Isles exam results surpass average

PUPILS in Eilean Siar who gained National 5 qualifications in fourth year of school pushed the local authority’s pass rate above the national average.

Of exams sat, 85.98 per cent achieved National 5 in Eilean Siar, whereas the national pass rate was 79.5 per cent.

Percentage passes at Higher are in line with the national pass rate, with 77.75 per cent in Eilean Siar achieving an A- C pass, compared to 77 per cent nationally.

Overall, there is a slight decrease in the numbers and passes in the senior phase (S4-S6), largely due to increasing numbers who opt for vocational qualifications.

Results show that, at S4 National 5 there were 977 presentations and 85.98 per cent A- C passes in 2017, compared with 1,156 presentations and 89.45 per cent passes in 2016.

At S5/6 Higher level (SCQF level 6) there were 944 presentations and 77.75 per cent passes in 2017, compared with 957 presentations and 81.09 per cent passes in 2016.

Advanced Higher (SCQF level 6) results show an increase in the number of presentations, from 92 in 2016 to 101 in 2017. Percentage passes indicate a slight decline from 77.17 per cent in 2016 to 76.24 per cent in 2017.

Across the authority, at all levels, there were 3,096 presentations and 2,583 awards in 2017, representing an 83.43 per cent pass rate, compared with 3,266 presentations, 2,846 awards and a percentage pass rate of 87.14 in 2016.

Officers in the department are currently analysing each school’s data to identify areas of under-performance which may have contributed to the overall decline.

Figures do not include attainment in vocational courses. National data published in March 2017 indicates that 31.2 per cent of learners in Eilean Siar achieved one or more vocational qualifications at SCQF level 5 or above.