Which area has the best grades? Key takeaways from Scotland's exam results
More than 130,000 Scottish students have found out how they did in their exams.
The Scottish education system's exam results for 2026 have been released, with more than 130,000 students receiving their grades. National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher qualifications saw slight increases in pass rates compared to 2025. The gap between the highest-achieving and least-advantaged students remained significant, although it has narrowed slightly.
Female students consistently outperformed their male counterparts in all three qualification levels. Council-level data indicated that East Renfrewshire had the highest proportion of A to C grades at National 5, while Large Urban Areas led in attainment for all qualification levels. Private schools continued to outperform state schools, with over 90% of private school entries achieving A to C grades, compared to less than 80% for state schools.
Students with additional support needs (ASN) also lagged behind their peers, with the attainment gap remaining at 8.9 percentage points at National 5 and 6.2 percentage points at Higher.
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