, Headmaster of Merchiston, said:“I look forward to welcoming families and sharing how Merchiston delivers an exceptional school experience for boys.
“We understand how important it is for families to choose the right school for their child, which is why we aim to provide comprehensive Open Events so that parents and sons can truly get to know our school culture and community.”
Merchiston’s Open Morning will run from 10:00am – 12:30pm on Saturday 28 September. Interested families can register for a place here.
Merchiston’s new Forest Nursery and Junior School will also be holding an Open Morning on 28 September from 9:30am – 11:30am.
Here families can discover more about the innovative approach the Forest at Merchiston takes to educating children ages 3 to 7.
ASH Scotland is encouraging secondary school teachers in Edinburgh to use a new resource pack as part of cross-curricular learning to inspire young people to make confident, informed decisions to protect their long-term health by not taking up smoking or vaping.
The Tobacco-free Schools pack, which features 28 engaging activities that can be used in group lessons, is being launched by the charity at a time when the major public health issues of youth smoking and, increasingly, vaping are causing great concern for teachers and other school staff working with children.
The pack provides up-to-date facts and statistics covering a range of topics such as ‘Understanding addiction’, ‘Smoking and mental health’, ‘Are e-cigarettes safe?’, ‘Being confidently nicotine-free’ and ‘Cigarette butts and e-cigarette waste’ to support the delivery of personal and social education classes or for classwork across various subjects.
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive for ASH Scotland, said: “With concerned teachers across Scotland regularly contacting us for information and advice about tobacco and vapes, it is important that those working with young people in Edinburgh can access robust, evidence-based tailored resources to engage and empower youngsters to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.
“We are pleased to launch our new Tobacco-free Schools resource pack which is specially designed to be an effective learning aid to enable teachers to facilitate classwork to help equip pupils to increase their knowledge about the risks associated with both smoking and vaping.
“The pack’s interactive resources offer opportunities for teachers to promote a smoke and vape-free culture on school campuses through building the confidence of students to prevent peer pressure from steering them in a harmful direction and, instead, make positive choices to protect their physical and mental health by not smoking or vaping.”
The platform, which provides a safe place to find advice, local support, tips, and tools to help maintain positive wellbeing, was launched at Bonaly Primary School this week (Wednesday 21 August).
The online space features a series of short films where children and young people from Edinburgh schools discuss why it’s important to talk about feelings and share their tips for emotional wellbeing.
There is also advice on apps, information on local supports and signposting to other websites that provide other sources of helpful advice and resources which include helplines and chat-based support.
It follows research which shows that understanding our emotions and learning coping mechanisms can help prevent more serious health problems later in life.
Education, Children and Families Convener Joan Griffiths said: “The wellbeing of our children and young people is at the heart of everything we do, and we understand they’ll face challenges which might cause them to struggle with their feelings and emotions.
“The launch of this new online platform marks a positive step forward in providing them with the tools and resources they need to take care of their mental health and wellbeing.
“Whether they’re seeking advice, finding support or want to connect with others, the platform is designed to be a go-to digital space. I’m confident it will make a real difference to the lives of Edinburgh’s children and young people.”
Gillian Barclay, Depute Principal Psychologist, said: “It’s normal to feel anxious, angry, sad, or frustrated some of the time, but recognising that we are struggling with feelings or emotions is really important. The new platform aims to support children, young people, and the adults around them to maintain positive wellbeing.
“I hope children, young people and their families in Edinburgh will find it helpful. We’ll continue adding information, support and resources and welcome feedback, particularly from young people and families, to help us do this.”
New guidance to empower schools to take action on mobile phone use and next steps in ongoing work to improve relationships and behaviour in schools has been published.
The ‘Behaviour and Relationships in Schools’ action plan, and targeted guidance for teachers to manage mobile phone use in schools, set out steps to be deployed at the national, local and school level over the next three years in response to concerns about relationships and behaviour in schools, including:
supporting the effective recording and monitoring of inappropriate behaviour
encouraging schools to reinforce a positive ethos and culture
providing guidance and support to ensure schools can embed relationships and behaviour policies which set clear expectations of relationships and behaviour
The new guidance on mobile phone use makes clear that while it is for individual schools to determine what action to take, head teachers are empowered to take the steps they see fit, including a full ban on mobile phone use in school if that is their judgement.
