Edinburgh still on the up - exam results out today

Early indications show performance across the City as a whole has surpassed previous years.

Nine thousand six hundred and fifty-four (9,654) pupils sat 45,775 exams this year, ranging in subject matter from Accounting to Woodwork.

Prateek Yadav, an S6 Pupil from Tynecastle High School, who sat Advanced Higher exams in Physics, Maths and Chemistry, has been waiting for this day:  "I've put in a lot of hard work over the last couple of years.  I want to study Physics at Oxford University for which I need an A in all the 3 subjects, in order to gain a place." 

Councillor Paul Godzik, Education Convenor, welcomed today's results; "We are always looking to improve on performance and the information we have put together so far shows Edinburgh as a whole is up on last year - with a 1 percentage point increase in Highers across the board at S5. It's great to see improvements in our Standard Grade pass rates too.

"This will have been a red-circle day on many calendars across the city and I want to congratulate all those who sat exams this year. We have been working hard to make sure all school leavers enter a positive destination of employment, training or further education.

"Initiatives such as the Edinburgh Guarantee are going a long way to making this a reality for many of our ex-pupils. This is something we are keen to build on in the coming years and look forward to seeing many more placements and positive results."

All candidates will receive their results by means of the traditional postal delivery on Tuesday 7 August.

Those candidates who have activated their MySQA accounts, through which they can choose to receive their exam results by text and/or email in addition to their results certificate, will also receive these by 09:00 on Tuesday 7 August.

Ends

Additional information:

1.This is draft information, pre-appeal with no national or comparator information at this stage.

2. Analysis:

Results by end of S4

English and Mathematics at level 3 or better - 94% (maintaining previous year's results).

5+ awards at level 3 or better - 93% (one percentage point up on the previous year - a two-year improvement trend).

5+ awards at level 4 or better - 79% (two percentage point up on the previous year - a two-year improvement trend).

5+ awards at level 5 or better - 39% (maintaining previous year's results).

97% of S4 pupils gained Mathematics at level 3 or better (one percentage point up on previous year).  

97% of S4 pupils gained at least one award in English at level 3 or better. (two percentage points up on last year)

Results by end of S5

5+ awards at level 3 or better - 93% (two percentage points more than the previous year).

5+ awards at level 4 or better - 81% (one percentage point more than the previous year).

5+ awards at level 5 or better - 54 % (one percentage point more than the previous year).

1+ award at level 6 or better - 49% (one percentage point more than the previous year - continuing a four-year improvement trend).

3+ awards at level 6 or better - 30% (one percentage point more than the previous year).

5+ awards at level 6 or better - 15% (one percentage point more than the previous year).

Results by end of S6

1+ award at level 6 or better - 56 % (one percentage points more than the previous year and continues a three-year improving trend).

3+ awards at level 6 or better - 40% (maintaining previous year's good result).

5+ awards at level 6 or better - 28 % (maintaining previous year's good result).

Advanced Highers 1 award at level 7 - 19 % (one percentage point less than the previous year).

3. Key to award levels:

Level 7: Advanced Higher A-C;

Level 6: Higher at A-C;

Level 5: Intermediate 2 A-C; Standard Grade at 1-2;

Level 4: Intermediate 1 at A-C; Standard Grade at 3-4;

Level 3: Access 3 Cluster; Standard Grade at 5-6