Scottish pupils start to receive exam results - but there are some delays

BBC News

2 days ago

Update:
Date: 09:38 BST
Title: The first exam results have dropped - but there are some delays
Content: If you are just joining us, young people across Scotland are receiving their exam results - though mail deliveries in some parts of the country are delayed due to Storm Floris.
Email and text results are unaffected but those waiting for certificates in the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland have been told to expect delays.
More than 147,000 candidates are getting their marks for Nationals, Highers, Advanced Highers and Skills for Work Awards, as well as National Progression Awards and National Certificates.
Certificates have been be sent by first-class post, although many students will also receive a text or email.
Digital results are being sent to those with an activated MySQA account from 08:00 onwards.
Read more here.
Update:
Date: 09:29 BST
Title: I haven't received my results - what should I do?
Content: If you haven't received your results by text, email or post, don't panic.
Contact your school or college and they'll be able to help.
If there's anything missing or wrong with your certificate, call the SQA Candidate Advice line on 0345 279 1000.
Update:
Date: 09:20 BST
Title: Some pupils have not received certification for their courses
Content: We're being told there have been problems with administrative issues causing a delay in certification for some of the courses that UHI Orkney, external deliver.
These courses do not have results and they won't appear on the certificate:
NPA Travel and Tourism Level 6Foundation Apprenticeship Social Services and Health CareFoundation Apprenticeship Social Services and Health Care (Fast Track)Foundation Apprenticeship Social Services Children and Young PeopleNational Progression Award in Psychology level 5 Skills for Work: Early Learning and Childcare – National 5Rural Skills – Agriculture Level 5
UHI Orkney has apologised for being unable to supply these results at the expected time.
The college says if you are affected you should contact Pauline Black, the deputy principal of UHI Orkney at [e-mail], external or go in person to the college or visit the website here, external.
Update:
Date: 09:16 BST
Title: 'The celebrations start now'
Content: We're hearing more from pupils and their instant reactions to receiving their results...
Levi says he got on better than he thought he would.
"Quite happy. I got an A in Chemistry and a B in Physics and Biology.
"I'm going to St Andrews to study medicine."
And on another positive note, he says the celebrations start now!
Update:
Date: 09:10 BST
Title: Emily: 'I feel like my hard work has been rewarded'
Content: Our colleagues on Good Morning Scotland have been speaking to pupils to get their reaction as results start to arrive.
Emily tells the programme she has done better
than expected - managing a B in Media Studies and a C in Religious, Moral
and Philosophical Studies (RMPS).
She says she is hoping to go to Glasgow Caledonian
University to study International Marketing.
Emily says she 'put in the effort' for her results.
'I've got on a lot better than I thought I would and I'm
actually really happy with my results.
'The school was a huge help with it all as well, with all the
support studies ,but I feel like the work I've put in has been rewarded.'
Update:
Date: 09:07 BST
Title: How are exam grades set?
Content: By Katy McCloskey, Senior producer, Education
Grades are set at boundary meetings, which take place in June and July.
This year, there were 123 meetings to set boundaries. New grade boundaries are
agreed for every qualification every year.
The boundaries are set by principal
assessors with the help of senior SQA staff and data analysis. Grade boundaries
are not set until the marking is completed.
Markers will input into these
decisions – if there are recurring difficulties which students have experienced
with particular questions – such as the infamous zebra question - then grades can be altered to take account of questions which were perhaps
not worded terribly well or where there was widespread learner confusion.
It's
important to note that grade boundary discussions do not start out or set out
to achieve a pre-determined number of grades in each category. Exact
percentages for grade boundaries this year will be published later this
morning.
Update:
Date: 08:47 BST
Title: SQA results day 2025: Everything you need to know
Content: Exam results day can stir up a mixture of emotions: you might be feeling worried, excited or stressed. But don't panic, these feelings are completely normal and, as always, the BBC's Bitesize Study Support has got your back.
This helpful guide to your SQA qualification results will help you feel as prepared as you can be to deal with all possible outcomes.
Read more of the Bitesize Study Support here.
Update:
Date: 08:40 BST
Title: Gilruth insists progress being made on cutting the attainment gap
Content: Jenny Gilruth goes on to say 'progress is being
made' on closing the attainment gap between the richest and poorest pupils in Scotland.
She says the Covid
pandemic had an impact on results for children who experienced part of their
schooling during the lockdown era.
But she insists 'real improvements' are being made on levels
of numeracy and literacy gained by young people.
'This is the pandemic generation. These children and young
people's experience of school was disrupted at regular points and I think that
has impacted on some of what we have seen in recent years in terms of
attainment,' she says.
'But there is also evidence of recovery.
'The data that was published last year showed real
improvement in numeracy and literacy in our primary schools. We've also seen a
narrowing of the attainment gap in terms of those going on to positive
destinations since 2009/10.'
Update:
Date: 08:34 BST
Title: 'Nerve-wracking' wait for postal results
Content: Scotland's education secretary says all pupils will be
able to access their results this morning – despite delays to some hard copies.
Mail deliveries across parts of the Highlands and Islands
have been impacted by Storm Floris, meaning some pupils have a longer wait for
certificates.
However, Jenny Gilruth says there were ways to access
