SQA results 2025

[motheronthedancefloor]

Starting a results thread early, and the last one I'll do as DD has now left school!

DD has an unconditional offer for uni so these grades don't make a difference but they still matter to us, especially after the C in History last year when she was on track for an A (bastard SQA). So hoping for a good grade for AH History.

She's also doing 2 other Highers, one of them we had to complain about the teachers (long process involving GTCS, LA and SQA, all upheld), so again really hoping the grade gives a right twos-up to that teacher.

Outwardly she doesn't seem to be stressing - more worried about passing her driving test than passing her exams, probably cause of the UC offer. But I know if she passes the subject with the godawful teacher she'll be emotional.

Hows everyone else's kids doing?

Well, yes, in that we get the component marks. But my point is the students don't. They just get an overall grade. So without that broken down data, they might be unaware of potential weak spots in their performance.

Also, every year there are teachers baffled by the folio marks. I'd say unless you actually mark folio, it can be very tricky to look at a piece and accurately give an estimation of what it might be awarded. Even when you DO mark folio, there are still some brow-raising marks.

My son would have had no idea how poorly he'd done in the Computing coursework without asking for the component breakdown. It wasn't freely given at his school.

If teachers who mark folios can’t work out what mark a folio piece may get, what chance is there for pupils doing them? Surely that shows a systemic issue with the folio assessment?

And your son having no idea his work was so far below par suggests an issue with school? I get teachers can’t write the thing but they should be able to say ‘this needs significant more work’.

Yes, I'd agree. I think it should have been flagged. Sadly as we know, not all students are having equitable experiences in terms of teaching and support.

Definitely.
Some pupils are let down by teachers not providing appropriate direction - I appreciate that it should be the pupils own work but there also needs to be support given where the SQA allows/expects it.

It's also clear from this thread that some teachers have a fundamental misunderstanding of the national standard. How many students were predicted As and awarded Cs?

The coursework usually refer to work that is externally marked, so it's not a kind of continuous assessment (it may be in some subjects; I don't know them all). It can be a project you do in class but is then sent away. Teachers don't mark those.

Predictions are based on performance in class. Once the student sits in the exam hall we have no control over that. The question is on a part of the course they didn't revise? Grade drops. They have a wobbly and forget their structure? Same thing. They misread the question and answer about something slightly different, they had a more "important" exam the day before and did all their revision on it, etc etc.
predictions not matching performance certainly could be because teacher doesn't understand how making works, but there are lots of other possibilities too.

Well done on the further results that have come through , especially with those whose DC had health needs .

Also a shout out for those whose DC hasn’t got the results they hoped for / deserved .Hopefully they will be able to resit / juggle course options if staying on .

I think my DC is in the mixed bag category but will hopefully be able to change their timetable , although still not fixed on career options - so that in itself has its own challenges .

I do agree with the teacher that posted about the results posted here not perhaps being an accurate on Scotland wide results . That may be due to the demographic of this board / Mumsnet overall .

We all want our kids to achieve their best and work to their full potential , for some destined for medicine etc that will be straight As .

Re the query about AH , I am by no means an expert . I do recollect that from a career / uni talk last year that as others have said that whether AH is the best option for your child will depend on what they want to do next year and if going onto uni / college what that organisation would prefer . My recollection was that for some of the uni courses they preferred a good bunch of highers even if over a couple of years, over AH .

AH as others have said should cover a lot of the first year of a uni / college course and therefore make it an easier first year / transition for that pupil .

Oh absolutely. There will always be other factors.

But equally, a teacher who is unsure about how to get full marks on a particular question type, or has a shaky understanding of an essay marking grid and how to apply it in like with the national standard won't have been giving the correct marks when marking them in class in the first place, and won't have been giving effective feedback to help students reach full marks. And then it's no wonder the estimates are wildly out.

It's a very complex picture.

Anyway, I was just hoping to provide some context as to why it's often helpful to get a component or percentage breakdown.

Currently waiting for college to get back to DD. She was given a conditional place after application and screening test to do computing at Edinburgh college.

The conditions were another 2 highers at C or above as she had the higher computing needed from last year.

She got a B in admin and a C in geograohy plus a D for Art yesterday but nothing has updated in her application and she’s worried they wanted a C in the art instead of the geography or admin.

I'd be surprised if it was Art needed for computing - unless it's more a design/graphics type of course? Hopefully she'll hear soon.

College Just sent a rejection. Reason given is she didn’t meet entry requirements stated on website. The website said 3 higher C’s. She has 2 B’s, and a C.
So more than needed and more than her conditional place offer. Same email offered her basically the same course at a different campus which is 2 hours away instead.
She phoned them and the person she spoke to doesn’t understand it either as she has higher grades than needed. They suggest going to the clearing event tomorrow to see if she can speak to the college application staff member who sent the email.
She’s now in tears.

I'm really sorry to hear this, your poor daughter- it doesn't make sense at all, unless they made more conditionals (or even unconditionals) than they actually had capacity for, or there's some missed fine print condition? Lots of TLC for her, and maybe ask if someone could explain what has happened! Does she have Maths and English at the level required for the course? Did she have to get the 3 Cs in one sitting? Hopefully it'll work out, but with her qualifications she'll definitely find something. Good luck.

The course requirement did not mention any specific subject just 3 higher C’s. Didn’t even ask for computing ! It’s the HNC computing.
She applied and had the screening test. Got a conditional offer, of needing another 2 C’s as at that point she only had the 1 higher (plus 3 higher D’s and 7 National 5 B’s)
Rejection mentions nothing about her conditions just said website requirements not met.
We just don’t get it,

@8misskitty8 my heart goes out to her. It must be a mistake! Hopefully it will be quickly rectified.

Apparently DD certificate is were delivered to our old address we spoke to the new owners but postman wouldn't leave them and has taken back to sorting office will they be returned to SQA and we'll have to apply to get them resent or will they go to the school. No idea why wrong address at SQA as changed address with school last January. We know results just want the actual certificate does anyone know how we chase down certificates

you can access grades on my sqa apparently, if she wants to check this. You can also go to the sorting office with proof of name/address and get it there.

SQA use the address entered by the school so the school haven’t updated the system I’m afraid. Ask the school to update their system and request a new certificate. (I think).

I do agree with the teacher that posted about the results posted here not perhaps being an accurate on Scotland wide results . That may be due to the demographic of this board / Mumsnet overall .

The biggest predictor of educational success is parent involvement in their DC’s education. Anyone discussing their DC’s education on MN will fall into this category.

Turn up first thing so you are at the front of the queue. You don’t want her place given away. They made an offer and she met the offer so it sounds like they are already under contract to provide her the place.

Maybe they've inadvertently only considered this year's results and and not included the B she already had?

I hope you get it sorted.

Your poor DD, I am hoping you managed to get this sorted this morning and she has been given her place.

They gave out too many conditional places for the campus she applied for so that’s why they offered the course at a further away campus. They apologised but have no space.
However since she has 2 B’s and a C they can offer at the original campus an HND in another computing area as an alternative. Plus on the waiting list for original HNC.
So worst case she does the first year of this alternative computing area then leapfrog to the 2nd year of another computing area’s degree next year. Or she likes this area of computing and does the full degree.
She likes this area of computing but wasn’t sure if she wanted to focus on it hence choosing the broader HNC.

Honestly the stress !!!

@8misskitty8 I'm glad your DD has some options going forward, but that's a bit crap how they treated her (and potentially others).

Thank you. So glad I could rant on here !

was a very stressful evening.
But onwards now for her.

Good luck to everyone else waiting to hear about places at college and uni. X