Results Helpline to support pupils in the Highlands with SQA results

21st July 2025

Young people in the Highlands can call a dedicated helpline offering expert advice to anyone receiving their full Higher, National, and Advanced results on Tuesday, 5 August 2025.

The pupils and students- along with their parents and carers - will be able to get support with their results through Skills Development Scotland's (SDS) Results Helpline, which opens from 8am on results day.

The SDS Results Helpline will once again be staffed by expert careers advisers to assist anybody that needs help with their options and next steps, providing impartial career information, advice, and guidance.

The team of qualified advisers from Scotland’s national skills agency will be at the end of the phone line to offer guidance on colleges and universities, UCAS Confirmation and Clearing, apprenticeships, jobs and other training, volunteering, or staying on at school.  

The number for the 2025 SDS Results Helpline is 0808 100 8000 and will be open:

Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 August - 8am to 8pm

Thursday 7 and Friday 8 August - 9am to 5pm

Dave McCallum, Head of Career Information, Advice and Guidance Operations at SDS said: "Our message for young people and their parents and carers as their results arrive is not to panic. Everything might seem overwhelming right now but remember that this is just one step on their journey.

“Our experienced advisers are here to provide expert support and guidance, offering information on a wide range of options and opportunities. They are also trained to help young people recognise that they are more than their exam results, giving them the confidence to see their strengths and abilities beyond qualifications."

Local SDS Careers Adviser Joan Duncan is part of the Results Helpline team who will be taking calls from young people, parents and carers from across the country. Joan said: “Whether a young person didn’t receive the results they were hoping for, or they exceeded their expectations, we are here to help them navigate the next steps and make the best decisions for their future.”

The SDS Results Helpline has been going for 33 years and has helped tens of thousands of young Scots.

There’s also an SDS careers adviser linked to every secondary school in Scotland, with almost a quarter of a million school pupils from P7 to S6 receiving careers information, advice and guidance each year*.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “Young people have so many different ways to achieve their qualifications, with many eagerly anticipating their results coming through next month. It is important that no matter how they do, young people and their families have access to trusted and reliable information on potential next steps. That is what the advisers at the Skills Development Scotland helpline provide.

“I would encourage everyone looking for impartial and expert advice on the options available, whether that is in work, training or further study, to consider contacting the helpline.”

Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) helps young people get ready for the world of work by connecting them with employers and supporting them to explore a wide range of career pathways. DYW Co-ordinators are based in secondary schools across Scotland, working alongside SDS careers advisers to support pupils with their next steps.

Michelle Fenwick, Director - DYW National Projects, said: “As results are released, it’s important that young people know there are many routes to success and that support is there for them. Through our #NoWrongPath campaign, and in partnership with SDS, we’re helping young people understand that the world of work is full of opportunity. Whether a young person is going into further or higher education, training, employment or still considering their options - the Results Helpline is a great way to get guidance, reassurance, and a sense of direction.”

In addition to the dedicated SDS Results Helpline, young people and their parents or carers can also speak to an SDS adviser at a SDS centre or community venue (find out what’s close to you by visiting the Contact Us page of the SDS website), visit Scotland’s career information and advice website, My World of Work, or speak to directly to an SDS school-based careers adviser for year-round support.