Update at 16:40pm - Edited in the light of thoughts on the deliberately different targets adopted in Scotland and in rUK.vvv

From tes 4 August 2026:

The attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged students – a key measure of success set by the Scottish government – narrowed slightly for each of the three qualifications: from 16.4 percentage points to 15.6 at National 5; from 16.8 percentage points to 15.9 at Higher; and from 13.3 percentage points to 12.1 at Advanced Higher. https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/qualifications-scotland-exam-results-2026-pass-improve

Meanwhile in England, from FE week, avoiding the almost certainly catastrophic ‘class-based’ comparisons carefully, and based on the different but still important regional and gender gaps, today:

Top grades increase again, with regional and gender gaps widening. https://feweek.co.uk/a-level-results-2026-6-key-trends-in-this-years-data/

Scotland does not publish gender-based or regional differences though they can be found in the data tables.

On reflection, this matters.

The attainment gap between all pupils living in the most deprived and the least deprived areas, is what matters, is, I feel sure, what all other countries consider and is the basis for action at central government level where the resources can be derived from revenue and borrowing.

The Scottish Government does just that but the UK Government , acting on behalf of England, Wales and Norther Ireland, evades that, fearing the accusations that will be levelled at it and the consequent pressure it will then face for funding.

The gender-based gap is, these days, tiny, reflecting only the improving expectations for their daughters, held by parents within different cultures. Central Government cannot be much blamed for it.

Their preference for regional gaps reveals calculating and evasive tendencies, especially over the last two decades, aimed at passing the blame onto often Labour-run local authorities rather than onto themselves.