Fewer pupils achieve A-C Higher passes for third consecutive year

Attainment in Higher exams has fallen for the third year in a row, new figures show.

Scottish Qualifications Authority statistics show A-C passes at Higher are down marginally by 0.2% between 2017 and 2018.

National 5 qualifications have fallen 2.1% while National 4 attainment has dropped 1.6%.

The figures, updated from August to take account of issues such as appeals and late results, show there were 55,083 band A passes at Higher this year, 48,592 at B and 44,274 at C.

Scottish Labour said more education resources are needed to bolster attainment.

The party’s education spokesman Iain Gray said: “The SNP should be utterly ashamed of these figures.

“Education is supposed to be Nicola Surgeon’s top priority, instead teachers are overworked and underpaid and schools have faced £400m worth of cuts since 2010.

“Young people are being failed and opportunities are being cut off by the mess this government is making of education.”