Pupils across Scotland received their much-anticipated exam results on Tuesday (August 5) - with a 0.8 per cent rise in National 5 passes.
That meant that students achieved a record 269,115 Nat 5 passes in 2026, with pass rates also up in Highers and Advanced Highers.
It was good news for Education Secretary Màiri McAllan, who only took on the role earlier this year, who said: “This is testament to the breadth and strength of Scotland’s education system, the professionalism of our teachers and school staff and the hard work of our young people.”
However, the percentage of pupils passing their Nat 5s varies considerably between council areas, with East Renfrewshire having the highest pass rate of 90.6 per cent and Fife having the lowest at 73.1 per cent - a difference of 17.5 per cent.
Here are the 10 best performing council areas for Nat 5 pass rates.
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5. Orkney
Completing the top five best-performing council areas for Nat 5s are the Orkney Islands where pupils passed 81.5 per cent of their exams. | Canva/Getty Images
6. Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire pupils successfully passed a total of 80.8 per cent of their National 5 exams. | Canva/Getty Images
7. South Lanarkshire
South Lanarkshire, including the town of Lanark, takes seventh position, with pupils passing 80.6 of their National 5 exams. | Canva/Getty Images
8. West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire pupils, such as those living in the town of Dumbarton, enjoyed a Nat 5 pass rate of 80.3 per cent. | Canva/Getty Images