SQA exam results day for young people across Highland 2025

Today we celebrate the success and achievements of all our young people as they receive their SQA results. These results are an initial snapshot of attainment and achievement for the 2024/25 session.

Young people across the Highlands are receiving their SQA exam results today (Tuesday 5 August 2025), an early snapshot of attainment data indicates improvement made at both National 5 and Higher.  The A-C pass rate for National 5 this year is 76.4% compared to 75.6% in 2024, while the A-C pass rate for Higher is 74.2% which is a 2.8% increase from 2024.

 Headline messages compared to 23/24 results in the main, indicate:

• There has been an increase in pupil presentations at National 5 in S4, with 39.3% gaining 5 awards at A, B or C grade compared to 37% in 2024.

• In S5, the proportion of young people achieving 5 Higher awards at grades A–C has increased by 2.3%, rising from 13.6% in 2024 to 15.9%.

• There has been an increase in the number of young people gaining 3 awards A to C in S5, with 36.5%, which has increased by 2.4% from 2024.

• There was improved attainment by from our most deprived areas at both National 5 and Higher.  In S4 there is a 1.5% increase in the young people gaining 5 National 5 A-C awards.  In S5, the percentage of pupils gaining three awards a Higher has increased by 5.8%, while in S6 there has been an increase of 2.3% awards at Advanced Higher.

•  While there has been a slight decrease in Higher English pass rate with a pass rate of 71.9% compared to 72.0%, there has been a 4.3% increase in Higher Maths & Applications of Maths which are at 73.9% compared with 69.6% in 2024.

A fuller picture will be available later in the year when other accreditation such as college courses and wider achievement awards are finalised.

Education Committee Chair, Cllr John Finlayson said: “Today marks a significant milestone for all the pupils receiving their SQA exam results, and this year’s data from across Highland reflects the resilience and hard work of all our young people and their teachers. There is much to celebrate across Highland in terms of this year’s result including improvements in National 5 awards in S4, Higher in S5 and improvements in awards for young people in SIMD (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) 1 & 2 in all year groups.

“To those young people who are disappointed with any of their grades, please don’t forget that there is a great deal of support available to you in your school to help you to decide what your next steps will be. For those young people in this position, I would urge you to make contact, with your Personal Support Teacher as they will be able to give you advice, as will Skills Development Scotland Officers. I would also urge parents and carers to take time to talk over exam results with their young people and to celebrate and offer support where it is required.”

Assistant Chief Executive - People, Kate Lackie said: “I would like to congratulate all our young people today as they receive accreditation for their achievements, for both graded and ungraded course awards. Today’s results reflect the hard work of the students over many months and years of study and the support and guidance of their families, teachers and wider school staff.

“Where a young person may not have received the grades or qualifications, they set out to achieve, it is only natural that they will be disappointed.  I would encourage anyone in this position to access the support and guidance that’s available to help them. It is also important to recognise that exams are not the sole route to success. Highland has a strong track record in supporting our young people to achieve positive destinations in education, training and employment, and our schools have worked hard with all our young people in developing their skills for learning for life and work.”

Help and advice is available for all students receiving their results from their own schools and from Skills Development Scotland’s dedicated Exam Results Helpline which is available for a week from today onwards to support young people.

SQA's Candidate Advice Line service is free of charge and opens at 8am - 6pm on results day and on Wednesday - Friday: 8.30am - 5pm.

Helplines

SQA Candidate Advice - 0345 279 1000.

Skills Development Scotland’s Results - 0808 100 8000.

UCAS - 0371 468 0468

More information has been sent to learners’ homes and is available at www.sqa.org.uk/results .

Clearing resources can be found at www.ucas.com/clearing .