EXAM results day provided joy for tens of thousands of Scottish pupils, and none more so than a 30-year-old East Renfrewshire multimedia technician who passed his Higher English.
Michael O'Rorke, from Barrhead, who completed his studies alongside teenage pupils at Eastwood High School, needed the exam so that he could qualify to undergo teacher training.
Mr O'Rorke, who wants to move from his job at the school to become a primary school teacher said: "It was really funny at first to be sitting the exam alongside pupils that I am involved with at the school and they were really surprised to see me there.
"But there was no awkwardness at all and I am absolutely delighted to get a B."
He was one of the more unusual success stories as East Renfrewshire schools achieved a record-breaking year for Higher and National 4 and 5 exam results.
S4, S5 and S6 results were all at the best ever in an outstanding year for the area’s seven high schools.
At S5 level, there were significant increases across the board.A total of 42 per cent achieved five or more Highers, compared to 39 per cent the previous year. A total of 64 per cent achieved three or more Highers, and 80 per cent at least one Higher.
At S4, young people achieved the highest ever results – 94 per cent achieved five or more qualifications at level four (National 4), up from 91 per cent per cent in 2014, and 72 per cent achieved five or more qualifications at level five (National 5), up from 71 per cent last year.
Gifted bagpipe player Joe McCauley of St Luke's High got five Higher As in maths, English, music, chemistry and biology.
The youngster who has played the pipes all over the world, including at golfer Colin Montgomerie’s wedding at Cameron House, hopes to study medicine.
He said: “I’m ecstatic. I got my results by email at 1.30am. My mum and dad hadn’t slept but I certainly slept better after I got them. I’d done well in my prelims so I hoped for good results but this is great. A pretty decent start to the day!”
At Craigmount High School in Edinburgh, education minister Angela Constance, who paid a visit shared in the joy of pupils who had passed.
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