The proportion of A grades awarded at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher has hit an all-time high this year - despite the overall SQA pass rate dropping when compared with last year.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has warned against making comparisons between the results obtained by students this year and in previous years given the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the figures do show a record-breaking proportion of A grades this year for some of the most popular school qualifications.

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At National 5, 46.7 per cent of entries gained an A grade this year (42.3 per cent in 2020 and 35.1 per cent in 2019); at Higher 47.6 per cent of entries gained an A (40 per cent in 2020 and 28.3 per cent in 2019); and at Advanced Higher over half of entries gained an A - a total of 51 per cent (46.3 per cent in 2020 and 32 per cent in 2019).

This will be a big story today - pass rate down at Higher, but proportion of A grades up and hitting 47.6% pic.twitter.com/avlLqLw6Am

- Emma Seith (@Emma_Seith) August 10, 2021

Meanwhile, the SQA has revealed that the number of candidates seeking to appeal their results so far this year is “just under 4,000”. In 2019 the results service received approximately 11,500 requests for reviews - although SQA chief executive Fiona Robertson stressed that appeals this year were still being submitted.

In a briefing following the publication of this year’s results the SQA said that the grade distribution for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher - so the proportion of qualification entries receiving As, Bs, Cs, Ds or no awards - was being driven to a large extent by English and maths attainment, given they are the “larger entry qualifications”.

The body revealed the proportion of pupils gaining an A for Higher maths was 47.1 per cent this year, up from 40.6 per cent in 2020, and 32.9 per cent in 2019

Meanwhile, the proportion of students gaining an A for Higher English was 42.2 per cent this year - as compared with 31.7 per cent in 2020, and 23 per cent in 2019.

The changes sparked questions at an SQA media briefing after the publication of 2021 results data about whether the A grade now has “a credibility problem”.

In response, Ms Robertson said that learners could have confidence in their results.

She acknowledged the increase in A grades but said the results needed “to be seen in a wider context”, that teachers had “worked hard to apply the national standard” and there had been “quality assurance”.

Ms Robertson said: “It’s important to highlight to start with we do see some variation in attainment, and the composition of attainment, every year and that’s to be expected between courses and over time so we see that in a normal year.

“This year we are seeing more movements in attainment than we would see in a normal year when exams are held.

“Learners across Scotland have experienced disruption to learning and teaching and periods of remote learning. We have had modifications to assessments, the absence of external assessment and flexibility in terms of how and when courses were assessed by teachers and lecturers which was required due to the levels of disruption and that may have impacted on attainment.”

Ms Robertson added: “I think it’s important that learners have full confidence in these results as well as parents, carers, employers, universities and colleges and there have been some public statements around all of that - supportive public statements around results - and I am confident that teachers and lecturers have worked hard to apply the national standards this year, including support from SQA, and we provided feedback on the application of national standards.

“I absolutely would acknowledge that A grade is up but I hope that provides some helpful context for the changes that we have seen this year and I’ve highlighted in my chief examining officer’s report about care that needs to be applied in making comparisons between years...and drawing any conclusions from them, especially when it concerns the last two years.”