Wednesday 4th November 2026
National Progression Awards have trebled in Scottish schools since 2022, but gaps in data and uncertainty about how the qualifications are recognised raise questions about equity of curriculum access.
The research briefing, Unequal Pathways? Access to National Progression Awards in Scotland reveals that school-recorded NPAs increased from 11,110 in 2022 to 33,735 in 2026, more than a three-fold increase. Attainment in a school setting accounted for more than three out of four (77%) of all recorded NPA awards in 2026, an increase of over 20% from 2022..
The number of distinct NPA subjects with recorded attainment in schools ranged from one in Shetland Islands to 55 in both Edinburgh and Fife. The national median was 31.5 subjects per local authority.
Universities use different approaches to recognising NPAs in admissions. Learners need clearer information about how specific qualifications contribute to entry requirements and future opportunities.
Executive Summary
National Progression Awards (NPAs) are becoming an increasingly important part of Scotland's senior phase curriculum. However, recorded school-centre provision varies considerably, and learners may face uncertainty about how NPAs are recognised by universities and other destinations.
Three findings
Rapid growth: School-recorded NPA awards increased from 11,110 in 2022 to 33,735 in 2026, more than a three-fold increase. Schools attainment accounted for more than three out of four (77%) of all recorded NPA awards in 2026, an increase of over 20% from 2022.
Geographical variation: The number of distinct NPA subjects with recorded attainment ranged from one in Shetland Islands to 55 in both Edinburgh and Fife. The national median was 31.5 subjects per local authority
Progression and recognition: Universities use different approaches to recognising NPAs in admissions. Learners need clearer information about how specific qualifications contribute to entry requirements and future opportunities.
Recommendations
The report calls on the Scottish Government to work with local authorities, schools, colleges, Qualifications Scotland, the SCQF Partnership and universities to:
Improve transparency: Publish a consistent national picture of NPA provision and attainment across schools, colleges and partnership arrangements.
Support collaboration: Evaluate regional, online and college-school delivery models to extend access to specialist subjects, particularly where local capacity is limited.
Clarify progression: Work with universities and colleges to publish clear, course-specific information about NPA recognition and entry requirements.
Monitor equity and emerging skills: Develop indicators to identify geographical differences in provision and participation, including whether staffing, resources or delivery arrangements constrain access to specialist and emerging-skills subjects.
The report concludes that the objective should not be to make every school's curriculum identical but to ensure that local flexibility expands opportunity rather than inadvertently limiting it.
Figure 1 and 2 below from the briefing show visually the differences in attainment through local authority school-centres.
