Published on:
05
August 2014
Clackmannanshire secondary school pupils have enjoyed another year of positive examination results.
The Council is pleased to report that our young people have maintained high levels of attainment this academic session.
This is the first year of the new S4 National Qualifications as part of Curriculum for Excellence, and the hard work of staff and pupils to make a success of the new system has been praised.
The new qualifications are very different from Standard Grade, with National 4 (N4) being internally assessed by schools and National 5 (N5) being externally assessed. This makes comparisons with previous Standard Grade awards inappropriate.
In Clackmannanshire over 1,000 N4 awards were presented with 85% of these being achieved. There were also over 1,000 N5 examinations sat with over 76% being passed.
Across Clackmannanshire 72% of Higher presentations achieved an award with 77% of Advance Higher presentations being achieved.
Education Convener Ellen Forson said: "Congratulations to all young people from Alloa, Alva and Lornshill academies who have received their exam results today on an impressive performance in the new Curriculum for Excellence and existing Higher qualifications. Thanks also go to school staff, parents and carers who have supported them in this transition.
"The numbers achieving new N4 and N5 awards is an encouraging and important step towards reaching the potential of the young people to ensure that they can do their very best in their communities and beyond. We are determined to keep working with the schools, pupils and parents to continue to improve the education of our young people.
"Good luck to everyone as they take the next steps, whether that's returning to school or moving on to further and higher education, training or employment."
Part of the development of the new courses and qualifications included a review of the curriculum and course models in secondary schools which means different approaches from previous years in terms of the range of subjects covered.
Education is now reviewing the detailed results for our secondary schools along with headteachers and a fuller analysis of the 2014 diet will be made in due course.
Two helplines are open for candidates following the issuing of the exam results.
Skills Development Scotland has a helpline for candidates whose results were either better or worse than they had expected. Their advisers can offer information on college and university vacancies, employment and training opportunities and exam resits.
Meanwhile, the SQA Candidate Advice Line provides information for candidates on the content and layout of their certificate.