COUNCILLORS have praised the work of teachers and staff following an update on exam results.

Pupils at West Dunbartonshire’s high schools were given their results last month, and a verbal update was brought to the education committee last week.

Council officer Andrew Brown told councillors that 2,117 students sat a total of 9,601 exams at the end of the last academic year.

According to Mr Brown, 82 per cent of the kids who sat exams from National Two to Advanced Higher achieved a pass.

Compared to last year, almost the same amount of exams were sat, 83 per cent passing.

In both Higher and Advanced Higher exams, 77 per cent of high schoolers passed, compared to 82 per cent of National Five and 88 per cent of National Four students.

The officer said passes in Advanced Higher and National Five qualifications had risen by 2.8 per cent compared to last year, whereas Higher passes dropped by two per cent.

Mr Brown said schools in West Dunbartonshire outperformed the national average in this year’s exam results for Higher and National Five.

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Depute Provost Karen Conaghan, who was chairing the meeting of the committee, said: “It’s really heartening to see that what we’re doing for our young people is working.

“There’s been such a breadth of opportunity for our young people.”

Council leader Jonathan McColl said: “Really fantastic results.

“We really need to thank our staff for these, both teaching and non-teaching and those who support from council headquarters as well.

“Ever since we came together to try and raise attainment, I think it’s been really positive.

“We’ve seen improvements every year, and yet again this is another year where, despite West Dunbartonshire being one of the most deprived areas in the country, we appear to be bucking the national results, and we’re doing better than the national average in a lot of areas.”

“It’s been great to see.”

Labour group leader Martin Rooney also welcomed the results.

He said: “I’m really pleased to hear those results and I look forward to seeing more of a school to school breakdown in the future.

“In particular, I am really pleased for the pupils who passed Advanced Highers and the Highers.”

A more detailed report, which is expected to provide school by school statistics, will come to the committee later this year.