A record number of Scottish teenagers have passed their higher exams, results out today show.
The pass rate for the 16- and 17-year-old candidates this year was 74.6%, up from 74.2% last year. But the figure for advanced higher papers, sat by the brightest 17- and 18-year-olds, was down slightly, at 77.5% compared with 77.5% in 2009.
The proportion of students passing their standard grade exams, at 15 and 16, remained static at 98.5%, with those getting the top level – grade 1 – up from 19.8% to 20.3%.
However, the pass rate for a qualification in basic literacy and numeracy taken by 15- and 16-year-olds continued to fall. This year the figure for access 2 stood at 62.8%. It was 63.5% last year and 68.2% in 2008.
Some 138 candidates are also getting results for the first year of the new Scottish baccalaureate, in science and languages. Some 76.8% will find out they have passed, more than half of them with distinction.
Janet Brown, Scotland's chief examining officer, offered them special congratulations. "They are making history today," she said. "The numbers of those choosing the Scottish baccalaureate route was in line with what we anticipated, and as the new qualification goes on to prove its worth we anticipate that many more of our young people will follow in the footsteps of today's pathfinders."
More pupils took exams at all levels except standard grade. Entries for highers were up 4.7% and those for advanced highers rose by 4.8%.
The Scottish education secretary, Michael Russell, said: "I'd like to convey my congratulations to students, teachers and parents for their success and high levels of attainment, which confirms the strengths of the Scottish education system. We know from the national headline figures that yet again Scottish students are achieving excellent results, with the record higher pass rate particularly standing out."
Article from the Guardian website - www.guardian.co.uk
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