Aside from impacting behaviour, a growing body of evidence shows mobile phone use also impacts on learning. The Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 data showed that almost a third of 15-year-olds in Scotland and across all Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries reported being distracted using digital devices in most or every maths class – and around a quarter reported being distracted by others using digital devices.
During a visit to Stonelaw High School in Rutherglen, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “Since the last action plan on relationships and behaviour in Scotland’s schools was published in 2017, our children and young people have experienced periods of significant challenge, including a global pandemic and a cost-of-living crisis which is causing real difficulty for families across the country. There is no doubt this has had a major impact on their schooling and how they learn.
“Improving relationships, behaviour and attendance in schools is one of my top priorities as Education Secretary. We have been working jointly on this with key partners such as COSLA and SAGRABIS since I was appointed and this new action plan contains a series of steps to be taken which will ensure that both pupils and staff are safe and supported.
“It takes an evidence-based approach to responding to the relationships and behaviour challenges faced in our schools and has been informed by the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research (BISSR), which heard from nearly 4,000 teachers and support staff, as well as discussions with a wide range of stakeholders including teaching unions at the three behaviour summits.
“While it is clear that the vast majority of pupils in our schools continue to behave well, there are undoubtedly growing behavioural issues associated with mobile phones.
“This new guidance empowers head teachers to take the steps they see fit for their school to limit the use of mobile phones, including a full ban on the school estate if they feel that is required and I would encourage teachers to take all the steps they feel necessary to combat these issues.”
COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People Tony Buchanan said: “Ensuring children and young people feel supported, safe and ready to learn is of vital importance to Local Government, and we need to make sure schools are safe and welcoming places for all.
“We have worked closely with the Scottish Government and our partners across education system to develop the action plan and guidance published today.
“We will continue to work in partnership to enable the provision of the best possible support, in and out of school, so that children and young people to get the most out of their learning.”
Acting Stonelaw High School Headteacher Vicki Rice said: “We were delighted to welcome the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to our school. The Cabinet Secretary took part in discussion groups with our staff and pupils who were given a valuable opportunity to talk with her about these important issues as part of their work and study on personal and social education.
“We discussed our work earlier this year with our parents and pupils about excessive phone use and the impact that this can have on learning. This work helped inform our plans for this session to protect the learning environment by limiting phone use in certain areas of the school.
“We will continue to work with our pupils and their families to ensure that this remains supported.
“This fits with our wider efforts to create positive relationships and behaviour right across our school. We know that getting this right for our learners means that they feel safer, more included, respected and supported.
“This in turn helps create strong relationships between our learners and staff and helps improve everyone’s wellbeing.”
Commenting on the publication of the National Action Plan on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools and mobile phone guidance by the Scottish Government, Mike Corbett, National Official Scotland for NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said:“While NASUWT is frustrated with the length of time taken to produce this National Action Plan, we have nevertheless engaged in good faith with the Scottish Government, shared our members’ current experiences on managing pupil behaviour and advocated strongly around how they might be addressed.
“We are encouraged by the recognition that a range of approaches and consequences are required given that restorative approaches to poor behaviour do not work for all pupils and cannot be the only tool available to schools when responding to incidents of abuse and violence.
“We need to see better recording and monitoring of behaviour incidents in schools as an essential part of ensuring consistency and measuring progress and improvements over time.
“We very much welcome that the principle of serious consequences for serious misbehaviour, up to and including exclusion, where necessary, has been accepted.
“The Scottish Government must make it clear that serious misbehaviour will carry serious consequences if any plan is to secure a safe and orderly environment for teachers and students.
“Given the recent riots in other parts of the UK, the acknowledgement that more work is needed to support schools in addressing racism and racist incidents, along with other forms of discrimination such as misogyny, is welcome.
“We know that mobile phones can be used as a tool to bully and harass fellow pupils and teachers, as well as distracting pupils from their learning. We therefore welcome the guidance from the Scottish Government that school leaders can take steps to limit or ban the use of phones in their schools if they see fit. However, to be effective, addressing the use of mobile phones should form part of joined up whole-school strategies on managing pupil behaviour.
“While we are pleased to see that the Action Plan intends that schools will be offered support to adopt the recommendations within it, including suggested approaches and exemplars, it is disappointing that the Scottish Government has not as yet committed any additional funding, time or resources to schools to support this work.
“Teachers and school leaders are already dealing with excessive workloads and constrained budgets. Implementing the recommendations of this action plan is too important a task to be simply added to schools’ already lengthy to do lists. Ring-fenced time and funding is needed.”
