Latest news with #National5
Scotsman
14 hours ago
- General
- Scotsman
Exam results Scotland 2025: What time are exam results released? Can I appeal my result?
Take a look at what you need to know about this year's SQA exam results. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It is one of the biggest and most nerve-wracking dates in the calendar for young people across Scotland - exam results day. Tens of thousands of young people will get their results for their National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams on Tuesday, August 5, issued courtesy of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As these young people receive their exam results, there will also be scrutiny of the wider academic trends, including questions for the Scottish Government on pass rates and the poverty-related attainment gap. Here's what you need to know about exam results day for 2025. Exam results will be delivered on Tuesday. How many pupils will be getting results? More than 147,000 learners will receive their results on Tuesday. The exams were held back in the spring, starting with computer science and psychology on April 25, and ending with care on May 30. In total, over 132,000 learners sat an exam. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad More than two million exam papers were completed at 480 different schools, colleges and training centres. When will learners get their results? Those who have signed up to MySQA will receive their results by text or email at 8am on Tuesday. Those who have signed up for this service, but are on holiday abroad will only receive these texts if they have set up their phone to work outside the UK. Otherwise physical certificates will be posted out by first-class post throughout the day. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Can grades be appealed? Yes - learners or their parents can do this themselves, or they can ask their school to do it for them. Young people are encouraged to speak to their teacher first before appealing their grade and to think about whether the grade they receive is in line with their estimated grade, as a successful appeal could see the grade go up or go down. Appeals will not be accepted if the learner was disqualified for breaking the rules, was awarded under the examination exceptional circumstances consideration service, or is already an A grade. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Learners and parents can self-appeal online at They will need their personal details and their SQA candidate number to do this. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, August 26. All appeals will be determined by October. Schools can also appeal grades and the deadline for this is Friday, August 29. Exam results will be published on Tuesday. What if an appeal is needed to get into university? Those who have a conditional offer for university or college that depends on an appealed grade will be prioritised. This must be approved by the school or college the exam was sat in, and they will need to list which college or university the offer is for. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The final day for priority self-appeals is Tuesday, August 12, and the final day for priority appeals done through the school is Thursday, August 21. Priority appeals will be determined by Monday, September 1. What support is on offer? The SQA helpline (0345 279 1000) will be open from 8am to 6pm on Tuesday, and 8.30am to 5pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Skills Development Scotland also has a results helpline, which opens at 8am on Tuesday. What if there is a mistake in the results? If a young person does not receive their results, they should contact their school or college in the first instance. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The SQA candidate advice line (0345 279 1000) can be used if something is wrong or missing from the results. Who marks the exam papers? More than 7,000 teachers and college lecturers mark the papers. Training was given to all markers before they began. Markers are grouped into small teams, with a team leader to ensure consistency and to monitor standards. After the papers were all marked, grade boundary meetings were held for each subject. If an exam was deemed easier or harder than previous years, the grade boundaries will change. Grades are awarded after this process. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Trends to keep an eye out for While most of the day will focus on individual learners' achievements, there will be a lot of focus on the overall pass rates. Last year 74.9 per cent passed their Higher exam. This is down from 77.1 per cent in 2023, 79.9 per cent in 2022 and 89.3 per cent in 2020. It is slightly higher than the pre-pandemic pass rate of 74.8 per cent. The other figure to keep an eye on is the poverty-related attainment gap. This is the difference between the pass rates for pupils in the most and least deprived areas.
