NEW RESEARCH: FEWER THAN TWO-IN-FIVE PUPILS PASSING MATHS AND ENGLISH
- New FOI requests reveal data for proportion of pupils rather than proportion of entries
- 78.3% of S4 pupils achieved A-C in English National 5
- 39.7% got A-C in Maths
- 38.9% got A-C in both English and Maths
- Biology (26%), Chemistry (21%), Physics (18%)
- Former Headteacher Carole Ford: “We have utterly failed to recover from Covid”
The Commission on School Reform, the education arm of the independent think tank Enlighten, today releases its third annual Freedom of Information research, which shows the ‘real’ pass rates for National 5 exams in Scotland.
The data has revealed that less than 40% of S4 pupils achieved an A-C grade in National 5 Mathematics, with A-C pass rates in the sciences down in the twenties or teens.
The FOI data analyses the SQA examination data based on the number of pupils in the cohort, rather than the number which sit the examination, giving a more accurate interpretation of the performance of school pupils as a whole.
For example, if 100 pupils sit National 5 Maths and 90 pass, the Scottish Government would consider this to be a pass rate of 90%. This is not untrue, but it does not paint an accurate picture of overall pupil attainment. If the total number of pupils was actually 200, and only 100 sit the exam, the overall proportion of the cohort gaining the qualification is only 45%.
The new data – for 2026 – has shown that A-C pass rates in STEM subjects continue to be poor, with outcomes still below the level recorded before the Covid pandemic:
- 39.7% in mathematics (44.5% in 2019)
- 26.2% in biology (29.4% in 2019)
- 21.3% in chemistry (25.1% in 2019)
- 17.9% in physics (20.1% in 2019)
- 8.8% in computing science (9.3% in 2019)
More positively, A-C pass rates for English climbed to 78.3% from 74.6% in 2019. However, the proportion achieving an A-C pass in both English and Maths was 38.9%, down from 42.9% in 2019.
Commenting, Carole Ford, former Headteacher of Kilmarnock Academy, former Principal Teacher of Maths, and member of the Commission on School Reform, said:
“These STEM results should be of deep concern to all of us. We are talking here about a generation of children whose outcomes have been suppressed because there is no national push towards academic excellence.
“Most exam data is presented by the Government as a success, but that is based on those who take the exam. This is much more revealing and accurate data, because it measures all pupils, not just those who sit the examination.
“We must stop sweeping the realities of school performance under the carpet. We have an obligation to ourselves and to future generations to face up to our problems.”
Commenting on the alternative Applications of Mathematics examination, Carole Ford said:
“The introduction of the Nat 5 Applications of Mathematics qualification is a way to ensure that some people who are not able to achieve a pass at the maths examination are able to get some sort of numeracy qualification, but it is important to recognise that the Applications course is not even close to the mathematical level of Nat 5 Mathematics, neither in content nor in level of challenge.
“For example, despite ‘mathematics’ remaining in its title, the course contains no algebra, no reference to equations or functions, no trigonometry, no geometry related to angles, straight lines, similarity or vectors.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
- The FOI data can be read here.
- The Commission on School Reform is the education arm of Enlighten. Its full membership can be seen here.
- Enlighten is a public policy institute which works to promote increased economic prosperity, opportunity for all, and more effective public services. Enlighten is independent of political parties and any other organisations. It is funded by donations from private individuals, charitable trusts and corporate organisations. Its Director is Chris Deerin and Alison Payne is the Research Director. Both work closely with the Trustee Board, chaired by Lord McConnell, which meets regularly to review the research and policy programme.
- For media contact Andy Maciver, [email protected], 07855 261 244