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has congratulated students across Scotland as they receive their Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) exam results.
Around 145,000 students – the highest since 2015 – have achieved a wide range of qualifications including National 5, Highers, Advanced Highers and SQA Awards.
With this year marking the return of full coursework assessment following the disruption during the pandemic, the data published by the SQA shows the pass rates for Advanced Highers are 75.3%, Highers are 74.9% and 77.2% at National 5 level.
A record 90,045 vocational and technical qualifications have been awarded this year, an increase of almost 25% on 2024, reflecting the wide range of opportunities available to students.
The data also shows the poverty-related attainment gap at National 5 and Higher has returned to levels broadly similar to 2019 – the last year of pre-pandemic results.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “Congratulations to all of Scotland’s young people receiving their results for this year.
“Their resilience is remarkable, and their achievements all the more impressive given the significant disruption to learning due to the pandemic at the end of primary school and start of the secondary school journey. Today is a chance to celebrate the full breadth of achievements attained by Scotland’s young people.
“I also want to give my thanks to the teachers, lecturers and staff in our schools and colleges – and, importantly, Scotland’s parents and carers – for supporting each individual young person.
“Among those achievements, I’m really heartened to see a record high 90,045 vocational or technical qualifications have been awarded this year, up almost a quarter on 2023’s results.
“Young people now have a much wider range of choice than ever before, allowing them to find the route into employment or further education that is right for them and we know that the poverty related gap has reduced by 60% since 2009 for young people leaving school and going on to a positive destination, such as work, training or further study.
“Of course Scotland is not unique – and like countries the world over, our education system is still in recovery from the pandemic. Undoubtedly, that has contributed to some of the variability we have seen in results this year, particularly with the full return to qualifications requirements for the first time since the pandemic.
“I am determined to work with our teachers, school staff and local authorities to drive further improvements in our schools.
“The curriculum improvement cycle is already underway, with mathematics and numeracy being prioritised first, which is being led by the recently appointed new national specialist in Mathematics.
“In the coming weeks, I will publish the Behaviour Action Plan, set out new action to improve attendance and confirm the Scottish Government’s next steps on qualifications reform early in the new parliamentary term.
“I am also conscious that there is a wide degree of variation in results between our 32 local authorities. To that end, I will be meeting with all local authority Directors of Education, the Chief Examiner and the interim Chief Inspector to consider the context of these results and how the Scottish Government can work with our councils to drive the improvements we all want to see.”
Levels of attainment for pupils across Edinburgh remain above those achieved before the Covid pandemic according to exam results released today.
Around 12,390 pupils in the Capital have received their results from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). This is the first year since 2019 where there are no adjustments to course and assessment requirements. Different assessment models were used in 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of the pandemic.
A total of 44,003 resulted awards were certificated for 12,392 candidates (including special school, adult and mainstream secondary pupils) in over 92 subjects ranging from Accounting to Urdu.
The performance of pupils across Edinburgh was maintained or improved in most measures for National 5 and Higher courses when compared to both 2023 and 2019 performance.
The gap in performance between the least advantaged and the most advantaged pupils has decreased in almost all measures when compared with 2023 and 2019 data.
The number of passes in National Progression Awards have increased by 17%. By broadening the range of learning pathways for young people more personalised opportunities for achievement are being created.
Sanjay Nair (16) who is going into sixth year at Liberton High School said: “I had the vision of going to university since I was quite young and towards the end of this year I decided to stay on for sixth year.
“I’ll go to university next year to make sure I’m ready to go on to study further. I’ve enjoyed Computing Science for a while and I like programming. My Dad does it at home and so I’m delighted that I’ve got the A and Bs at higher I need to make my parents proud and do what I’ve always wanted to do.”
Paige Quin (15) who has just left Liberton High school to go to college to study Childcare said: “Over the last couple of years I’ve done courses in hairdressing and beauty at Granton College and I studied childcare in school.
“I’m excited now to be moving on to college and my goal is to become a foster carer as I think it is really important that all children have the right to a loving and caring environment. I’m really pleased that I got the grades I needed today to do that.
Jenna Braban (17) who has just left Liberton High School to go to Cambridge to study Veterinary Medicine said: “I’ve always wanted to be a vet and I started considering Cambridge as a possibility at the end of fifth year. Going to a summer school made my mind up.
