Which books are in the SQA Highers English reading list this year? Full guide of Scottish texts included

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Some of Scotland’s most esteemed plays, novels, and poets make the list 📜
  • Just like for Nationals, students studying towards a Higher qualification in English will study at least one work by a Scottish writer.
  • These come from a set list written by the SQA, which includes plays, novels, and poetry.
  • From next year many of these will likely change after a recent consultation.
  • This means that this year’s English students may be the last to study a given text.

Scottish secondary school learners choosing to further their studies of literature and language will dive head first into some of the country’s most highly regarded books this year.

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Education is a devolved issue in Scotland, and as a result the country’s secondary and high school students sit slightly different qualifications than their peers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Here, pupils will sit their National 5s, or ‘Nationals’, rather than GCSEs, and Highers’ rather than A Levels. While core subjects like English and maths may be compulsory for many pupils sitting their Nationals, Highers candidates typically have a little more freedom - depending on their school and any course requirements for universities they may be interested in.

For those who choose to continue their English studies, they can expect to do some reading. The Scottish Qualifications Authority’s (SQA) course specifications give teachers and schools near-total freedom to pick out which texts they would like learners to study, which the exam board says “means a wide range of literature will be studied... including Shakespeare and other classic works”.

But just like at National 5 level, they must also pick out at least one Scottish text from a set list - which will play a big part in pupils’ assessments. The SQA recently ran a consultation to gather feedback from teachers and learners on its current Scottish set text list for Nationals and Highers English courses, so that the books and plays “more fully reflects life in Scotland”. It plans to update the list for pupils beginning their English studies from the 2025/26 school year onwards - so next year’s reading list could look rather different.

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Here is the list this year’s English Higher students will be reading from:

Scottish English Higher candidates will study at least one text by a Scottish writerScottish English Higher candidates will study at least one text by a Scottish writer
Scottish English Higher candidates will study at least one text by a Scottish writer | (Image: National World/Getty Images)

Drama

  • The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil, John McGrath
  • Men Should Weep, Ena Lamont Stewart
  • The Slab Boys, John Byrne

Prose

  • The Cone Gatherers, Robin Jenkins (also an option for National 5 pupils)
  • Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson (also an option for National 5 pupils)
  • Sunset Song, Lewis Grassic Gibbon
  • A collection of short stories, by George Mackay Brown (including A Time to Keep, The Eye of the Hurricane, and Andrina)
  • A collection of short stories, by Iain Crichton Smith (including The Red Door, The Telegram, Mother and Son, and Home - also an option for National 5 pupils)

Poetry

If your child’s teacher picks out poetry, pupils will have to study six poems by a single Scottish poet. These will include:

  • Carol Ann Duffy (War Photographer; Valentine; Originally; Mrs Midas; In Mrs Tilscher’s Class; The Way My Mother Speaks - also an option for National 5 pupils)
  • Norman MacCaig (Assisi; Visiting hour; Aunt Julia; Basking shark; Hotel room, 12th floor; Brooklyn cop - also an option for National 5 pupils)
  • Sorley MacLean (Hallaig; Shores; An Autumn Day; I gave you immortality; Kinloch Ainort; Girl of the red-gold hair)
  • Don Paterson (Waking with Russell; 11:00: Baldovan; The Ferryman’s Arms; Nil Nil; Rain; The Circle)
  • Liz Lochhead (The Bargain; My Rival’s House; View of Scotland/Love Poem; Last Supper; Revelation; Box Room)
  • Robert Burns (Holy Willie’s Prayer; Tam O’Shanter; To A Mouse; A Poet’s Welcome to his Love Begotten Daughter; To a Louse; A Red, Red Rose)

What do you think of the Scottish texts currently on the reading list - do they need to change? Have your say and make your voice heard by leaving a comment below.

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