Exam joy for pupils as results improve

Thousands of pupils across the Capital received their exam results this morning as it emerged their overall performance had surpassed previous years.

City leaders offered congratulations to the candidates, while reinforcing their commitment to provide opportunities for school leavers despite the economic climate.

In total, 9654 pupils sat 45,775 exams in subjects as diverse as accountancy and woodwork. All candidates received their results in the post, with 25,500 certificates delivered across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Those who had signed up to also get their results electronically by text or e-mail received them at 9am this morning, with no repeat of last year’s mistake which saw electronic results delivered a day early.

According to early indications, this year’s results have improved on last year’s.

Though the number of pupils achieving one Advanced Higher had dropped to 19 per cent, one point down on the previous year, performance in Highers continued to rise, with the percentage of students gaining at least one Higher pass rising by one per cent and continuing a four-year trend of improvement.

Ninety-four per cent of Standard Grade pupils sitting English and mathematics received a pass at level three or better, in keeping with last year’s results.

Seventy-nine per cent of S4 pupils gained five or more awards at level four or better, a two per cent improvement on last year, and the second year in a row the number has risen.

Councillor Paul Godzik, education convener, said: “I want to congratulate all those who sat exams this year. We have been working hard to make sure all school leavers enter a positive destination of employment, training or further 
education.

“Initiatives such as the Edinburgh Guarantee are going a long way to making this a reality for many of our ex-pupils.”

One of those waiting anxiously for the postman this morning was Prateek Yadav, an S6 pupil from Tynecastle High School, who sat Advanced Higher exams in physics, maths and 
chemistry.

Prateek, who had a conditional offer to study physics at Oxford University, discovered all his hard work had not been in vain as he gained the results he needed to secure his 
place.

He said: “I’m very happy to have achieved these marks – I worked very hard for them!”

Across the country record numbers passed at Higher level, with more of the exams completed than last year and the pass rate also increasing, going from 75.2 per cent in 2011 to 76.9 per cent in 2012.

The pass rate for Advanced Highers rose from 79.3 per cent to 80.1 per cent and for Standard Grades the rate was higher too, increasing by 0.4 percentage points to 98.9 per cent.

Education Secretary Mike Russell also congratulated students on their results, saying: “This has been another successful year which is testament to the hard work that pupils have put into their courses.”

He added: “Of course, as well as being a time of celebration for many, this is also a time of uncertainty for others. Rest assured, help is available through the exam results helpline on 0808 100 8000 for those who may not have got what they needed.”