“I’ve had to study so hard to achieve the As I got at advanced higher. I did a lot of interviews and my teachers were a great support during that time. I’m ecstatic about my results and I can’t wait to start my studies at Cambridge after the summer.
Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “I would like to thank all of our school staff who have worked incredibly hard to ensure that our young people were able to perform so well in their coursework and examinations.
“I want to recognise the invaluable support given by parents and carers and most of all I would like to take this opportunity to praise the efforts of our young people.
“Every learner’s journey and achievements are unique to them, we have the ambition that all young people are able to fulfil their potential, reach the highest levels of achievement through the provision of the best possible educational experiences.
“I am particularly pleased that our schools are using a wide range of vocational qualifications, providing pathways for all into positive destinations.”
Additional results analysis
Results by end of S4
5 passes at National 5 or better – 47% (1pp down on 2023).
Results by end of S5
1+ pass at Higher or better – 61% (1 pp up on 2023 and 4 pp up on 2019)
3+ passes Higher or better – 42% (1 pp down on 2023 but 4 pp up on 2019)
5+ passes at Higher or better – 24% (same as 2023 and 4pp up on 2019)
Results by end of S6
1+ pass at Higher or better – 70% (1pp up on 2023 but 4 pp up on 2019)
3+ passes Higher or better – 52% (1pp up on 2023 but 3 pp up on 2019)
5+ passes at Higher or better – 39% (1pp up on 2023 but 3 pp up on 2019)
1+ pass at Advanced Higher – 32% (1pp up on 2023 but 5 pp up on 2019)
Anyone who did not receive the results they had hoped for, or who is just unsure about their next steps, should get in touch with the SDS exam helpline for access to expert careers advice.
On Saturday 6th July, the worldwide International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) results were released, bringing excellent news for the members of the Fettes College Upper Sixth Form who have been following the IB pathway for the past two years.
The school is incredibly proud of the achievements of this talented group of students who scored an impressive average score of 38 points – the best results at Fettes College since 2018. This is compared to a global average of 30 points.
Almost a third of all Fettes candidates gained 40 points or more, with 56% gaining or exceeding a score of 38 points. Four of our students deserve a special mention – two achieving 43 points, one achieving an outstanding 44 points and another, taking the diploma over three years, scoring an exceptional (maximum) 45 points.
The Fettes College IB class of 2024 leave Fettes for distinguished universities across the world such as British Columbia, Harvard, Amsterdam, as well as Oxford (English), Cambridge (Classics), LSE, Edinburgh and St Andrews.
Jonathan Marchant, Deputy Head (Academic) said: “The IB continues to flourish at Fettes. I could not be prouder of the achievements of the IB class of 2024.
“They have shown impressive industry, curiosity and creativity and can now enjoy the fruits of their labour.”
The Head, Helen Harrison, said “Our IB results are testament to a great deal of hard work from our students and superb support from our dedicated staff who maximise the opportunities for students to learn.
“Our IB students are ready for the next exciting stage in their lives, and we wish them well as they head out to make their mark on the world.”
Fettes College offers both the International Baccalaureate and A Level pathways in the Sixth Form, with the A Level results released in August.
For the first time in its 154-year history, children aged five will be able to join Fettes College in Edinburgh.
From September 2025, it will be opening a ‘pre-prep’ within its existing prep school, allowing children to join straight from nursery rather than waiting until they are seven.
Parents are being invited to register their interest ahead of an announcement on the full details at the school’s next open day in October.
Charlie Minogue, Headmaster of Fettes Prep, said: “From speaking with families we’re confident that this change is going to be popular. As well as their younger children being able to benefit from a Fettes education, they will also be able to take advantage of flexible wraparound care.
“At present this is available to all day pupils in the Prep School, who are aged 7-13. We know that working parents in particular value the option to drop-off as early as 7.45am and pick up as late as 7pm on some days, while pupils have access to an extraordinary range of activities and can go home, having already had lots of fun with their friends, enjoyed tea, and completed their homework.
“This is part of our bold new ‘Prep for Life’ vision, heralding an exciting step that will enable us to have children with us for longer and prepare them to the fullest possible extent for the next phase of their education.”
With an increasing number of parents and carers returning to the office as working patterns revert to pre-pandemic norms, the school is introducing a morning minibus service from next term. This will initially run from West Edinburgh with additional routes in the pipeline.
