Edinburgh pupils achieve highest attainment levels on record
Edinburgh pupils have achieved their highest ever attainment levels in schools.
Edinburgh pupils have achieved their highest ever attainment levels in schools, with new figures showing improvements across National, Higher and vocational qualifications.
A report highlighting achievements during the 2025-26 academic session was discussed at the City of Edinburgh Council’s Education, Children and Families Committee on November 3.
Pupils in S4 to S6 achieved the best results ever recorded by the council across almost all key measures of attainment.
This included the number of pupils gaining good passes in National 3 to 5, Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications.
The number of vocational qualification passes also more than doubled, rising from 914 in 2023 to 2,216 in 2026.
Meanwhile, literacy and numeracy levels in Edinburgh primary schools have also improved compared with last year.
Councillor James Dalgleish, education, children and families Convenor, praised the achievements of pupils and school staff.
He said: “This report shows the highest ever recorded attainment for young people in Edinburgh.
“The achievement shines a light on the hard work of our pupils, teachers and school staff.
“The National and Higher results are fantastic and to have over 2000 people achieve vocational passes is incredible work.”
However, the council warned that more work is needed to tackle the poverty-related attainment gap across the city.
Councillor Dalgleish said the difference in attainment between Edinburgh’s richest and poorest communities remained too wide.
He added that he was committed to working with council officers to understand the reasons behind the gap and find ways to close it.