Results day marks ‘landmark year’ for SQA
The total number of vocational and technical qualifications exceeded 100,000 for the first time ever
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Around 147,000 students in Scotland will receive their results today (5 August) in what has been called a “landmark year” of achievement, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has said.
The SQA, which will be replaced by Qualifications Scotland in December, reported overall attainment rates at A-C, increasing at all levels of National Qualifications (National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher).
It also found the poverty-related attainment gap narrowed at all levels of National Qualifications (National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher).
In addition, the total number of vocational and technical qualifications exceeded 100,000 for the first time ever, while more than 200,000 higher entries were reported for the first time since Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) qualifications were introduced in 2014.
Donna Stewart, Scotland’s chief examining officer, said: “Scotland’s learners should be rightly proud today – and we are proud of them. Their hard work and commitment has made 2025 a landmark year. The rise in overall attainment at all three National Qualification levels will rightly be welcomed in classrooms and staffrooms across Scotland.
“Higher entries have also risen beyond 200,000 for the first time since Curriculum for Excellence was introduced. The number of vocational and technical qualifications passed the 100,000 landmark for the first time, with record numbers of learners embracing the wide range of skills-based learning that schools, colleges, teachers and lecturers are working so hard to offer and that employers are crying out for.”
She added: “2025 has also seen the poverty-related attainment gap narrow at all levels of national qualifications. We welcome that progress towards the shared national mission to reduce inequality. All of those achievements are to be celebrated – and they belong to Scotland’s learners.
“I also want to thank my fellow teachers, not only the thousands of them who also play a critical role as SQA markers and so make Results Day possible but every educator across Scotland for the work they do every day to support learners. Today is the last Results Day for SQA, after three decades of service to Scotland. We are already working hard to ensure that Qualifications Scotland builds upon the best of SQA while delivering positive change that will be felt long before Results Day 2026.”
