Home   News   Article

Testing times over – for now – as Ross-shire pupils get school exam results


By Scott Maclennan

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!
Alness Academy pupils Graeme Reily, Ryan Ross, Sarah Mackay, Ewen MacIver, Mollie McGoran and Daniel Bauer were amongst hundreds across the Highlands to receive their results this week. Picture: Callum Mackay. Image No. 044558
Alness Academy pupils Graeme Reily, Ryan Ross, Sarah Mackay, Ewen MacIver, Mollie McGoran and Daniel Bauer were amongst hundreds across the Highlands to receive their results this week. Picture: Callum Mackay. Image No. 044558

ROSS-SHIRE pupils whose agonising wait for exam results came to an end this week have been urged to keep calm and assess their options – regardless their grades.

As pupils and schools digested results that popped through many letterboxes this week, Highland Council chief executive Donna Manson voiced "delight" at stats showing 45 per cent of pupils in S5 achieved five National 5s – an increase of 2.5 per cent compared to last year.

There has also been a significant increase (eight per cent) in the number of passes in Higher English.

Ninety-four per cent passed this year compared to 86 per cent last year while there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of no awards.

But council chiefs emphasised pupils whose results are not what they might have hoped are being urged to remain calm and tap sources of next-steps help available.

Mrs Manson said: “It is fantastic to see that Highland Council results were exceptional.What I am most pleased about is that they were exceptional for all our young people, for young people from a range of communities, a range of abilities.

“It is all about children doing their best and to see children who are in Scottish attainment fund schools and receiving pupil equity funding getting good results – I am delighted."

In Alness, Sarah Mackay, who did not feel she did that well the previous year, registered a significant improvement this year with two As and two Bs in biology, business, English and geography.

The S5 pupil said: “I thought I’d wait and get my results before I decided because it is too soon to decide yet. I was quite nervous because last year I didn’t do as well as I wanted so I was thinking I did worse than I did this year just to prepare myself so it was quite a nice surprise when I opened it.”

Another pupil who swept the board was Daniel Bauer, a S4 pupil at Alness who got six As at National 5s in maths, English, graphic communication, geography, history and physics.

“It is a question of wondering whether your hard work will pay off in the end or be left feeling a little bit disappointed. I have got another year of school yet so I will do Highers next year then hopefully head off to university at some point, possibly to study engineering.”

Alness Academy head teacher Nicky Grant: 'Outstanding results'. Picture: Callum Mackay. Image No. 044558.
Alness Academy head teacher Nicky Grant: 'Outstanding results'. Picture: Callum Mackay. Image No. 044558.

Head teacher at Alness Nicky Grant said: “We have absolutely outstanding results across the board and that is all the way from National 3 to advanced higher.

“Alness is a Scottish attainment challenge school and we managed to raise attainment in each of the key measures. A major coup for us this year was the English results which were probably the best in the local authority and again that is for all of my students."

Dingwall Academy head teacher Karen Cormack said: "I haven't been able to look at the full breakdown of results yet but we had five pupils achieve all A passes for their Highers in S5.

"However we want to celebrate the full range of achievements. We are really proud of the range of qualifications and subjects we now have on offer, with some courses offered in partnership with UHI, North Highland College and Eden Court.

"Our Syrian pupils have achieved their ESOL language course and are aiming to work towards some National 4s and Nationals 5s next year. Their approach to school and commitment to learning is wonderful."

Robbie McFedries at Ullapool High School said: "We have had a great set of results again, testament to the hard work of staff and pupils over the past year, with particularly good results in our S4 National 5s. A stand out set of results came from Kepler Petzall. Kepler had sat Highers in French and maths last year in S4 and gained As. This year he took those to Advanced Higher at grade A, as well achieving another four Highers at Grade A."

At Fortrose Academy on the Black Isle, rector Gavin McLean was celebrating a remarkable set of results with 15 pupils scoring five As in their Highers.

He said it had been an "exceptional" year 5 group with 35 per cent of pupils achieiving five Highers.

He also supported the "No Wrong Path" initiative flagging up the wide variety of options available and encouraging people who have been through the education system to share their stories of how they got where they are.


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More