The pass rate for exams in Scotland has risen slightly on last year, it has been announced.

Young people across the country are receiving their results – although mail deliveries to some island communities have been delayed due to Storm Floris.

The number of pupils achieving an A, B or C grade at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher was up across the board when compared with last year.

The SQA also reported a reduction in the attainment gap between candidates from the most and least deprived areas.

More than 147,000 candidates are getting their marks for those qualifications, as well as Skills for Work Awards, National Progression Awards and National Certificates.

Admissions service Ucas said a record number of young Scots had been offered university or college places.

The number of pupils with an A, B or C for National 5 qualifications rose from 77.2% last year to 78.4% this year.

The rate for Higher increased from 74.9% to 75.9%, while the rate for Advanced Higher rose from 75.3% to 76.7%.

The pass rates for National 5 and Highers were similar to pre-pandemic levels.

However, the number of students receiving the same grades in Advanced Higher was 3% lower than in 2019.

The SQA said the attainment gap – between the level of qualifications achieved by children from the most affluent and the least affluent areas – narrowed at National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher levels.

The difference in attainment of A to C grades between pupils from the most deprived and least deprived areas stood at 16.6% for National 5 qualifications, 12.8% for Higher and 17.1% for Advanced Higher.

There were more than 200,000 Higher entries for the first time since Curriculum for Excellence qualifications were introduced in 2014, while the number of vocational and technical qualifications also passed 100,000 for first time.

Donna Stewart, Scotland’s chief examining officer, said: “All of those achievements are to be celebrated – and they belong to Scotland’s learners.”

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said it was a “very positive day for Scottish education and for our children and young people”.

Having described current pupils as being part of the “pandemic generation”, she told BBC Scotland News: “These young people live through lockdown and I do think that has impacted on the way in which they interact with school.”

But Gilruth said there had been “real improvement” in this year’s grades in relation to pre-pandemic levels.

She added: “That progression, that kind of return to normal, has really been evident in this year’s very strong set of exam results.”

The education secretary said she wanted the government to “go further” in cutting the attainment gap – which has been an SNP priority since 2015.

Last year, the difference increased for pupils sitting National 4s, National 5s and Highers.

Ucas said 17,350 university and college places had been accepted by 17 and 18-year-olds, up from 16,650 last year.

However, the total number of applicants from Scotland who secured a place at university fell slightly from 31,970 last year to 31,850 this year as a result of a drop in mature student applications.

The number of young people from the most deprived areas who secured university or college places increased by more than 1,000, rising to 2,060.

Ucas said 3,660 students from overseas had been given places – an increase of 180 on last year.

Ahead of results day, Royal Mail had warned that deliveries of certificates to the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, Arran and Shetland could face delays due to weather disruption.

Despite some delays, most certificates were expected to be delivered on Tuesday.

SQA emails and texts were unaffected, though some pupils reported delays in receiving their digital results.

The SQA’s Candidate Advice Line is open from 08:00 to 18:00 on Tuesday, then open between 08:30 and 17:00 from Wednesday to Friday.

Further advice can be found on the SQA website.

A Skills Development Scotland helpline will offer advice to anyone with questions about the next steps in their education.

Gilruth acknowledged on BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland programme that delays to mail deliveries would be “disappointing” but that candidates could contact schools and colleges for their results.

Twins Maisie and Lexie, pupils at King’s Park Secondary School in Glasgow, endured a “nerve-wracking” wait before receiving confirmation of the results they need to go to university.

While Maisie, who got five Higher As, received a text shortly after 08:00, Lexie had to wait another 35 minutes to find out her results.

When the text came it brought the news she was hoping for – an advanced Higher A, two Higher As and a Higher B.

“When Lexie got her offer through from Strathclyde University I was jumping up and squealing possibly more than her,” Maisie told BBC Scotland News.

Her sister added: “Our neighbours knocked on our door to check everything was ok.”

Scottish Conservative education spokesman Miles Briggs said that the government had “no room for complacency” despite a higher pass rate.

“Frankly, no amount of spin from them can avoid the fact that Nicola Sturgeon’s promises in relation to the attainment gap lie in tatters,” he added.

Scottish Labour education spokeswoman Pam Duncan-Glancy said: “While any progress closing the attainment gap should be welcomed, the truth is it remains stubbornly wide.

“The SNP has gone from promising to close the attainment gap entirely to congratulating itself for the most incremental progress.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie said the results were a reflection of the government’s “inability” to close the attainment gap.