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Acclaimed helpline offers support to young Scots with SQA results
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 (0808 100 8000), which opens from 8am on results day. The 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. 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.' 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*. Calling the SDS Results Helpline was the start of ongoing career guidance for Greenock pupil T.J. Smith, who is now set on his goal for a career in sport. When T.J. opened his SQA certificate on Results Day last year and didn't get the National 5 results he had hoped for the 16 year old called the Results Helpline to find out more about the [[SQA]] appeals process. Inverclyde Academy pupil T.J. explained: 'I was nervous about my results, which weren't what I expected, so I called the Results Helpline to ask questions about my options and the appeals system. The adviser was really helpful and after we spoke I felt much better and knew what I needed to do.' The Results Helpline careers adviser who spoke to T.J. also sent a referral on to his SDS school careers adviser, Larry Hansen, who picked up conversations with the teen when he started fifth year. From then, Larry and T.J. met at school on a regular basis to look at options available to support his ambition to pursue a career in sport. Added T.J.: 'Now I know what qualifications I need to be able to get into my chosen career, so the support I got from Larry has helped me focus in school this year, so I could work towards my goals.' 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 week. '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.' 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, 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. The number for the 2025 SDS Results Helpline is 0808 100 8000 and will be open Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 August from 8am to 8pm and Thursday 7 and Friday 8 August from 9am to 5pm Careers adviser prescribes healthy future for Gracie Choosing a Foundation Apprenticeship at school was the best medicine for Gracie Forrester, who is now on a clear path to work in care. Gracie, from Perth, was thinking about leaving Bertha Park High School after fifth year with no plans for next steps, until she met with the school's Careers Adviser, Maxine Scott. (Image: Gracie Forrester gained experience at Blairgowrie Community Hospital) It was through meetings with Maxine that Gracie realised there were options to help her achieve her dream of working in Healthcare. Now Gracie is future focused, having gained invaluable work experience during her time in school, a part time job at a local care home and secured a place in college. Gracie, now 18, explained: 'I knew I wanted to work in Healthcare. I thought it would be a great career where I would be able to help people. 'I had picked subjects I liked, including Biology, but I wasn't enjoying school at all and suffered from anxiety. 'It was then that I met with Maxine, and she encouraged me to think more about my options. Together, we looked at jobs, college and courses I could take whilst still at school.' Maxine is one of hundreds of Skills Development Scotland Careers Advisers working across every state school in Scotland, supporting pupils with career information advice and guidance. Maxine said: 'Once I got to know more about Gracie we started to discuss her career ambitions and option choices and it was at that point I explained the opportunities with the Foundation Apprenticeship in Social Services and Healthcare, which is a school subject giving pupils the chance to gain work experience as part of their qualification.' A Foundation Apprenticeship is a subject choice that allows pupils to get real industry experience while they are still at school, combining time spent with a learning provider and an employer. Completion leads to a qualification at the same level as a Scottish Higher and recognised by all colleges and universities in Scotland for entry into their further and higher education courses. Gracie said: 'When Maxine told me about the Foundation Apprenticeship it sounded perfect. It would mean I would stay on at school but get the chance to learn at college and get on-the-job experience.' As part of her Foundation Apprenticeship with Perth UHI, Gracie spent one day a week working at Blairgowrie Community Hospital in the elderly ward. Gracie said: 'I absolutely loved my experience on my Foundation Apprenticeship and it made me even more confident that I wanted to work in Healthcare.' Gracie also used her school year to help catch up on other subjects, choosing Human Biology, a National Progression Award in Exercise and Fitness and a Higher in Literature and Communication. With Maxine's help, Gracie successfully applied for an HNC course in Healthcare Practice at Perth UHI, which starts in the new term. Meanwhile, the caring teen landed a support staff role at another local care home, offering paid work over the summer months. Gracie said: 'I've had my best year at school, and I would never have had the chance to experience it if I hadn't got advice from Maxine. Maxine has been an amazing support and has helped me a lot. As well as talking me through my options she's helped me with job and college applications, developing my CV and my interview skills.' There's still time for pupils starting senior phase to choose a Foundation Apprenticeship. To find out what subjects are available at your school and apply online visit
The Herald Scotland
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Why is the SQA so quiet about students cheating with AI?
