THE success rate of pupils sitting advanced highers exams at Our Lady and St Patrick’s High jumped a dramatic 20 per cent in just two years, according to newly revealed results.

More detailed exam figures have been released thanks to a Freedom of Information request by the Reporter showing the pass rate at OLSP went up from 69 per cent in 2014 to 89 per cent this year.

By contrast, the figures at Dumbarton Academy dropped from 89 per cent to 65 per cent in the same period. West Dunbartonshire Council, who had previously only released limited details of 2016’s exams successes, said they couldn’t be compared to past years and different schools couldn’t be compared.

The true results, which they are still examining to be released at a later date, would be more “accurate”.

Higher pass rates remained largely stable across all schools in the past three years, according to the figures.

At Dumbarton Academy they went from 73 per cent in 2014, to 78 last year to 75 this year.

OLSP went from 74 to 85 to 83, but nearly 200 fewer pupils sat highers at the school in 2016. Vale of Leven Academy has improved from 67 per cent in 2014 to 71 this year.

Their advanced highers rates fell from 79 per cent in 2014 to 63 last year and then rebounded to 76.

A council spokeswoman said because advanced highers subjects are offered across the area as a whole and pupils can study at any school, it is impossible to use the figures to judge the quality of individual secondaries.

And because the first Curriculum of Excellence highers were sat in 2015 and advanced highers in 2016, they couldn’t be compared.

She said: “In 2014, the National 5 pass rate in WD schools was 5.1 per cent below the national average pass rate, this year the difference is just 0.4 per cent.

"These figures demonstrate that we are continuing to close the attainment gap and supporting more of our young people to attain and achieve.

"We are working on the data behind the figures to build a clear picture on the results for each school, identify where there is good practice which can be shared and also where we can improve.

“Advanced Higher rates should be treated with caution as statistically low sample rates mean that even a small change can appear to be a large percentage shift.

“Raw exam figures taken in isolation without supporting data do not provide an accurate reflection of the SQA results in West Dunbartonshire.

“There have been significant achievements in the SQA exams this year and we are continuing to analyse all of the data to provide a clear picture of attainment.

“Once this process is complete, a comprehensive report detailing the results by school and subject will be presented to the educational services committee along with an outline of the actions each school is taking to ensure we continue to improve.

"Over the last five years we have made steady progress in raising attainment across West Dunbartonshire and we are all committed to maintaining that focus going forward and ensuring that all of our young people reach their potential.”

In other results, Nat 5 pass rates varied across schools, from as low as 70 per cent at Clydebank High to 85 per cent at OLSP. Nat 4 pass rates, which are not based on exams, were all 95 per cent or higher.

Nat 3 passes were higher, with Clydebank, St Peter the Apostle and Vale of Leven all recording 100 per cent this year, though those qualifications went to only 40-80 pupils per school.