WEST Fife students can give themselves a pat on the back after initial analysis of their performance in National and Higher exams has been declared as very positive.

Data for Fife shows there has been strong improvement at National 5 level in S4 – with over 100 more pupils than last year achieving five National 5 passes.

Improved performance was achieved in S5 while S6 performance from last year was also sustained.

Carrie Lindsay, Executive Director of Education and Children’s Services declared the results as "very positive" and congratulated all the young people who have worked hard and done their very best to get the results they were hoping for.

“Our young people need to be recognised for the hard work and dedication they have put into their studies," she said. "I’d also like to thank staff who have supported them with such professionalism and parents who have probably borne the brunt of their exam stress and worry. The results speak for themselves about how well they have all done this."

Ms Lindsay said the results were a cumulative result of dedication from staff from nursery, through primary school and into secondary school.

“Our approach in Fife is to focus on each individual child and to help them to achieve the best they can. It is about nurturing the potential in each child and making sure they have the skills to flourish when they leave school," she added.

More Fife young people are performing well across a range of National 5s during their first year in the senior phase (stage S4) and are equipping themselves both for continued education to the highest levels of achievement and for a wide range of training and employment opportunities.

In addition, more young Fifers are achieving awards at Higher level and qualification sets with multiple Highers, ensuring that they have a wider range of opportunities for continuing their education.

Derek Brown, Education and Children’s Services Head of Services, added: “I’d like to congratulate Fife pupils on yet another year of improved performance in examination results.

"We are particularly pleased that more and more of our young people attain qualifications at National 5 and Higher levels, which they can use to access future opportunities in employment, further or higher education.

“We also want to recognise the great efforts made on their behalf last year by staff in schools, especially the teachers and support staff who worked so hard to help them achieve. We look forward to redoubling our efforts for next session, so even more young people can achieve.”