DUNOON Grammar School has reflected on a successful year which saw its A-C Advanced Higher pass rate beat the local and national averages.
The school’s A-C pass rates at National 5 and Higher levels were also in touch with the local and national figures, but staff have recognised areas for development.
A report has detailed the methods used by staff to help boost the pass rates during the recent 2025/26 exam diet, the results of which will be received in August.
The details feature in a report to go before Argyll and Bute Council’s Bute and Cowal area committee at its meeting on Tuesday, June 2.
The document said: “For session 2025/26, refinements have been made to improve a ‘nomination’ process so that staff can target more pupils who are passing but personally underachieving with the highly structured support process to drive improvement and raise A-B pass percentage [at National 5 level].
“Greater emphasis is being place on the assignment component across the school – creation of SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) assessment calendar to better formalise an ‘assignment diet’ which pupils and parents should regard in the same capacity as the main exam diet.
“Though S5 Higher A-B pass rate has improved, A-C and A-D pass rates have fallen when compared against that of 2019. For session 2025/26, Interventions programme has expanded so that more learners are receiving targeted support – particularly those tacking at grade D or below.
“Increased curricular leader and teaching staff engagement with tracking data within their curricular area should allow the proactive implementation of support in courses with lower A-C/A-D pass rates over the course of the year with a view of improving attainment in the final exam.
“Roll-out of a highly structured and robust strategy towards tracking and tackling attendance concerns should contribute towards improved outcomes, by improving attendance of learners currently undertaking qualifications.
“Renewed strategy has provided teaching staff with greater tools to improve attendance (and therefore, potentially attainment) within their classrooms using ‘attendance referrals’ – allowing them to better target learners tacking at grade C/D with inconsistent attendance.”
The report also highlighted other success stories for the school over the past year, including projects and trips.
It said: “Dunoon Grammar School has had another positive and productive year. The school continues to develop confidence in our young people and develop them both academically and socially.
“We continue to work with our community partners on a number of projects [including] Dunoon Burgh Hall, Dunoon Film Festival, our local primary schools, Dunoon Museum, Historic Kilmun, Learning Centre activities, The Dunoon Project [and] Cowal Highland Gathering.
“We continue to work with our national partners including The Wood Foundation. We continue to offer a wide range of extracurricular activities and school trips.
“A group of our young people took part in a trip to Tanzania this session. This is our fourth trip to Tanzania. This year we have invited staff from Tanzania schools to visit Dunoon Grammar School.
“We are also planning to organise an adult trip this year. This will involve school staff, parents/carers and members of the community. We also coordinated a trip for the local community. We continue to offer our exchange programme to France and Germany.
“Derek Darkins, our principal teacher of humanities, has been awarded the classical studies teacher of the year. He will attend an award ceremony in London to collect the award.”
