Scottish pupils 'let down' after exam pass rates fall and attainment gap widens
The gap between Higher A-C pass rates for pupils from the most affluent and deprived areas of Scotland stands at 17.2 per cent
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The publication of this year's exam results have spread concerns about low pass rates and the widening attainment gap in Scotland.
Results from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) have shown a clear gap between Scotland's most and least advantaged pupils across the country.
Of the 145,000 students who sat exams in Scotland, those achieving an A, B or C grade at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher also fell across the board.
These results have raised questions about the suitability of Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) and the Scottish Government's ability to reach its target to eradicate the attainment gap.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth (pictured left) said this year’s exam results “present a challenge”
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The SNP made closing the attainment gap a priority in successive governments with former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon asking to be judged on her record of education after taking office.
Information from the SQA shows for the 2023/24 school year the gap between Higher A-C pass rates for pupils from the most affluent and deprived areas of Scotland stands at 17.2 per cent, which is up from 16 per cent last year and 16.9 per cent in 2019.
Recent statistics show that the Higher pass rate for pupils from the most affluent 20 per cent of Scotland stood at 82.2 per cent, compared to the same figure for those from the most deprived areas at just 65.1 per cent.
The attainment gap has also widened for National 5s and Advanced Highers.
For National 5s, the gap has increased from 15.6 percentage points last year to 17.2 per cent in the latest results. The pass rate also fell for National 5s from 78.9 per cent to 77.2 per cent.
For advanced Highers, the gap sits at 15.5 per cent, an increase from 11.5 per cent in 2023. Meanwhile, the pass rate dropped from 80.2 per cent to 75.3 per cent.
The poverty-related attainment gap is measured on a national basis using a range of data sources including the SQA, from the Broad, General Education and leavers' destinations.
Commenting on the results, a Scottish Government spokesperson said: "Poverty-related attainment gaps for National 5 and Higher have returned to similar levels to those recorded pre-pandemic in 2019.
"We have also seen a record low attainment gap in primary pupils from the most and least deprived areas achieving expected levels in literacy, and reductions at secondary level supported by this investment."
The Higher attainment gap fell to a record low in 2020, when it stood at just 6.4 per cent, while the National 5 and Advanced Higher gaps that year also reached 7.9 per cent and 2.8 per cent respectively.
However, this occurred during the Covid pandemic after exams were cancelled and grades were awarded based on work students had completed throughout the year.
The Scottish Labour Party and the Scottish Conservatives said pupils have been "let down" by the SNP.
Liam Kerr MSP, Scottish Conservative shadow cabinet secretary for education and skills, said: “Eradicating the attainment gap was the measure Nicola Sturgeon wanted the SNP to be judged by. The fact that it has widened under the SNP’s watch is proof of their failure and shows just how badly they’ve let Scottish pupils down.
“Scottish education, once widely envied, has been so badly damaged by SNP rule that we lag behind other parts of the UK and our poorest children face worse outcomes. The SNP’s approach is a proven failure, and tinkering will simply not do.”
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth celebrates with students at Madras College in St Andrews
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Scottish Labour Education spokesperson Pam Duncan-Glancy echoed these comments: "The results speak for themselves - the poverty-related attainment gap is at its highest ever level, while attainment has also fallen for all.
"Higher pass rates are equal to the lowest level on record and pass rates are well below the pre-pandemic standard.
“Despite the best efforts of teachers, staff and Scotland’s young people, they are being forced to pay the price of 17 years of SNP failure and SQA chaos.
“Young people in Scotland have been badly let down and the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary cannot avoid responsibility.”
Areas in Scotland with the lowest pass rates at Higher were Angus (65.8%), Clackmannanshire (68%), North Ayrshire (68.5%), Moray (68.9%), East Ayrshire (69.1%) and North Lanarkshire (69.5%).
At the other end of the scale, East Renfrewshire's pass rate was at 84.9 per cent and East Dunbartonshire's at 81.8 per cent.
The Scottish Government spokesperson continued: "The Scottish Government has been consistently clear in its aim to close the poverty-related attainment gap, which is why we are investing £1 billion in the Scottish Attainment Challenge to enhance the level of support for disadvantaged pupils.
"The latest data from UCAS also shows a record number of disadvantaged Scottish students receiving a place at university, while the poverty-related attainment gap in the proportion of school leavers in work, training or further study nine months after finishing school remains low."