45% To Take Existing Higher Exams

Almost half of pupils taking Highers this year will sit the existing exam and not the new qualification, provisional figures suggest.

Schools were given the option to phase in the new Highers after teaching unions raised concerns about their implementation.

All pupils will study for the new qualifications, brought in as part of the Curriculum for Excellence reforms, from the 2015/16 school year on.

New figures from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) show that of 217,976 provisional Higher entries across S5 and S6 this year, 120,557 (55%) are for the new exams and 97,419 (45%) for existing Highers.

In biology, chemistry and physics, 65% are expected to sit the current exam compared to only 35% taking the new version.

Just over half of students (51%) are due to take the new Maths exam, with the remainder sitting the existing paper. In English, a provisional 61% will sit the new qualification with 39% sticking to the old Higher.

Education Secretary Angela Constance welcomed a five per cent year-on-year rise in the overall number of provisional entries for Highers and said the figures showed the introduction of the new exams was progressing well.

She said: We know from provisional entry data from the Scottish Qualifications Authority that significant numbers of those pupils taking Highers this year have been studying the new Highers.

We listened to schools who requested flexibility and we acted. I have seen today how schools are making good use of this flexibility, to phase in the new qualifications in a sensible way.''

The introduction of the new Higher follows the replacement of the old Standard Grade exams with National 4 and 5 qualifications.

Ms Constance added: The ongoing reform of our education system is preparing our young people for the world of work and further and higher education.

Scottish education now offers more flexible learning opportunities for our young people and new National qualifications, which were introduced at the beginning of the 2013/14 school year, are now well established.

In August last year we saw a substantial increase in the number of both Higher entries and Higher passes.

I am very pleased that we are again seeing a substantial interest in provisional entries for Higher. It is very positive to see greater numbers of young people aspiring to higher levels of qualifications in our schools.''