UK (Commonwealth Union)_ The latest Scotland exam results have revealed a troubling trend. Accordingly, attainment gaps and pass rates are at their lowest levels in recent history. According to data released by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) for the 2023/24 academic year, the disparity in higher pass rates between students from affluent and deprived backgrounds has reached an unprecedented 17.1 percentage points. This gap not only surpasses last year’s figure of 16 percentage points, but also stands as the highest since the introduction of new Scottish school qualifications nearly a decade ago.
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The SQA’s statistics show that students from the wealthiest 20% of Scotland achieved a higher pass rate of 82.2%, while those from the most disadvantaged 20% had a pass rate of just 65.1%. This widening gap is a stark reminder of the ongoing inequalities in the Scottish education system. Overall, the higher pass rate has fallen to 74.9%, marking the lowest level since 2007. This decline brings the pass rate back to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, which were themselves the lowest in the previous decade. Similarly, the pass rate for National 5 qualifications has dropped from 78.9% to 77.2%, with the attainment gap widening from 15.6 to 17.2 percentage points. At the Advanced Higher level, the attainment gap has also increased significantly, from 11.5 percentage points in 2023 to 15.5 percentage points in 2024, with the pass rate falling from 80.2% to 75.3%.
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The attainment gap had previously reached its lowest in 2020, during the pandemic, when exams were canceled and grades were based on coursework assessments. However, as normal examination procedures resumed, gaps in attainment began to rise again. In addition to these concerning trends, the release of exam results was marred by technical issues. Many students received blank emails or failed to receive text messages containing their actual results. The SQA has since acknowledged these problems and has reissued the correct results emails. Accordingly, Fiona Robertson, Chief Executive of the SQA, expressed her congratulations to the 145,000 learners whose achievements are being celebrated, despite the technical glitches. The SQA has not yet provided a detailed explanation for the issues that led to the incomplete emails.
The drop in pass rates is not limited to traditional qualifications. The pass rate for National 4 qualifications, which are internally assessed without final exams, has also declined to its lowest recorded level of 84.5%. This is a significant drop from the previous norm of 90% or more. The 2024 results also highlight a notable increase in the uptake of alternative qualifications, such as National Progression Awards. The number of students completing these awards at levels equivalent to National 5 and Higher has risen significantly. Andrea Bradley, General Secretary of the EIS teaching union, attributed this rise to a growing demand for more flexible and tailored senior phase education. Bradley emphasized the need for urgent reform of senior phase assessment and qualifications, citing the Hayward Review’s recommendations for overhauling high-stakes exams. The EIS is calling for the Scottish Government to act promptly on these recommendations to address educational inequalities and better support socio-economically disadvantaged students.
In response to the results, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth congratulated students for their resilience and achievements despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic. She also highlighted a 60% reduction in the poverty-related attainment gap since 2009 for school leavers progressing to positive destinations such as work or further study. Additionally, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Scottish Labour’s education spokesperson, remarked that the results speak for themselves. She pointed out that the poverty-related attainment gap has reached an all-time high, with overall attainment also declining. Higher pass rates have dropped to their lowest recorded level, falling well below pre-pandemic standards. Despite the dedication of teachers, staff, and Scotland’s students, they are bearing the brunt of 17 years of SNP failures and SQA mismanagement. As Scotland reflects on these exam results, the focus must remain on addressing the growing attainment gaps and implementing meaningful reforms to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to succeed.
