5th August 2026
Yesterday 4 August 2026 we celebrate the success and achievements of all our young people as they receive their Qualifications Scotland (QS) results, previously known as SQA. These results are an initial snapshot of attainment and achievement for the 2025/26 session.
Young people across the Highlands are receiving their QS exam results today (Tuesday 4 August 2026), with early attainment data showing continued improvement in National 5 and Advanced Higher performance, significant gains in S6 attainment, and encouraging progress in key literacy and numeracy measures.
The A-C pass rate for National 5 this year has risen to 76.9% (up from 76.6% in 2025 and 75.6% in 2024). Advanced Higher pass rates have also seen significant improvement, rising to 74.3% compared to 72.8% in 2025. The Higher A-C pass rate stands at 73.7%, maintaining strong overall performance across Highland schools.
Headline messages compared to 24/25 results indicate:
S6 Higher Attainment: S6 attainment has shown some of the strongest improvements in this year's results. The proportion of S6 pupils achieving three or more awards at Higher at grades A-C rose to 29.1%, up 7.1% from 22.0% in 2025. Advanced Higher attainment also increased, up by 4.9%, with 29.3% of S6 pupils achieving at least one Advanced Higher award at grades A-C, compared with 24.4% in 2025.
S5 Higher Attainment: In S5, 15.7% of young people achieved five Higher awards at grades A-C. While this represents a slight decrease from 15.9% in 2025, attainment remains above the 13.6% recorded in 2024.
S4 National 5 Progression: Pupil presentation and attainment in S4 have increased, with 41.9% of S4 pupils gaining 5 or more awards at A-C grade, up by 2.6% from 39.3% in 2025 (and up 4.9% from 37.0% in 2024). The average number of National 5 presentations per S4 pupil also rose to 4.74, up from 4.51 in 2025 (and up from 4.35 in 2024)
Literacy and numeracy in S4: There were noticeable improvements in English and Maths for S4 pupils:
63.9% of S4 pupils achieved a National 5 English pass, an increase of 3.8% from 60.1% in 2025.
48.9% of S4 pupils achieved a National 5 Maths pass, up 3.1% from 45.8% in 2025.
Targeted progress in most deprived areas (Quintile 1 / SIMD): Attainment among young people from our most deprived areas showed encouraging progress in several areas:
In S4, 20.2% of pupils in Quintile 1 achieved 5 awards at National 5 A-C (up from 20.1% in 2025 and 18.6% in 2024).
In S6, the proportion of Quintile 1 pupils gaining at least 1 Higher A-C rose significantly to 24.6% (up 6.6% from 18.0% in 2025).
The proportion of Quintile 1 S6 pupils gaining 3 or more Highers A-C increased to 9.1% (up from 3.8% in 2025),
The proportion of Quintile 1 S6 pupils and those gaining at least 1 Advanced Higher increased to 8.3% (up from 7.1% in 2025 and 4.8% in 2024).
A fuller picture will be available later in the year when other accreditation such as college courses and wider achievement awards are finalised.
Strategic Chair of the Education Committee, John Finlayson said: “Today marks an important milestone for thousands of young people across Highland, and I would like to congratulate every pupil receiving their results. These achievements reflect months of hard work, determination and commitment, supported by families, teachers and school staff.
“There is much to celebrate in this year's results. We have seen improvements across the board, alongside really encouraging progress in raising attainment for our most deprived young people, demonstrating the positive impact of the support being provided across our schools and communities.
“For many young people, today will be a moment of pride as they move on to further education, apprenticeships, training or employment. For those who may be disappointed with their results, it is important to remember that there are many routes to success and a wide range of opportunities available.
“I would encourage any young person who is uncertain about their next steps to speak to their school and/or Skills Development Scotland adviser. Support is available to help every learner to identify the pathway that is right for them.
“Today is a chance to recognise not only results, but also the resilience, effort and achievements of our young people, and to look ahead with confidence to the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Assistant Chief Executive - People, Kate Lackie, said: “Congratulations to all our young people receiving their results today. Every qualification and award represents dedication, perseverance and personal achievement, and everyone involved should be proud of what they have accomplished.
“These results demonstrate the commitment of our learners and the invaluable support provided by families, teachers and school staff across Highland. It is particularly encouraging to see continued improvements in attainment and positive progress for young people from our most disadvantaged communities.
“We recognise that some learners may feel disappointed with their results. While it is natural to feel that way, it is important to remember that exam results are only one measure of achievement and do not define future success. There are many different pathways to success, and support is on hand to help young people explore the options open to them.
“Highland continues to have a strong track record of supporting young people into positive destinations, and we remain committed to ensuring every learner develops the skills, confidence and opportunities they need for learning, life and work.”
Help and advice is available for all students receiving their results from their own schools and from Skills Development Scotland’s dedicated Exam Results Helpline which is available for a week from today onwards to support young people.
QS's Candidate Advice Line service is free of charge and opens at 8am - 6pm on results day and on Wednesday - Friday: 8.30am - 5pm.
Helplines
Qualifications Scotland Candidate Advice - 0345 279 1000.
Skills Development Scotland’s Results - 0808 100 8000.
UCAS - 0371 468 0468
More information has been sent to learners’ homes and is available at www.sqa.org.uk/results