Testing times for our Berwickshire pupils

Tuesday’s results are the first snapshot of attainment and achievement for the 2021/22 session, with a fuller picture available later in the year when other accreditation such as college courses and wider achievement awards are finalised.

Bruce Robertson, head teacher Berwickshire High School, was delighted with the results achieved by his pupils.

He said: “Huge congratulations to Berwickshire High School students on the results they have achieved! Everyone has worked incredibly hard and shown great resilience over the course of another very challenging year.

"A huge thank you as well to all of our teachers and support staff who have done a wonderful job at helping students to achieve these results.”

And Robin Chapman, head teacher at Eyemouth High School, praised his charges for working so hard in trying times.

He said: “Yet again, Eyemouth students have shown great resilience in continuing and building on their learning, alongside the recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.

"Students performed well in their first set of external examinations for three years. We are particularly pleased with our S4 students, alongside some strong performances by those in S5 and S6.

"We now continue to celebrate the positive next steps that our leavers will go on to, be that university, college, graduate and modern apprenticeships or work.

"I would like to thank our dedicated parents and staff who have been such a support to our young people this year, and look forward to engaging fully with our school and local community in the coming term.”

The total number of exams sat across the Borders this year remains in line with the previous year at 13,000, with approximately 3,616 at Higher, 689 at Advanced Higher and the highest ever number of National 5 at 6,305.

Due to the pandemic, this is the first year since 2019 when National Qualifications have run as normal therefore it is not appropriate to make year on year comparisons due to alternative models in 2020 and 2021.