SECONDARY school pupils in East Lothian once again have reason to celebrate, as the number achieving five or more National 5 qualifications increased to its highest level since 2022.
Teenagers received their results today from Qualifications Scotland (QS) and East Lothian has shown “a strong performance” across the levels.
Across the county, a total of 2,782 candidates achieved 14,999 awards, ranging from National 2 to National 5, Higher, Advanced Higher and ungraded Skills for Work courses – an increase from 14,365 last year.
Councillor Fiona Dugdale, cabinet member for education and children’s and family services, congratulated the young people who learned of their results today and said that every learner “should be proud of the work they have put in throughout the year”.
However, the attainment gap between pupils living in the most and least disadvantaged areas increased across all levels compared to the previous year.
National 5 results saw 79 per cent of those sitting the exam achieve A-C grades, above the Scotland-wide average of 77 per cent.
The pass rate for English was 89 per cent and Maths was 75 per cent, with National 5 pass rates in East Lothian “in line with the national average” across the subjects, according to the local authority.
There was also an increase in the number of pupils achieving A-C grades at Higher, with 78 per cent reaching the standard, with East Lothian’s Higher pass rates above the national average for the second year in a row.
For pupils who studied English, this increased from 74 per cent last year to 80 per cent this year, while Maths decreased from 80 per cent to 75 per cent.
Almost half of S6 pupils (47 per cent) presented for an Advanced Higher qualification and, of them, 73 per cent achieved A-C grades.
Across Scotland, the National 5 pass rate was 79.2 per cent, up 0.6 percentage points; the Higher pass rate was 76.7 per cent, up 0.8 percentage points; and the Advanced Higher rate was 77.6 per cent, up 0.9 percentage points.
The National 5 rate is nearing the pre-pandemic high of 79.6 per cent recorded in 2017, but rates at all levels remain below pre-pandemic levels.
The attainment gap, which measures the difference between pupils living in the most and least disadvantaged areas, decreased nationally compared to 2025, but increased in East Lothian.
At National 5 level, the difference in East Lothian was 15 percentage points, while it was 19 at Higher and 13 at Advanced Higher.
Ms Dugdale said that achieving qualifications “requires commitment, determination and resilience”, and gave thanks to parents, carers, teachers, support staff and people across the school communities.
She added: “While there is much to celebrate, we remain firmly committed to ensuring that every young person has the same opportunity to achieve their potential, regardless of their background or circumstances.
“Addressing inequalities in attainment continues to be a key priority for us.”
She reminded young people who might be feeling disappointed that “results do not define your future” and that there is support available to figure out next steps.
These include through the school, university or college, as well as Skills Development Scotland.
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