PUPILS across East Renfrewshire have been praised by education chiefs after their school work produced "outstanding" results.

Attainment has continued to rise across the area, with very strong National 5 results and record-breaking performances in S5 and S6.

Thousands of East Renfrewshire pupils received their results today, although in the most unprecedented of circumstances, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With the Scottish Government announcing in March that this year’s SQA exams would not go ahead, it meant a new experience for youngsters as they were marked on the work they had done over the previous months.

Among those who are celebrating is 15-year-old Elise Kelly, who is a pupil at St Luke’s High, in Barrhead.

Elise, from Neilston, gained an impressive nine A-grades in her National 5 subjects.

Councillor Paul O’Kane, East Renfrewshire's education and equalities convener, heaped praise on staff and pupils across the area for their resilience during these challenging times.

He told the Barrhead News: “It has been a year like no other, especially for our pupils receiving SQA results. No-one could have foreseen the cancellation of the exam diet. However, it is absolutely right that our pupils’ hard work and dedication has been recognised in these results.

"All of East Renfrewshire’s schools have continuously improved teachers’ skills in assessing pupil progress. As such, our confidence in the rigorous, evidence-based processes our schools have had in place for a number of years for pupils’ estimates, combined with the knowledge that staff have of their learners, have ensured that the hard work of all our young people has been rightly and fairly recognised through the alternative certification model the SQA put in place this year.

“Staff, pupils and parents are to be commended for the resilience they’ve shown during these trying months and I’m delighted that the results awarded to pupils across East Renfrewshire are so positive.

"We have a track record of our pupils delivering excellent exam results and our constant drive to achieve equity and excellence has stood today’s pupils in good stead under these most unusual circumstances.

"Well done to everyone receiving results today and we look forward to returning to school next week.”

Make sure you get this week's Barrhead News for full coverage of East Renfrewshire's exams success.