Highland pupils at a ‘disadvantage’ as attainment falls in years S4 to S6 as new figures show the north is behind the national average in 13 out of 15 areas
Highland pupils are now “at a disadvantage when applying to university or college” as new figures show attainment has fallen again for pupils in S4 to S6 seeking grades to access higher education.
The data shows that there has been a drop in 10 out of 15 standards in 2023/24, often reflecting lower results against the national average as well as against comparable local authorities.
And in what appears to be an admission of failure in the wake of the results, the chief officer for education Fiona Grant says the council’s attainment improvement programme will be “reviewed and refreshed” - just two years after it was introduced.
So-called raising attainment boards and a consultation with schools “will focus on establishing clear lines of responsibility running through the service for raising attainment”.
That will see the introduction of so-called Raising Attainment Boards and a consultation with schools “will focus on establishing clear lines of responsibility running through the service for raising attainment”.
That might not be enough for critics who say bosses’ resistance to change is a major part of the problem with education committee chairman John Finlayson maintaining a “business as usual” approach despite genuine fears of a crisis in the department.
The local authority has been at a loss to account for the declining achievement in schools and in February even tried to blame primary school teachers for being too “cautious” in their marking.
The latest attainment numbers show that for pupils in the critical S4-S6 cohort - the age when many leave school - most of the results have fallen, though there were some areas of slight improvement.
Attainment at SCQF Level 6 literacy in S6 dropped one point while the same qualification in S5 held steady, while at Level 5 in S4 it rose by one point.
Yet numeracy at SCQF Level 6 in S6 rose by two per cent but fell by one per cent for S5s, and the Level 5 numeracy in S4 fell by two per cent but what is more worrying is the fall registered across S4 to S6.
Attainment at SQA Level 7 in S6 and SQA Level 6 in S5 and those gaining 3+ Awards at SQA Level 6 in S6; 3+ Awards at SQA Level 6 in S5; 1+ Awards at SQA Level 6 in S5; 5+ Awards at SQA Level 5 in S4; 3+ Awards at SQA Level 5 in S4 – all fell between 1.7 and 3.8 per cent.
The council tried to put a positive light on the stats, Cllr Finlayson said: “I am really pleased to see where Highland has been able to keep pace or indeed, in some cases, do better than the national position and our virtual comparators this year.”
But the council fell behind nationally on 13 out of 15 of those criteria by hefty margins ranging from 2 per cent to 4.8 per cent - and it is this lag between the national and Highland figures that worries Councillor Helen Crawford.
“Obviously, these results are disappointing,” she said. “There are some pockets of success, but the reality is that our secondary schools are again performing below the Scottish average for qualifications gained at S4, S5 and S6 levels.
“This means that children who are educated in the Highlands are at a disadvantage when applying to university or college because children educated in other council areas are consistently outperforming them.
“Given that we have skilled and professional teachers, we need to be honest and ask whether the approach being taken by the education and learning department and our education committee is the right one.
“I’ve been a member of that committee for just over two years and I urge anyone who has an interest in the education of our children to attend it and see for themselves the disconnect that exists between what is spoken about there and the reality of what is going on in our schools.
“In my time as a councillor I have proposed numerous motions, calling for a review of what and why this council is not delivering on education and each time those proposals have been voted down by this administration.
“Even a basic and obvious request to undertake a literacy and numeracy recovery plan was voted down. I don’t see things changing any time soon and that is sad because this is about children and their life chances and our teachers who we should better value and support.
“We need fundamental change at the education and learning department and on the education committee, a new impetus to better support our teaching staff, and to absolutely back them when they face challenges. That will help our teachers to focus on why they became teachers - to teach.”
