THE significance of the extraordinary figures revealed today about secondary school attainment may not be immediately apparent.

For those without inside knowledge of the education system the fact thousands of secondary pupils who received a National 4 qualification did so after failing National 5 may appear to be no big deal. Pupils are, after all, obtaining the “fallback” qualification as a measure of their achievement and abilities.

But the numbers are startling. More than 23,000 pupils who achieved National 4 last year – one in five of those awarded the qualification – did so in this way. In maths, it’s almost one in three.

These qualifications have replaced the old Standard Grades, although that perception itself is perhaps part of the problem. Under the Curriculum for Excellence, the old view of exams as sorting pupils into levels of ability (credit, general and foundation under the old system) was meant to be abandoned. Instead the National 4 involved no external exam at all, with pupils awarded it on the basis of coursework unit assessments.

Problems arose because the system permitted pupils to enter one exam, but secure a lesser one if they failed – an approach which left many young learners working for qualifications based on both examination and coursework. This overloaded and stressed pupils and meant an excessive workload for teachers. The initial response from the Scottish Government was to scrap the internal assessments which allowed this belt and braces approach in the first place. However it then became apparent that this risked thousands of pupils, who were entered for National 5s, leaving school without any qualification at all, if they weren’t successful.

The latest response by the Scottish Government was to issue clearer guidance that schools should only enter pupils at the level that is appropriate for them, although they conceded a need to retain coursework-based assessments “in exceptional circumstances”.

The latest figures from the Scottish Qualifications Authority show just how many pupils are in this position. It cannot be right that 19 per cent of those achieving National 4s have done so by failing National 5s, instead of being encouraged to get an award at the right level, one which will allow them to embark on life with a recognition of what they have achieved rather than a sense of what they have not. This is not about making exams easier or courses less demanding. Neither an overload of assessment or entering exams you have little chance of passing do pupils any good.

The solution is to improve perceptions of National 4 and other qualifications including vocational options, explaining better to parents the more flexible approach under the new system so other outcomes are not seen as second rate. Changing the reputation of National 4s among pupils, employers, parents and even teachers themselves is vital and is best achieved by providing some form of external qualification for pupils.

Only when that happens can we be sure we have a system that is truly meeting the needs of all our young people.