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Statistics Publication Notice
SCHOOL ATTAINMENT AND QUALIFICATIONS OF SCHOOL LEAVERS IN SCOTLAND: 2001/02

25 ^th March 2003

A Scottish Executive National Statistics Publication

This document is also available in pdf format (72k)

The Scottish Executive Education Department has today published information on SQA attainment in schools and on the qualifications of school leavers in Scotland.

This Statistics Publication Notice presents information on the attainment of National Qualifications by all pupils at school in a given year, and also on the accumulated qualifications of School Leavers in a given year. The tables include information on qualifications achieved according to school sector (publicly funded or independent), subject, stage and gender. Some time series are included allowing the comparison of attainment by pupil cohorts over a number of years.

The Statistics Publication Notice and accompanying tables can be found on the Scottish Executive Web Site: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00246-00.asp.

The main findings are:

School Leavers:

• In 2001/02, 5.3 per cent of leavers from publicly funded schools obtained no award at SCQF Level 3 or better, however some of these pupils will have some or all of the unit awards made within New National Qualifications. Passes at SCQF Level 7 were obtained by 11.4 per cent of leavers from publicly funded schools in the same year. (Table 1)
• The percentage of leavers from publicly funded schools who attained 5 or more awards at Level 5 (or better) has increased from 43.6 per cent in 2000/01 to 46.2 per cent in 2001/02. (Table 2)
• In 2001/02, a higher proportion of females than males leaving publicly funded schools achieved passes at all SCQF Levels, except three or more passes at SCQF Level 7. (Table 2)
• In 2001/02 the same proportion (91 per cent) of school leavers attained English at SCQF Levels 3 to 5 as attained Mathematics. The proportions attaining English at SCQF Levels 6 and 7 were 30.4 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively and the corresponding results for Mathematics were 20.4 per cent and 2.8 per cent. (Tables 3,4 and 5)

Attainment:

• Since their introduction in 1999/00, attainment at Intermediate 1 and Intermediate 2 has approximately doubled in S5. There has not been a corresponding fall in the number of S5 pupils attaining SCQF level 6. (Table 6)
• An increasing number of exams are being taken in special schools. The total number of examinations taken in 2001/02 was 2,808 compared to 2,313 in 2000/01. (Table 7)
• Cumulative attainment is greater for females than males in all stages and in all categories. This has been the case from 1997/98 to 2001/02. (Table 8)
• There were more presentations by male pupils than female at SCQF levels 3-5, but a greater number of females presented at levels 6 and 7. Males attained more passes at Level 3 whereas females attained more passes at Levels 4 and above. (Tables 9, 10 and 11)

The following tables are available:

School leavers:

Table 1: Highest qualifications attained by School Leavers, by gender and school sector: 1999/2000 to 2001/02 (All school sectors. Special schools included)
Table 2: Total qualifications attained by School Leavers, by gender and school sector: 1999/2000 to 2001/02 (All school sectors. Special schools included)
Table 3: Total qualifications attained by School Leavers at SCQF Levels 3 to 5, by subject and gender: 2001/02 (All school sectors. Special schools included)
Table 4: Total qualifications attained by School Leavers at SCQF Level 6, by subject and gender: 2001/02 (All school sectors. Special schools included)
Table 5: Total qualifications attained by School Leavers at SCQF Level 7, by subject and gender: 2001/02 (All school sectors. Special schools included)

Attainment:

Table 6: Single year SQA Examination attainment in all Scottish schools by stage and SCQF Level, 1997/98-2001/02 (All school sectors. Special schools included)
Table 7: All Special Schools - SQA Attainment by SCQF Level and gender, 1999/00 - 2001/02 (All school sectors)
Table 8: Cumulative SQA Attainment by all pupils by stage, SCQF Level and gender, 1997/98-2001/02 (Publicly funded secondary schools only. Special schools not included)
Table 9: SQA Attainment by all pupils at SCQF Levels 3,4 & 5 by subject, level and gender 2001/02 (All school sectors. Special schools included)
Table 10: SQA Attainment by all pupils at SCQF Level 6, by subject, award and gender 2001/02 (All school sectors. Special schools included)
Table 11: SQA Attainment by all pupils at SCQF Level 7 by subject, award and gender 2001/02 (All school sectors. Special schools included)

BACKGROUND NOTES

1. Data Sources

1.1 Information on school leavers is collected from individual schools via either a paper return or electronic data exchange through schools' Management Information Systems.

