Students and families across the country are being encouraged to use a free support service if they need help deciding their next steps on exam results day.

Almost 145,000 people will today receive their results for courses such as National 5, Highers and Advanced Highers, with many hoping that their grades allow them to progress towards university or college places, training schemes, or employment.

A dedicated Results Helpline offering impartial, expert advice and guidance will be available from Skills Development Scotland (SDS), with a team of qualified careers advisers working to support anyone who needs help considering the options available to them and the next steps and they might take.

The support service is particularly important for those whose results fall below expectations and are worried about whether or not they will be able to pursue their preferred career or area of study. However, organisers are keen to point out that the service is not only for those who are disappointed with their results, telling The Herald that many of their calls each year come from those who have exceeded expectations and want more information about the choices they might now make.

Ruth Scott, who leads the team operating the helpline, told The Herald that anyone affected by exam results day can call the helpline for advice:

“That might be people who haven’t performed as well as they had hoped, and are maybe feeling disappointed with their results, but we also get calls every year from people who have done better than they were expecting and we’re able to help them to explore what other opportunities there might be for them. And third of our calls generally come from parents and carers, so the phoneline is there for whoever is affected by results.

“It’s not just about what was in your envelope, but who you are as a person. Where are your strengths, what’s happening round about you in life, what are your passions, and how can we help you to find and thrive in a career that really suits you as an individual?

“We have lots of information about clearing courses, SQA results and the certificate, and what the grades mean. We work closely with partners like SQA and UCAS to offer that help, but we also have an additional layer of support about actually making an informed career decision and helping people to find not just ‘clutching at straws’ option, but asking what is the best option for them."


To mark the opening of the 2024 Results Helpline, SDS brought together Maxine Scott, one of their advisers, with Louise Davidson-Clyne, a former pupil at West Calder High School who made use of the service last year.

Now studying photographry at Edinburgh College, Louise credits the support she received from Maxine with helping her to take the right next step in her life:

“I’d just got my results after S5 and I wasn’t too happy with them. I knew I probably couldn’t get into university and I didn’t think there would be that many opportunities for me, so I decided to call Maxine and she told me about so many courses I could do. She made me feel so much more motivated and enthusiastic and I was able to pursue something that I really wanted to do.”

Louise initially went back to school for S6, but ultimately decided that she would rather proceed directly to college instead.

“I thought you were meant to do the whole of school – that’s what most people do – so I started my first two weeks of S6 and realised it was kind of rubbish so I decided to do the college course that Maxine introduced me to.

“It was such a positive change. I felt a lot more happy and I was able to understand everything I was learning at a steady pace for myself, and I was able to meet people that had the same passion as me so it was really easy to make friends as well.”

The number for the 2024 Results Helpline is 0808 100 8000

The helpline will be open:

  • Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 August - 8am to 8pm

  • Thursday 8 and Friday 9 August – 9am to 5pm