School pupils’ rates fall in Scotland for Highers and National 5s

Drop marks end of teacher-led grading following cancellation of exams in 2020 and 2021

Pass rates for Scottish pupils have fallen markedly after schools returned to using exams to grade performance for the first time since 2019.

This year's results showed the overall pass rate for Highers, heavily used for students aiming for university, fell from 89.3% in 2020 to 78.9%. The pass rate for National 5s, awarded largely to 16-year-olds, fell from a peak of 89% in 2020 to 80.8%.