SCOTLAND’S exam system is failing to address the needs of thousands of pupils because of the way it has been implemented, according to figures.

One fifth of students who achieved a National 4 qualification in 2016 did so after failing the more demanding National 5 qualification, the Scottish Qualification Agency’s (SQA) statistics show.

The figure from the exam body rises to 30 per cent for those taking maths.

They show in August last year there were 122,961 entries at National 4 with 114,635 resulting in awards. The body estimates that 23,551 or 19 per cent of reported entries were awarded a National 4 as a result of being unsuccessful at National 5.

The figures are concerning because they show for the first time the extent to which pupils are being entered for qualifications that they are not suited to.

Although these pupils eventually secured a National 4 by undertaking additional internal assessments critics argue the experience of “failing” National 5 is negative.

It also means schools have not yet come to terms with the raft of different academic and vocational qualifications that are available under the Curriculum for Excellence.

Earlier this month the Scottish Government issued fresh guidance calling on teachers to make sure pupils were presented for the right qualifications. Work is also underway to review National 4 qualifications to make them more appealing.

Responding to the figures, Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the Educational institute of Scotland teaching union, said: “Understandably schools took a belt and braces approach in the first few years of to protect pupils, but a high level of inappropriate presentations leads to over assessment and excessive workload so we need to address this issue.

“Whilst a safety net will always be required, pupils should only be presented for exams where there is a degree of confidence, based on classwork and assessments, that they will achieve a pass.”

Mr Flanagan said when Standard Grade was introduced most pupils left school at 16, but because now most now most stay on until at least fifth year, schools should look beyond the “assessment overload” in S4 to allow for a better learning experience.

Liz Smith, education spokeswoman for the Scottish Conservative Party, said the statistics made clear the extent of the challenge facing the Scottish Government as it seeks to raise attainment.

She added: “It is very worrying that 20 per cent of pupils in Scotland are not making the grade when it comes to National 5 presentations and, even more worrying, that in the core skill of maths 30 per cent do not make the National 5 grade.

“The issues with National 4 and National 5 are clearly a very major part of the reason why there is growing concern about how well SQA qualifications in the middle secondary years meet the needs of the weakest pupils.”

“This concern also ties in with the concerns raised in the recent Education Scotland report which told us that there are issues with courses in the first three years of secondary not delivering sufficient rigour.”

Iain Gray, education spokesman for the Scottish Labour Party, added: “For years we have been flagging up the problems created by the new exam system.

“These figures show for the first time that tens of thousands of students, at the wrong end of the attainment gap, will either lose their fall-back chance or face the extra burden of added assessments in the hope that they achieve a qualification.”

The SQA figures show in August 2016 there were 122,961 entries at National 4 with 114,635 resulting in awards. The body estimates that 23,551 or 19 per cent of reported entries were awarded a National 4 as a result of being unsuccessful at National 5.

The SQA figures also show there were 26,279 entries in mathematics at National 4 with a total of 24,455 of these resulting in awards. The SQA estimates 8,108 or 31 per cent of reported entries were awarded a National 4 a result of being unsuccessful at National 5. The corresponding figure for English was 13 per cent.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "“This government is taking robust action to strengthen Scottish education and close the attainment gap.

“It is imperative that the achievements of young people are recognised and our most recent guidance makes clear the obligation of schools and colleges to present pupils for the correct level of qualification.

“The current mechanism of recognising positive achievement, through fall back to National 4, will remain available for an interim period only. This decision was taken after a period of consultation from key stakeholders about the best way to strengthen the qualifications system to significantly reduce teacher workload and the over-assessment experienced by some young people”