results by text, email or students calling their schools or SQA helpline.
'I know this will be disappointing and nerve-wracking for
some of the young people involved,' she tells the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme.
'But those signed up for the text and email service should still
receive their results by that route and certificates when they do arrive in the
post.
'They can also contact their school or college or the SQA
helpline, but the first port of call is to contact the school or college
directly.'
Update:
Date: 08:29 BST
Title: Storm Floris will delay arrival of some exam results
Content: Due to the widespread disruption caused by Storm Floris, Royal Mail has confirmed that there will be delays to the delivery of SQA results in several parts of Scotland.
In particular, deliveries to the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland will be delayed due to the adverse weather.
Further localised delays to deliveries may occur at short notice.
If any affected candidates want to know their results, they should contact their school or college in the first instance, where staff should be able to help them.
Alternatively, learners can submit an inquiry via the SQA website at https://www.sqa.org.uk/learnerenquiry, external and their query will be responded to after 12:00 today.
Update:
Date: 08:11 BST
Title: What happens if you don't get the results you were hoping for?
Content: There is lots of support available, regardless of what results pupils receive.
The SQA's candidate advice line can be reached on 0345 279 1000.
It opened at 08:00 and will stay open until 18:00. It will then be available from 08:30 until 17:00 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Guidance staff at schools will also be on hand to provide help.
If you have a conditional offer for university or college that you don't meet, you can apply to Ucas' clearing process, external which is used by universities and colleges to fill empty places.
Skills Development Scotland (SDS), the agency which supports training and skills for work, will also operate an advice line from 5 to 8 August.
If you need help and advice about the next steps in your career or education or if you didn't get the results you hoped for, you can phone the SDS results helpline number on 0808 100 8000.
Update:
Date: 08:03 BST
Title: Scottish exam results day 2025: What happens after grades are sent out?
Content: Results can come by post or text
About 147,000 people across Scotland have started to receive their SQA results.
Find everything you need to know about Scotland's exam results day here.
Update:
Date: 08:00 BST
Title: It's time for those results to be sent out
Content: Well, it's 08:00 and that means exam results are now being sent out to pupils across Scotland.
Good luck to everyone!
And stick with us for reaction and advice on what your next move could be.
Update:
Date: 07:54 BST
Title: What time will Scottish exam results arrive?
Content: Pupils at Madras College in St Andrews celebrated their results last year
Pupils across Scotland will receive their results from 08:00.
The results cover Nationals, Highers and Advanced Highers, as well as the more vocational National Progression Awards, Skills for Work Awards, and National Certificates.
They are sent out by first-class post but many students have opted to receive their grades digitally.
Text messages and emails are due to be sent to candidates who had an activated MySQA, external account from 08:00 onwards.
Last year, there were some delays to text results and some pupils receiving blank emails. The problem led to an anxious wait for some but was quickly rectified.
If you have opted to receive your results by post, it will depend on when your mail normally arrives.
Update:
Date: 07:52 BST
Title: Pupils get ready for their results to drop
Content: If you're just joining us, welcome to our live coverage as pupils across Scotland wait for their exam results to be released.
Pupils will receive the verdict on their work - including candidates in Nationals, Highers and Advanced Highers.
The more vocational National Progression Awards, Skills for Work Awards, and National Certificates will also land today.
Stick with us here to follow the latest news, results and reaction.
Update:
Date: 07:41 BST
Title: 'Good results or bad, we're here to help'
Content: Erin Bartley is a School Careers Adviser at Skills Development Scotland and she tells Good Morning Scotland she's expecting a "very, very busy day".
She says: "Hopefully we get lots of callers giving us a wee call to find out how we can help them.
"At the results helpline we really focus on the individual, helping solve any issues they may have, whether that's results better than expected or unfortunately worse than planned.
"We'll be on hand to help whatever the issue is."
As we edge towards 08:00, here's another reminder of that Skills Development Scotland helpline, external number - 0808 100 8000.
Update:
Date: 07:35 BST
Title: Helpline is there to support with the next steps, says pupil
Content: A dedicated helpline - run by Skills Development Scotland - will be open from 08:00 to support those deciding their next steps.
Courtney, who is 17, has told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme she used the service last year after she didn't get the results she hoped for:
"My careers adviser helped me so much and my guidance teacher as well.
"The helpline helped too so I was happy with that."
She says she wants to be a PE teacher when she leaves school but she also has back-up plans like the police.
The Skills Development Scotland helpline, external number is 0808 100 8000.
Advice can also be found on the SQA website, external.
Update:
Date: 07:26 BST
Title: What happens today?
Content: The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) will send out candidates' results following the completion of exams and coursework earlier in the year. If you have signed up for digital alerts on MySQA, these will come via text message or email from about 08:00.
At about 09:30, we'll get an overview of the results from the SQA.
Traditional certificates will arrive by first class post - this will depend on when your mail normally arrives.
The SQA have warned a number of areas of Scotland will not get their results by post today due to Storm Floris.