Pupils at schools across East Renfrewshire have delivered record-breaking exam results.

All of the youngsters were sitting formal exams for the first time, with an alternative certification model used to determine results in 2020 and again last year as a result of the Covid pandemic.

Attainment has continued to rise across the board, with strong results in National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams and many schools delivering their best ever performance.

An impressive 77% of S4 pupils attained five or more awards at National 5 or better, while 47% of youngsters in S5 managed five or more Highers, with 69% gaining at least three Highers.

A total of 240 pupils in S5 who sat Highers were awarded five or more A-grades.

At Advanced Higher, 44% of S6 pupils achieved one or more awards, which represents an increase of 4% since 2019.

Councillor Andrew Anderson, East Renfrewshire’s education convener, praised pupils for their efforts.

He told the Barrhead News: “East Renfrewshire’s pupils have continued to raise the bar with new record-breaking levels of attainment.

"The success of our pupils is directly attributable to their relentless efforts and resilience and the support and care of their parents and our dedicated staff, without whom these achievements would not be possible.

"Despite the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, East Renfrewshire’s schools have gone above and beyond to enable all learners to experience high-quality learning and teaching.

"Schools ensured that pupils were prepared for their SQA exams and they have certainly delivered on all fronts.

"We will ensure that all pupils continue to receive the support they need to do so in future, as we recover from the pandemic. Well done to everyone.”

St Luke’s High continued to perform well, with almost 96% of S4 pupils at the Barrhead school achieving grades at National 4 level.

Youngsters at both Barrhead High and Eastwood High enjoyed high levels of success in their National 5 exams, with the latter achieving its highest ever proportion of S4 pupils attaining five or more awards.

Barrhead High and Woodfarm High recorded their highest ever proportion of S5 pupils attaining five or more awards at Higher.

Meanwhile, Williamwood High recorded its second highest level of attainment for S5 pupils in one or more and three or more Highers.

At St Ninian’s High, more than a quarter of S5 pupils attained five or more A-grades in their Higher exams, while Mearns Castle High recorded its largest proportion of S5 pupils attaining this measure.

Eastwood High, Mearns Castle High, St Ninian’s High and Woodfarm High all performed strongly in terms of the number of pupils gaining one or more Advanced Highers.

Isobel Mair School also delivered impressive SQA results, with senior pupils achieving a range of National 2 and vocational qualifications.

In addition, East Renfrewshire Council continues to offer more than 50 vocational options to S4, S5 and S6 pupils.

Each year, almost 400 youngsters take on these courses, giving them the chance to study for a vocational qualification alongside other subjects, which enables them to gain skills that will help them enter the workplace or move into further education.

Mark Ratter, East Renfrewshire Council’s director of education, said: “I’m delighted for all the pupils, staff and parents that their hard work has delivered the results they deserve.

"With the ongoing challenges presented by Covid-19, the results delivered today are nothing short of outstanding. The improvements at S4, S5 and S6 provide clear evidence that we have focused on equity and excellence by raising the bar for all.

"As a council, our values are ambition, kindness and trust. It is clear that all our pupils have demonstrated high levels of ambition and have dedicated themselves to achieve the very best outcomes possible.

"The fantastic exam results are just one element of what our schools do so well, ensuring all our pupils enjoy a well-rounded education, with excellent experiences preparing them for the next step in their lives.

"I always look forward to seeing what our pupils go on to achieve next.”