'We have no further comment to make.' It's a statement that every journalist has received plenty of times. Over the years investigating and reporting on Scottish education, both during and well before my time at The Herald, I've had variations of that statement from all sorts of bodies including councils, regulators, private companies, public organisations, and the Scottish Government. The message between the lines is simple: we're not answering these questions unless you find a way to make us. Sometimes this is what you get in response to follow up questions after receiving an initial response to an enquiry; other times it comes when you try to challenge them for ignoring some or all of an initial query. The latest instance – at least at the time of writing – involves the soon-to-be rebranded SQA, Scotland's only exam board and the body responsible for issuing exam results to students in a couple of weeks. The topic? Students using AI to cheat in their coursework. Read more Lessons to Learn: Here's the background: a teacher and current SQA marker recently approached us with some pretty serious concerns, alleging that they and others had been discouraged from reporting all instances of suspected AI use by students, and suggesting that the issue was effectively being covered up. If true, this would undermine the fairness of this year's National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results, and raise major questions for SQA leadership. So we approached SQA. We put the accusations to them to give them the opportunity to respond, and also asked for some specific and obviously relevant information: In total, how many scripts were flagged for potential use of AI by markers? (and what is this as a proportion of total scripts) How many of those were investigated and judged to show signs of AI use? What action was taken against those who were found to have cheated using AI? We also asked if the [[SQA]] would commit to an investigation of the claims being made, particularly given previous concerns about the [[SQA]]'s exam marking – remember the months-long Higher History debacle last year, for example? Here's the response we received, attributed to an SQA spokesperson: 'We provide principal assessors with guidance on the use of AI before marker meetings to help them prepare. Markers are told to raise all potential malpractice concerns during marking, including the use of AI, all of which are investigated.' So the exam board is disputing the accusation that markers were told not to report all concerns, but what about that other information? Well, when we asked if they would be responding to our other questions, we were told that they had 'no further comment to make'. So now we have to try to make this publicly-funded body answer these simple questions. One option would be to ask more specific questions, and give more information from markers, but this would risk revealing details of our sources. But teachers tend to be worried about being identified by the SQA and facing punitive actions for raising concerns, and to be honest that's a pretty reasonable concern on their part, so that's not a road we would go down. Which means that we need to use Freedom of Information requests. This – as the [[SQA]] knows – means it will be weeks before we might get the information we're asking for, and that's assuming they manage to answer on time (which isn't even remotely guaranteed) and don't try to withhold material using some of the clauses in FOI law. Crucially, the information is very unlikely to have been made available when exam results are released at the start of August. All of which is ironic, because just a couple of weeks ago the SQA was telling the press that the appointment of their new Chief Executive, Nick Page, 'marks the start of a new era of collaboration, transparency, and opportunity'. We have now submitted several FOI requests to the SQA, asking for the information they have so far refused to provide, as well as other material related to potential cheating through AI use. We will, as ever, let you know what we find, but it might be a while. We've also asked Mr Page to sit down for an interview with us, which would give him the chance to explain how he is going to deliver on promises of transparency and openness from an organisation that has historically pursued the opposite approach. We hope to bring you that soon as well.
Scotsman
23-07-2025
- Science
- Scotsman
Virtual Reality Used to Tackle STEM Disengagement in Scottish Secondary Schools
In recent years, people with keen eyes on the educational landscape of Scotland have pointed out the decreasing number of students pursuing careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). They have pointed out that students remain disengaged during the lectures of STEM subjects because it is hard for them to contemplate abstract concepts without visuals. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... To address their legitimate concerns and improve the learning experience of students, different bodies have taken revolutionary measures to introduce virtual reality (VR) based learning or teaching in schools across Scotland. In 2018, East Renfrewshire Council rolled out VR headsets for better learning across all 30 of its primary and secondary schools. Advocating the role of VR in tackling STEM disengagement in Scottish secondary schools. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Understanding the STEM Disengagement Problem in Scotland Secondary School Students at a Robotic Lab According to the report laid out by the Commission on School Reform in 2024, only 40.1% of S4 pupils in Scotland passed National 5 Maths, and even lower pass rates were observed in physics and computing science. This means that more than 50% of Scottish students are falling behind in STEM subjects. The report, titled "Broken STEM," formulated by the Commission on School Reform, also states that only 25.9% of S4 pupils passed biology and 21.6% passed applications of mathematics at National 5 level. These figures show the students' failure in grasping the concepts or ideas due to classical teaching pedagogies and old-fashioned learning practices. Posing a serious threat to Scotland's job market due to the decrease in the number of skilled professionals. How Virtual Reality is Revolutionising STEM Learning? Virtual reality is not just an entertainment technology useful for playing games like cricket and football with an immersive experience. Instead, it's a lifesaver for educationists like Dr. Gabriella Rodolic, who has published a paper on Virtual Reality in Education. It can be used to enhance and improve the STEM concepts learning for students. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad By simulating complex scientific processes, mathematical problems, and engineering scenarios. The Skills Development Scotland (SDS) launched a VR headset for construction learning students. It makes them visualise the construction sites and experience the process without leaving their classroom. It brings STEM subjects to life, enabling students to explore scenarios or environments like the inside of a wind turbine, a human cell, plantation seeds, the mechanism of robots, etc. All in all, it makes learning fun more than a boring transfer of ideas without any visual representation. If you, too, are working on educational dissertation topics related to the role of VR in addressing STEM disengagement among students. Then, consider working with modern pedagogies and educational technologies, sharing platforms like Essays UK and receive expert assistance in writing impact-making studies. Benefits of VR-Based Learning and Addressing STEM Disengagement Immersive Learning Experience for Students VR headsets provide an immersive learning experience to Scottish students in primary or secondary schools by bringing the actual picture of the idea in front of their eyes. For example, if children are learning the science behind plant reproduction. It will make them visualise or observe the whole process along with abstract words. