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| School pupils' exam performance falls by up to 10% | School pupils' exam performance falls by up to 10% |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Opposition parties have criticised the Scottish government after an official report revealed a decline in the exam performance of school pupils. | Opposition parties have criticised the Scottish government after an official report revealed a decline in the exam performance of school pupils. |
| The analysis was posted on the government's website at 20:00 on Thursday. | The analysis was posted on the government's website at 20:00 on Thursday. |
| It reveals the number of students achieving passes in core Higher subjects dropped significantly in 2019, in some cases by as much as 10%. | It reveals the number of students achieving passes in core Higher subjects dropped significantly in 2019, in some cases by as much as 10%. |
| The Conservatives said there were "clearly major problems" in education. | The Conservatives said there were "clearly major problems" in education. |
| Education Secretary John Swinney said the government "regularly monitors and analyses performance to inform decision-making". | Education Secretary John Swinney said the government "regularly monitors and analyses performance to inform decision-making". |
| He denied the government was trying to "sneak out the report" and insisted it was fulfilling "commitments we had made to Parliament". | |
| Mr Swinney told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We had a Freedom of Information request that had to be responded to. | |
| "We felt it was appropriate (to release the exams report at the same time) because so much of that material was included in the report that I had promised we would publish." | |
| 'Snide and cynical' | 'Snide and cynical' |
| The Freedom of Information request as made by a lecturer and former school teacher. | |
| The timing of its release led to ministers being accused of a "snide and cynical" attempt to avoid scrutiny of its record on education. | |
| Opposition parties said the figures highlighted a "worrying decline" in pupils' exam performance. | Opposition parties said the figures highlighted a "worrying decline" in pupils' exam performance. |
| Scottish Conservative education spokesman Jamie Greene said: "This is a snide and cynical move by an SNP government which is increasingly in crisis across all of Scotland's public services. | Scottish Conservative education spokesman Jamie Greene said: "This is a snide and cynical move by an SNP government which is increasingly in crisis across all of Scotland's public services. |
| "There are clearly major and systematic problems within our education system that the SNP simply refuses to acknowledge or take action on. | "There are clearly major and systematic problems within our education system that the SNP simply refuses to acknowledge or take action on. |
| "John Swinney insisted there were no issues concerning the drop in pass rates, but this snuck-out report proves him wrong. | "John Swinney insisted there were no issues concerning the drop in pass rates, but this snuck-out report proves him wrong. |
| "His continuous 'nothing to see here approach' is simply untenable. | "His continuous 'nothing to see here approach' is simply untenable. |
| "The SNP is failing an entire generation of our children and our once world-leading education system is increasingly losing the faith of parents, pupils and teachers." | "The SNP is failing an entire generation of our children and our once world-leading education system is increasingly losing the faith of parents, pupils and teachers." |
| 'Drivers of change' | 'Drivers of change' |
| A total of 1,515 fewer pupils passed their Higher English exam - a reduction of 5.5% on the previous year and the lowest number since 2014. | A total of 1,515 fewer pupils passed their Higher English exam - a reduction of 5.5% on the previous year and the lowest number since 2014. |
| Passes dropped by 8.8% - or 178 students - for those sitting Advanced Higher exams in the subject. | Passes dropped by 8.8% - or 178 students - for those sitting Advanced Higher exams in the subject. |
| Higher maths saw the pass rate fall by 2.1% - the first decline since 2014 - while Higher history pass rates plunge by 14.6% overall and by 10% in A-C grades. | Higher maths saw the pass rate fall by 2.1% - the first decline since 2014 - while Higher history pass rates plunge by 14.6% overall and by 10% in A-C grades. |
| Advanced Higher maths saw the number of passes increase by 1.6%. | Advanced Higher maths saw the number of passes increase by 1.6%. |
| Sciences had total passes up 1.6% at a Higher level, with subjects including chemistry, physics, biology and human biology. | Sciences had total passes up 1.6% at a Higher level, with subjects including chemistry, physics, biology and human biology. |
| Those sitting the subjects at Advanced Higher - not including human biology - saw the number of passes fall by 14.1%, although there was a 13% reduction in those sitting the tests. | Those sitting the subjects at Advanced Higher - not including human biology - saw the number of passes fall by 14.1%, although there was a 13% reduction in those sitting the tests. |
| Speaking after the publication of the report, Education Secretary John Swinney said: "The Scottish government regularly monitors and analyses performance to inform decision-making. | Speaking after the publication of the report, Education Secretary John Swinney said: "The Scottish government regularly monitors and analyses performance to inform decision-making. |
| "Taken together, this analysis demonstrates good progress in a number of areas and that it is challenging to identify significant drivers of change or to draw firm conclusions about some subjects due to small numbers of entries. | "Taken together, this analysis demonstrates good progress in a number of areas and that it is challenging to identify significant drivers of change or to draw firm conclusions about some subjects due to small numbers of entries. |
| "The analysis has however identified areas that justify further exploration and highlight actions that have been agreed. | "The analysis has however identified areas that justify further exploration and highlight actions that have been agreed. |
| "My key areas of focus are to ensure that curriculum and assessment are aligned, how to better support professional learning and development, and maintaining a clear focus on enhancing learning and teaching. | "My key areas of focus are to ensure that curriculum and assessment are aligned, how to better support professional learning and development, and maintaining a clear focus on enhancing learning and teaching. |
| "I will continue to do that in my regular discussions with partners on performance." | "I will continue to do that in my regular discussions with partners on performance." |
| Education inquiry | |
| In January this year, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon agreed to a wider inquiry into Scottish education after opposition MSPs united to demand one. | |
| A study of the senior phase of schooling had already been ordered, but Holyrood voted to say this should be a "full review" of broader education. | |
| SNP members opposed the move in the vote, but Ms Sturgeon said she would "abide by the decision of parliament". | |
| The motion passed also said there were "key weaknesses in some key aspects of Scotland's school education" system. |