Scottish pupils achieve record pass rates on results day
Scottish pupils recorded the highest ever pass rates in national exams on results day, according to official data.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Scottish pupils achieved record pass rates in this year's national exams, according to official data released on results day. Around 150,000 students received their results for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications, with all three levels showing an increase compared to last year.
The pass rate for National 5 exams, taken mainly by 15 and 16-year-olds, reached 79.2 percent, up by 0.8 percentage points. The Higher pass rate also rose by 0.8 points to 76.7 percent. Advanced Higher pass rates increased but remained below pre-pandemic levels. A record number of vocational and technical qualifications were awarded as well.
Despite the headline improvements, the attainment gap between pupils from the most and least deprived areas remains a persistent issue. At Higher level, the gap stands at 15.9 percentage points, having narrowed slightly but not closed. The Scottish government first made closing that gap a priority more than ten years ago.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth pointed to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as a factor, but said this year's results built on progress made in 2023. "I believe we're on a good trajectory," she said.
The results also marked the first under a new awarding body, Qualifications Scotland, which replaced the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) after years of scandals involving wrong or missing results. Teaching unions have expressed cautious optimism but want to see whether the new body will deliver meaningful change.
Headteachers across the country urged pupils who did not get the grades they hoped for to seek support from schools, the learner hub and helplines. For many students, the day was one of celebration, with record numbers of 17 and 18-year-olds securing places at university or college.
The overall picture shows a rise in academic attainment alongside a growing trend in vocational awards, but the gap in outcomes based on background remains a challenge that education officials say will take continued work to resolve.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One |
|---|---|---|---|
| A record 79% of 15 and 16-year-olds passed National 5 qualifications. | |||
| National 5 pass rate reached a record 79.2% and Higher pass rate rose to 76.7%. | |||
| The attainment gap at Higher level is 15.9 percentage points. | |||
| The Higher pass rate was 76.7%, up 0.8 percentage points. | · | ||
| A record number of 17 and 18-year-olds got into university or college. | · | · | |
| A record number of vocational and technical qualifications were awarded. | · | · | |
| Advanced Higher pass rate increased but remained below pre-pandemic levels. | · | · | |
| Around 148,000 students received their results. | · | · | |
| Pass rates increased for Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications. | · | · | |
| The Education Secretary attributed the persistent attainment gap to the COVID-19 pandemic. | · | · | |
| The Education Secretary said this year's results build on last year's and the trajectory is positive. | · | · | |
| The SQA was scrapped and replaced by Qualifications Scotland. | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This channel gave a very brief, headline-style summary of the results. It focused on the record pass rate for National 5 and noted increases across all levels, but offered no analysis of the attainment gap or the change in the awarding body. The tone was straightforward and concise, typical of a lunchtime news bulletin.
- “A record 79% of 15 and 16-year-olds have passed at National 5, with pass rates up for higher and Advanced Higher qualifications as well.”
This segment emphasised the broader context of the results, particularly the replacement of the SQA with Qualifications Scotland and the lingering attainment gap. Reporter Alan Jenkins used an informal, upbeat style but also pressed the education secretary on how long it would take to close the gap. The report noted that the gap is still larger than in 2016.
- “After getting results on their mobile, what else but use one to then post the outcome?”
- “It looks like this has now passed its first big test.”
- “However long it takes we will continue to work on it.”
This channel focused on the human stories behind the statistics, featuring emotional reactions from pupils at All Saints Secondary School in Glasgow. It highlighted the record number of 17-18 year olds entering university or college and included a supportive message from the headteacher for those who did not achieve their desired grades. The tone was celebratory but balanced with practical advice.
- “I'm speechless, like, I don't even know, I worked so hard and I feel so good that I've achieved, I've achieved more than I ever thought I could.”
- “I'm absolutely, I'm buzzing. I've worked so hard, day and night, doing flashcards, memorising.”
- “We're looking to celebrate the top grades ... It's important to also celebrate the one hires, the national qualifications and the vocational awards.”
This later broadcast on BBC One West placed greater emphasis on the failure to close the attainment gap. It reported the exact gap figure of 15.9 percentage points at Higher and included the education secretary's defence that COVID had caused disruption. The tone was more critical than the earlier report, with a clear focus on the political challenge.
- “But the attainment gap between students from the richest and poorest backgrounds on narrowing slightly hasn't closed.”
- “In the intervening period of that decade, we have had probably the most disruptive educational as well as societal event that any of us will have lived through in the COVID-19 pandemic.”
- “I believe we're on a good trajectory.”
This signed broadcast gave the same factual report as the later BBC One West segment, with the same emphasis on the attainment gap not closing. The inclusion of signing suggests an accessibility focus, but the editorial content is identical, covering pass rates, the gap figure, and the education secretary's comments.
- “But the attainment gap between students from the richest and poorest backgrounds, while narrowing slightly, hasn't closed.”
- “In the intervening period of that decade, we have had probably the most disruptive educational as well as societal event that any of us will have lived through in the COVID-19 pandemic.”
- “I believe we're on a good trajectory.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.