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Increased Student Engagement in STEM Classrooms Students have very low attention spans, and boring traditional lectures about science and engineering without actual demonstrations fail to keep them hooked. But due to the VR headset, students actively participate in the lecture by being part of the process. Improved Memory Retention Among Students It is obvious that you are going to remember the things that you have observed through seeing and reading for longer. Then, the concepts or ideas just heard or read in your STEM Class. Virtual reality is helping students improve their memory in exams. Strong Skills Development Related to STEM Subjects The experience of doing practicals using VR, such as creating chemical solutions without real-world consequences. Helps in strong skills development, not only in concept development, as it happens in traditional teaching. Scottish Schools Leading The Way With VR Castlebrae High School: Introduced a VR system that makes students explore live construction sites to promote careers in construction. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad East Renfrewshire Council: One of the first councils in the UK to roll out VR headsets to all schools. They have invested £ 250,000 to provide over 900 ClassVR headsets to 30 primary and secondary schools. This initiative reported higher engagement and better retention among students. Erskine Stewart's Melville Schools: They have integrated VR into everyday lessons across various subjects, including Language, History, and RMPS. Resulting in better student engagement and learning experience, even when studying abstract STEM ideas. North Lanarkshire: It is home to Scotland's first fully immersive VR classroom, providing students with an opportunity to learn with fun and real-time examples. Conclusion
Spectator
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
How the SNP wrecked Scottish education
A small but not insignificant morsel of data on the state of education after 18 years of the SNP running Scotland. New figures show the gap between the poorest and wealthiest school leavers has widened to a five-year high. In the least deprived areas, just 3 per cent of school leavers fail to go to a 'positive destination', the Scottish Government's term for higher or further education, training, employment or voluntary work. Yet in the most deprived areas, areas like the former Lanarkshire industrial town from which I'm writing this, more than one in ten children leave school to what is euphemistically called 'other destinations', i.e. unemployment. Scottish Labour's education spokeswoman Pam Duncan-Glancy accuses the SNP of 'leaving Scotland's most disadvantaged pupils behind'. It's hard to disagree. Education used to be all the rage at Holyrood, the subject of speeches and pledges and reports and, most of all, photo ops. In 2015, early in her first ministership, Nicola Sturgeon – remember her? – gave a grand speech declaring that her defining priority would be closing the attainment gap between poor children and those from affluent families. These days Sturgeon tours the country chatting literature with minor celebs and touting her own forthcoming memoirs, but her legacy remains. And what a legacy it is. The attainment gap she undertook to close is widening. Children from the poorest parts of Scotland are 23 per cent less likely than those in the richest areas to leave school with at least one National 5, the Scottish equivalent of the GCSE. At Higher level (comparable to the A-Level), the gap is 38 per cent. Just 57 per cent leave school with a Higher and one in seven leave before even getting to that level. In reading, there is an 88-point performance gap between the richest and poorest children; in science, it's 92 points; in maths, 98. While the most deprived children bear the brunt of the Scottish education slump, no one escapes unharmed. Data from Pisa, an international study of school performance, shows that, almost two decades after the SNP came to power at Holyrood, test scores in science have fallen by 32 points and in maths by 35 points. Reading is the soaraway success story, with a drop of a mere six points in test performance. Children in Scottish schools are behind their English counterparts in all three disciplines. Little wonder the Institute for Fiscal Studies says 'something, somewhere is going wrong in Scottish education'. It's something, somewhere, all at once. Subject choice has narrowed under the SNP's Curriculum for Excellence. More than 40 per cent of pupils are persistently absent from Scottish high schools. A survey by teaching union NASUWT found 44 per cent of respondents north of the border suffered physical abuse or violence at the hands of their pupils last year. There were more than 40,000 violent incidents in local authority schools in 2024 and since the pandemic there has been a 76 per cent increase in offensive weapons in the classroom, with Police Scotland recording 194 cases in the past three years. Even in the most conducive education environment, learning can be very difficult for some pupils. In a culture of chaos, it can become impossible. Back in 2015, when Nicola Sturgeon gave her landmark speech on closing the educational attainment gap, she said: Let me be clear: I want to be judged on this. If you are not, as first minister, prepared to put your neck on the line on the education of our young people then what are you prepared to. It really matters. It does matter, but did it ever really matter to Sturgeon? A decade on, the balance of the evidence confirms that outcomes in Scottish education declined on her watch and that children from the poorest families shouldered the worst of it. Schools have been struggling to recover ever since Sturgeon made haste for the exit and a media career. As she offers election night punditry, tours theatres and playhouses with her novelist pals, and chips in the odd book review, it is difficult to discern where or when she put her neck on the line. Perhaps its high brass content made things difficult.