1.2 Data on National Qualifications are obtained from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). In most cases information on candidate stage is obtained from schools' Management Information Systems, otherwise stage is estimated to within 0.5% chance of error.

1.3 School roll figures were obtained from the Scottish Executive School Census as at September in the relevant year.

2. Definitions

2.1 The tables in this Statistics Publication Notice show the attainment of National Qualifications by pupils during the year 2001/02, and the accumulated qualifications of school leavers in all publicly funded and independent schools in Scotland (including special schools). This publication does not include data from Further Education Colleges. Some time series are included, allowing the comparison of attainment by pupil cohorts over a number of years.

2.2 The arrangements for leaving school were laid down in the Education (Scotland) Act in 1976 and the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. Pupils are regarded as having left on achieving the school leaving age in 2001/2002 if they either:

reached the age of 16 between 1 March and 30 September 2002 and left school at the end of the school year 2001/02;

OR

reached the age of 16 between 1 October 2001 and the end of February 2002 and left school at the end of the Winter term 2001/02.

These arrangements therefore allow some pupils to leave school while they are still 15 years old.

2.3 The tables cover the attainment of National Qualifications at Standard Grade, SCE Higher and Certificate of Sixth Year Studies (CSYS) and also the New National Qualifications at Access, Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2, New Higher and Advanced Higher, and are presented using the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Levels. The table below sets out how the SCQF Levels read across to the National Qualification levels and grades.

2.4 Publicly Funded Schools include education authority, grant-aided, and self-governing schools.

2.5 Examination data are Post-Appeals and update the figures published in November 2002.

2.6 Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2 and the New Higher were introduced in 1999/00. Advanced Highers were introduced for the first time in the exam year 2000/01. Courses are made up of internally assessed units and an external examination. Courses are awarded at A-C or Compensatory.

2.7 For the New National Qualifications, awards at A-C are regarded as passes. Pupils who pass the examination but are not registered as passing all the units are included in the number of presentations but not in the number of passes. Pupils who narrowly fail to achieve the required standard for Intermediate 2 are awarded a compensatory Intermediate 1 qualification. Those narrowly failing to achieve the required standard for the New Higher are awarded a compensatory Intermediate 2 qualification. Those narrowly failing to achieve the required standard for Advanced Higher are awarded a compensatory New Higher qualification.

2.8 Standard Grade is certificated at 3 levels: Credit (grades 1 and 2), General (grades 3 and 4), Foundation (grades 5 and 6) with a grade 7 being awarded to those who complete the course only.

2.9 Data for Higher exams include the New National Qualifications Higher award as well as the SCE Higher. An award at A to C for both types of Higher is regarded as a pass.

2.10 The only CSYS available in 2001/02 was English. From 2002/03, the CSYS will be completely replaced by Advanced Higher.

2.11 Modern Language writing papers (excluding Gaelic) are due to be incorporated into revised Standard Grade examinations from 2002/03. Results from writing papers are not included in the counts for this publication.

3. Notes

3.1 Whilst the data relating to school leavers are the best that the schools are able to provide at the time, there will be cases where a pupil unexpectedly returns to school. Therefore, the figures for the latest year are likely to be slight over-estimates and may be revised downwards in the future.

3.2 Details of the leavers' National Qualifications are added by computer matching to the records obtained from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). This process achieves a high rate of successful linkage, but in a small number of cases mis-matching or non-matching can occur.

3.3 Many independent schools offer GCSE and A level examinations, which are not included in this analysis. It should be noted, therefore, that the percentage of leavers gaining qualifications in independent schools might not accurately reflect the achievements of pupils in these schools.

3.4 Table 8 of this Statistics Publication Notice includes compensatory awards (see 2.7). In other tables compensatory awards are counted only at the level at which the pupil was presented. For example, a candidate presented for a Higher but who receives a compensatory Intermediate 2 award would be included as a Higher presentation (but not as a pass) and would not feature as an Intermediate 2 presentation or pass.

4. This is a National Statistics publication. It has been produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice and Release Practice Protocol. These statistics undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.

5. Enquiries

Copies of all tables are available on the Scottish Executive's website at www.scotland.gov.uk. Public enquiries (non-media) about the information contained in this Statistics Publication Notice should be addressed to:
Elspeth Currie, Assistant Statistician,
The Scottish Executive Education Department,
Education Statistics,
Area 1-A West, Victoria Quay,
Edinburgh EH6 6QQ.
Tel. 0131 244 0304 or
e-mail to: elspeth.currie@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Media enquiries about the information in this Statistics Publication Notice should be addressed to Rona Dunbar (0131) 244 2670.

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