Results Day 2024

Wide range of achievements celebrated.

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.”

Background

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.

Students can also access the SQA’s free and direct appeals service will give them the right to request a review of their marked exam papers or coursework for their National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results this year.

Statistics and information - SQA

Summary statistics for Follow- Up Leaver Destinations, No. 6: 2024 Edition - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

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Latha nan Toraidhean 2024

A’ comharrachadh raon farsaing de choileanadh.

Tha Rùnaire an Fhoghlaim Jenny Gilruth air meal-an-naidheachd a chur air oileanaich air feadh Alba agus iad a’ faighinn toraidhean an deuchainnean bho Ùghdarras Theisteanasan na h-Alba (SQA).

Tha mu 145,000 oileanach – an ìre as àirde bho 2015 – air raon farsaing de thiesteanasan a choileanadh, nam measg Nàiseanta 5, Àrd-Ìre, Àrd-Ìre Adhartach agus Duaisean SQA.

Am-bliadhna thathar a’ comharrachadh tilleadh air ais gu measadh cùrsa slàn às dèidh an dùbhlan a bh’ ann ri linn a’ ghalair mhòr-sgaoilte, agus tha an dàta foillsichte leis an SQA a’ sealltainn gu bheil an ìre coileanaidh airson Àrd-Ìre Adhartach aig 75.3%, Àrd-Ìre aig 74.9% agus Nàiseanta 5 aig 77.2%.

Chaidh 90,045 duaisean dreuchdail agus teicnigeach a thoirt seachad am-bliadhna, an àireamh as àirde riamh agus suas cha mhòr 25% bho 2024, a’ sealltainn an raon farsaing de chothroman a tha ri fhaotainn aig oileanaich.

Tha an dàta cuideachd a’ sealltainn gu bheil am beàrn buileachaidh co-cheangailte ri bochdainn gu ìre mhath coltach ri na bha ann an 2019 – am bliadhna mu dheireadh de thoraidhean ron ghalar mòr-sgaoilte.

Thuirt Rùnaire an Fhoghlaim Jenny Gilruth:

“Mealaibh ur naidheachd a h-uile neach òg ann an Alba a tha a’ faighinn an toraidhean am-bliadhna. Tha iad air fìor sheasmhachd a shealltainn, agus tha na tha iad air coileanadh nas iongantaiche buileach leis an dùbhlan ann an cuid ionnsachaidh ri linn a’ ghalair mhòr-sgaoilte nuair a bha iad aig deireadh a’ bhun-sgoil agus toiseach an àrd-sgoil. Tha an cothrom againn an-diugh airson an raon farsaing de theisteanasan a tha òigridh na h-Alba air fhaighinn a chomharrachadh.

“Tha mi cuideachd airson mo thaing a thoirt don luchd-teagaisg, òraidichean agus luchd-obrach nar sgoiltean agus colaistean – agus, gu cudromach, pàrantan agus luchd-cùraim na h-Alba – airson taic a thoirt dha gach neach òg.

“Am measg nan coileanaidhean seo, tha mi toilichte fhaicinn ìre as àirde riamh de theisteanasan dreuchdail no teicnigeach am-bliadhna, 90,045, suas cha mhòr cairteal bho ìre 2023.

“Tha raon gu math nas fharsainge aig òigridh a-nis na bha aca riamh, a’ toirt dhaibh an cothrom slighe a-steach gu cosnadh no foghlam adhartach a tha ceart dhaibhsan agus tha fios again gu bheil am beàrn buileachaidh co-cheangailte ri bochdainn air lùghdachadh 60% bho 2009 airson òigridh a tha a’ fàgail na sgoile agus a’ ruighinn deagh cheann-uidhe, mar obair, trèanadh no ionnsachadh a bharrachd.

“Chan eil Alba ann an suidheachadh sònraichte – agus coltach ri dùthchannan air feadh an t-saoghail, tha ar siostam foghlaim fhathast a’ tilleadh chun na h-àbhaist às dèidh buaidh a’ ghalair mhòr-sgaoilte. Gun teagamh, tha buaidh air a bhith aig seo air caochlaideachd cuid de na toraidhean am-bliadhna, agus sinn a’ tilleadh air ais gu riatanasan slàn airson theisteanasan airson a’ chiad uair bho ron ghalair mhòr-sgaoilte.

“Tha mi dealasach obrachadh còmhla ri ar luchd-teagaisg, luchd-obrach agus ùghdarrasan ionadail airson barrachd leasachaidhean nar sgoiltean a stiùireadh.

“Tha cearcall leasachaidh a’ churraicealaim air tòiseachadh, le prìomhachas an toiseach air matamataig agus àireamhachd, air a stiùireadh le eòlaiche nàiseanta ùr air Matamataig, dreuchd a chaidh a stèidheachadh o chionn ghoirid. Sna seachdainnean a tha romhainn, foillsichidh mi am Plana Gnìomh Giùlain, stèidhichidh mi gnìomhachd ùr airson làthaireachd a leasachadh agus dearbhaidh mi na h-ath cheumannan aig Riaghaltas na h-Alba air teisteanasan tràth san teirm pàrlamaideach ùr.

“Tha mi cuideachd mothachail gu bheil eadar-dhealachaidhean farsaing sna toraidhean eadar na 32 ùghdarrasan ionadail againn. Gus dèiligeadh ri seo, bidh mi a’ coinneachadh ri Stiùirichean Foghlaim bho gach ùghdarras ionadail, am Prìomh Neach-Deuchainn agus am Prìomh Neach-Sgrùdaidh eadar-amail airson meòrachadh air co-theacsa nan toraidhean seo agus mar a dh’obraicheas Riaghaltas na h-Alba le ar comhairlean airson na leasachaidhean a stiùireadh.”

Cùl-fhiosrachaidh

Faodaidh duine sam bith nach d’ fhuair na toraidhean ris a bha iad an dùil, no a tha mi-chinnteach mu dheidhinn na h-ath cheumannan, fios a chur gu loidhne-fòn nan deuchainnean aig SDS airson comhairle dreuchd bho eòlaichean.

Faodaidh oileanaich cuideachd fios a chur gu seirbheis ath-thagraidhean an SQA, airson cothrom ath-sgrùdadh an-asgaidh iarraidh air na pàipearan deuchainn no obair-cùrsa a chaidh a chomharrachadh aig ìre Nàiseanta 5, Àrd-Ìre agus Àrd-Ìre Adhartach am-bliadhna. 

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