By Bill Heaney
Scottish Labour has pledged to build an education system that unlocks the potential of every child following the publication of exam results data.
The new figures show some progress on the previous year in terms of overall attainment and a slight narrowing of the attainment gap.
However, by most measures the attainment gap is largely unchanged compared to pre-pandemic levels, and the attainment gap in the Higher pass rate has widened since 2019.
Scottish Labour has warned that education is “stagnating” under the SNP, despite the hard work of pupils and teachers.
Scottish Labour Education spokesperson Pam Duncan-Glancy, pictured right, said: “The improvements in this year’s results are a testament to the incredible hard work of pupils and their dedicated teachers.
“Right across our education system staff have gone above and beyond to give kids the education they deserve despite a lack of leadership from this SNP government.
“While any progress closing the attainment gap should be welcomed, the truth is it remains stubbornly wide.
“The SNP has gone from promising to close the attainment gap entirely to congratulating itself for the most incremental progress.
“From those doing exams to those pursuing a vocation, young people in Scotland deserve a government with more ambition for their future.
“After years of stagnation under the SNP, Scottish Labour government will build an education system that unlocks the potential of every child.”
Commenting on Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth, left, repeatedly failing to say whether the SNP will meet its target to close the attainment gap by 2026, Ms Duncan-Glancy MSP said: “It is damning that Jenny Gilruth cannot say whether the attainment gap will be closed by next year.
“This once again proves that any promises made by the SNP are simply not worth the paper they are written on.
“In 2015, Nicola Sturgeon said she wanted to be judged on closing the attainment gap, with the SNP promising to ‘substantially eliminate’ it within a decade.
“Almost a decade on and SNP ministers are refusing to own up to Scots that they have repeatedly made promises that they are unable to deliver upon.
“Education is a devolved matter and the responsibility of the Scottish Government, and yet Jenny Gilruth instead chooses to make excuses for the SNP’s atrocious record.
“Scotland’s young people are being held back by a failing SNP government, with ministers consistently shirking responsibility for their own failures.
“Next year, voters will face a direct choice – more managed decline with an SNP government led by John Swinney or a new direction with a Scottish Government led by Anas Sarwar.”
Headline Attainment
National 5s
A to C attainment was 78.4% in 2025 – an increase from 77.2% in 2024 and 78.4% in 2019.
Attainment was 39.2% in 2025 – an increase from 38% in 2024 and 35.1% in 2019
Higher
A to C attainment was 75.9% in 2025 – an increase from 74.9% in 2024 and 74.8% in 2019
A attainment was 30.8% in 2025 – an increase from 30.3% in 2024 and 28.3% in 2019
Advanced Higher
A to C attainment was 76.7% in 2025 – an increase from 75.3% in 2024 but down from 79.4% in 2019
A attainment was 31.4% in 2025 – an increase from 30.0% in 2024 but down from 31.8% in 2019
Deprivation Attainment Gap
National 5s
In 2025, the difference in A to C attainment between the most deprived and least deprived quintiles was 16.6 percentage points. This is a decrease on the 2024 value of 17.2 percentage points.
In 2025, the difference in A attainment between the most deprived and least deprived quintiles was 27.5 percentage points. This is a decrease on the 2024 value of 27.6 percentage points.
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Table 11.2: National 5 percentage point difference in A and A to C attainment between SIMD quintile 1 and SIMD quintile 5. All percentage point differences are in favour of candidates in SIMD quintile 5 (least deprived). |
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|
Attainment |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
A |
27.6 pp |
25.7 pp |
25.1 pp |
27.1 pp |
26.4 pp |
27.6 pp |
27.5 pp |
|
A to C |
17.0 pp |
8.0 pp |
9.0 pp |
14.6 pp |
15.6 pp |
17.2 pp |
16.6 pp |
Highers
In 2025, the difference in A to C attainment between the most deprived and least deprived quintiles was 17.1 percentage points. This is a decrease on the 2024 value of 17.2 percentage points.
In 2025, the difference in A attainment between the most deprived and least deprived quintiles was 22.0 percentage points. This is a decrease on the 2024 value of 22.1 percentage points.
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Table 12.2: Higher percentage point difference in A and A to C attainment between SIMD quintile 1 and SIMD quintile 5. All percentage point differences are in favour of candidates in SIMD quintile 5 (least deprived). |
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|
Attainment |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
A |
22.0 pp |
20.3 pp |
22.1 pp |
23.2 pp |
23.3 pp |
22.1 pp |
22.0 pp |
|
A to C |
16.9 pp |
6.4 pp |
7.9 pp |
15.0 pp |
16.0 pp |
17.2 pp |
17.1 pp |
Advanced Highers
In 2025, the difference in A to C attainment between the most deprived and least deprived quintiles was 12.8 percentage points. This is a decrease on the 2024 value of 15.5 percentage points.
In 2025, the difference in A attainment between the most deprived and least deprived quintiles was 18.3 percentage points. This is a decrease on the 2024 value of 18.7 percentage points.
|
Table 13.2: Advanced Higher percentage point difference in A and A to C attainment between SIMD quintile 1 and SIMD quintile 5. All percentage point differences are in favour of candidates in SIMD quintile 5 (least deprived). |
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|
Attainment |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
A |
15.5 pp |
16.3 pp |
20.8 pp |
20.5 pp |
17.6 pp |
18.7 pp |
18.3 pp |
|
A to C |
13.2 pp |
2.9 pp |
5.5 pp |
13.2 pp |
11.5 pp |
15.5 pp |
12.8 pp |