Renfrewshire's secondary pupils are outperforming the national picture in literacy and in the number of Highers they're gaining, according to the council's first detailed look at this summer's exam results. But numeracy in S4 has slipped behind.

The analysis of the 2026 National Qualifications goes before the council's Education and Children's Services Policy Board on Thursday (29 October). It compares Renfrewshire pupils with the national average and with a "virtual comparator", a group of pupils across Scotland with similar backgrounds.

S4: more National 5s, strong literacy

The National 5 pass rate in S4 held steady at 82%, but pupils are now sitting more exams, an average of 5.2 National 5s each, up from 4.8 in 2024. National 4 entries were also the highest in three years.

In literacy, 85% of S4 pupils reached level 5 (National 5 standard), up from 80% two years ago and five points above the national figure of 80%.

Numeracy is the weak spot. The share of S4 pupils reaching level 4 numeracy fell to 88%, from 92% in 2024, putting Renfrewshire behind the national figure of 90%. At level 5 the area matched the national figure of 70%.

S5 and S6: a strong year for Highers

  • 31% of S5 pupils gained five or more Highers or equivalent, up four percentage points on last year.
  • S5 pupils were ahead of both national and comparator figures on every breadth and depth measure, including at Higher level, where Renfrewshire had previously trailed the comparator.
  • 86% of S5 pupils achieved level 5 literacy (national 82%) and 77% level 5 numeracy (national 74%).
  • In S6, 78% achieved level 5 numeracy, six points ahead of the national 72%, and 85% reached level 5 literacy (national 81%).
  • The Advanced Higher pass rate rose by five percentage points on 2025, and the share of S6 pupils with at least one Advanced Higher or equivalent rose by three points.

The poverty gap

Pupils from the most deprived areas improved too. In S4 their results rose a little faster than those of their classmates over three years, narrowing the gap slightly to 29 percentage points. In S5, the lowest-attaining fifth of pupils did 13% better than the same group nationally.

The report says the results show Renfrewshire "continues to perform well against its comparators", but that targeted work must continue, particularly on S4 numeracy and on outcomes for pupils in the most deprived areas.

A further report on where school leavers went next, and on the attainment of care-experienced young people, is due in spring 2027.

Image: senior pupils at a Renfrewshire secondary school.