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Exam Results

High School of Dundee pupils have enjoyed a long history of scoring some of the best results in Scotland in SQA examinations.

Exam Marks at HSD

Our pupils consistently score well above national averages in SQA examinations and the School has featured in the top ten list of Scottish schools by results for a number of years. Over the years High School of Dundee pupils have also achieved the top results in the country at Higher and Advanced Higher level an numerous occasions. 

Below you can find a summary of our results from the past 5 years.

2023

- At Higher level, our pupils achieved a pass rate of 91.6% with 56.3% A grades
- At Advanced Higher level the pass rate was 89.4% with 47.6% A grades
- At National 5, our F4 pupils achieved a pass rate of 95.7% with 69.2% A grades

2022

F5 (S5) pupils achieved an average of 4.3 Higher passes each, with more than half (59.4%) of Higher passes graded A. The Higher pass rate was 95.3% and almost a quarter (23.5%) of the year group secured a set of at least 5 A grades. 61.8% of the cohort gained five or more Higher passes.

The Fourth Years also performed strongly in the National 5 exams, securing an average of 6.8 passes each. The pass rate was 96.6%, more than ¾ of which (77.3%) were A grades, and 43.9% of the year group achieved at least 8 A grades each, and 93.9% achieved 5 or more N5 passes. 

This year, pupils in F6 (S6) secured an average of 2 Advanced Highers per pupil and the pass rate was 90.9%. Almost a quarter (24.1%) achieved 3 or more A grades, with 5 pupils gaining 3 or more A1 grades. In addition, 38.4% achieved at least two A grades at Advanced Higher.

2021

F5 (S5) pupils achieved an average of 4.6 Highers each, with 74.5% of passes graded A. The Higher pass rate was 96.4% and 46% of the year group gained a set of at least 5 A grades. 68% of the year group secured five or more Higher passes.

In F6 (S6), the Advanced Higher pass rate was 96.3%, with the pupils achieving an average of 2 passes each. In addition, more than a third (37%) of F6 pupils achieved at least 3 Advanced Highers, with almost a quarter (24%) securing 3 A grades.

In the National 5 exams, F4 (S4) pupils achieved an average of 7.8 passes each, with 73% securing 8 or more passes and 45% of the candidates gaining 8 or more A grades. 98% of the cohort gained 5 or more N5 passes, with 80% of the year-group achieving 5 or more A grades. Overall the pass rate was 97.3%, 81% of which were A grades.  

2020

F5 (S5) pupils achieved an average of 4.4 Highers each, with 69% of passes graded A. The Higher pass rate was 97% and more than 1/3 of the year group (34.5%) gained a set of at least 5 A grades. 63% of the year group secured five or more Higher passes.

In F6 (S6), the Advanced Higher pass rate was 98%, with the pupils achieving an average of 1.8 passes each. In addition, 33% of F6 pupils achieved at least 2 A grades at Advanced Higher.

In the National 5 exams, F4 (S4) pupils secured an average of 7.4 passes each. 39% of the cohort achieved at least 8 A grades each, and 95% gained 5 or more N5 passes. Overall the pass rate was 98%, more than 3/4 of which (76%) were A grades.  

2019

In 2019, pupils in F6 (S6) secured a record average of 1.9 Advanced Highers each, with a pass rate of 91.8%. More than a quarter (27.5%) achieved at least two A grades at Advanced Higher.

F5 (S5) pupils meanwhile achieved an average of 4.2 Higher passes each, with 57% of Higher passes graded A. The Higher pass rate was 94.3% and a quarter of the year group secured a set of at least 5 A grades. 56.1% of the cohort gained five or more Higher passes.

The Fourth Years also performed strongly in the National 5 exams, securing an average of 7.2 passes each. The pass rate was 94.4%, 67% of which were A grades, and more than a quarter (27.2%) of the year group achieved at least 8 A grades each, and 95% achieved 5 or more N5 passes. One of our pupils recorded the top, or joint top, mark in Scotland in five separate N5 subjects, while 3 others shared that distinction in Maths, and another in Mandarin.

A number of subject departments recorded 100% pass rates at all SQA exam levels while in the case of the Sciences, taking Biology, Chemistry and Physics together at N5, Higher and Advanced Higher levels, the pass rate was a remarkable 97%, with 66% passed at A grade. In addition, all 9 pupils to apply for places on medical courses this year were successful, an outstanding achievement as nationally the overriding majority of such applications are unsuccessful.