09 August 2016
Aberdeenshire pupils celebrate outstanding exam performance
Thousands of senior school pupils are receiving their exam results today and this year’s figures show a 5% increase in S6 pupils in Aberdeenshire leaving school with five or more Highers.
This is the third year students have sat National 3,4 and 5 exams under the Curriculum for Excellence with S5 and S6 pupils continuing to sit qualifications at Higher and Advanced Higher level.
Chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Education, Learning and Leisure Committee, Cllr Alison Evison, said: “Senior pupils in Aberdeenshire have put a huge amount of work into studying for these exams and I hope they see that paying off today as they receive their results.
“These results will come at pivotal points in many young people’s lives, but it’s important to remember they are not the end of a path but the start of a new journey.
“Many pupils also have a range of wider achievements which combine with their exam results to prepare them for that journey.
“Our pupils can now use their results to look forward and plan, supported by their friends, school communities, carers and families.”
Vice-chair of the committee, Cllr Charles Buchan, added: “The continuing rise in pass rates and the number of awards pupils are receiving is also down to the work of our school teachers and education staff.
“They should be commended for the commitment they show day in and day out to improve the lives of young people in Aberdeenshire and their drive to push them to do their best for their futures.”
The council continues to use a programme called ‘Insight’ to monitor attainment in schools throughout the year.
Data for this year’s results is compared against the results from the previous year using ‘legacy measures’ over the following three key areas.
The percentage of S4 pupils awarded five or more National 5 qualifications this year stands at 48% which is a 3% rise on 2015.
The percentage of S5 pupils awarded three or more Highers in one sitting has also risen slightly, from 38% in 2015 to 39% in 2016.
And there has been a marked improvement in the percentage of S6 pupils achieving five or more Highers by the end of S6, which has risen by 5% from 29% last year to 34% in 2016.
In addition, the number of pupils who gained five Highers at grade A is 98 this year compared to 94 in 2015.
Students sat exams in both academic and vocational subjects ranging from English and Maths to photography and practical cake craft, as well as Advanced Highers in Mandarin and Mathematics of Mechanics.
Senior students in Aberdeenshire continue to go on to positive destinations once they leave school, whether that’s further or higher education, to a training place or directly into employment.
In 2014-2015 95.9% went on to positive destinations, which is a 2% increase on the previous year and 3% higher than the Scottish average.
In particular there were significant improvements in the percentage of Looked After school leavers who secured a positive destination (90%, up from 73% the previous year).
A helpline for pupils who need further advice after receiving their exams results is available and can be reached by calling 0808 100 8000.