The number of people entering Highers at Scottish colleges has dropped by almost 20 per cent in a year, data from the SQA has shown. The figures, released along with this year’s results, reveal that 4.9 per cent of this year’s 185,844 Higher entries were in FE colleges – compared to 6 per cent of the 185,914 entries in 2019. That represents a drop of over 18.5 per cent.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, exams were cancelled in schools and colleges this year, and results are based on teacher assessments. This morning, it was revealed that around a quarter of teacher estimates were “adjusted” by Scotland’s exam body – the vast majority downwards.
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Achievement rates
The results data from the SQA shows that the rate of students achieving an A to C grade in their Higher this year hit its highest level since 2016 at 78.9 per cent – a rise of approximately four percentage points on last year. The pass rate has also risen this year at National 5 and Advanced Higher level.
The data from the SQA also includes results for SQA Awards and Skills for Work Courses, which can be taken at SCQF levels 3-6, showing 31,428 SQA Awards have been achieved in 2020 – more than the 26,735 in 2019, along with 12,279 Skills for Work courses – up from 9,662 in 2019. Skills for Work courses focus on the world of work and the generic employability skills needed for success in the workplace. Young people taking these will normally spend some of their time at college, other training provider or employer.
Attainment figures for National Progression Awards (NPAs), which assess a defined set of skills in a vocational area, and National Certificates (NCs), designed to prepare people for employment, career development or progression to more advanced study, were also published today. In total, 16,230 NPAs and 4,284 NCs have been achieved – compared to 13,136 NPAs and 4,873 NCs in 2019.
A spokesperson for Colleges Scotland said: “There are a variety of factors which will naturally have an impact on the number of students who are studying Highers in colleges including some pupils staying on at school longer as well as an increasing proportion undertaking apprenticeships, particularly Foundation Apprenticeships, and Developing the Young Workforce programmes.
"We are also seeing an increase in the numbers of students going straight into higher education courses in colleges, particularly those enrolling on HNCs, which will also have an effect.
“Going to college is the natural progression route for so many people and colleges work in partnership with schools and universities across Scotland to offer a variety of courses and pathways into further and higher education, leading to successful careers.”
The spokesperson added: "All students across Scotland receiving their exam results today should be proud of their efforts and we congratulate them on their achievements. Campuses may have been closed since March because of the pandemic, but colleges have remained open using virtual and remote learning to support students to complete their courses.
“Colleges are the number one choice for so many people and we look forward to welcoming all the new and returning students back to campuses when the new term starts. This year will be different due to social distancing measures and a blended learning approach, however, colleges have been working hard to ensure that they can deliver high-quality learning and teaching safely, in line with Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland guidance, and ensure that students can still have a great learning experience whilst they gain new skills and industry-recognised qualifications.
“This includes those students whose learning experiences have been disrupted as a consequence of the impact of Covid-19 and the lockdown period, and who will be returning to college to complete their qualifications, and colleges remain committed to supporting those individuals on their learning journeys and on their progression into further study and/or the workplace.”
