PUPILS in Argyll and Bute have seen a further boost to their exam results in 2024/25 after appeal results were confirmed.
The area’s Advanced Higher A-C pass rate was already ahead of the national figure, but now stands at 74.9 per cent after a 0.4 per cent increase, against the national return of 74 per cent.
The Higher A-C pass rate was boosted by 0.2 per cent, making it 73.6 per cent against a national average of 75 per cent.
At National 5 level, appeals raised the Argyll and Bute number by 0.1 per cent to 77.3 per cent, with the national figure now 77.6 per cent.
English was the most successfully appealed subject in Argyll and Bute after the 2024/25 exam diet, with 12 appeals succeeding across the three levels.
The details are contained in a report which will go to the council’s community services committee at its meeting on Thursday, March 5.
Executive director Douglas Hendry said: “For the 2022/23 exam diet onwards the SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) have used an appeals process which differs from previous iterations.
“In the previous session, 2021/22, evidence of candidate attainment could be submitted, and such information was considered in terms of any change in grade.
“From 2022/23 onwards, the appeal process was limited to an administrative check relating to the accuracy of the final grade entered, and a check that constituent marks had been totalled correctly.
“Inherently this appeal process produces less changes in grade as it does not consider any external evidence of pupil attainment. As a result, there has been an overall reduction in the number of appeals submitted and the number of amended grades, both nationally and in Argyll and Bute.
“The 53 upgraded awards in 2025 surpasses the 33 successful appeals that occurred in the 2023/24 session. This is, in part, a reflection of increased presentation rates as detailed in previous reports.
“Of 53 appeals which led to a revised award, 48 saw the award increase by a single award level (7 to 6 for example). Four appeals were changed by two numerical grades (7 to 5 for example), and one appeal saw a grade of 6 (C) change to a 2(A).”
