Higher or Lower: Scottish Crime Statistics Game

What is this game?

Welcome to the Higher or Lower challenge! In this interactive game, you will encounter various types of crimes. Your task is simple but tricky: look at the real-world data and determine if there were more or fewer instances of each crime committed in Scotland.

Challenge yourself to see how far you can progress and whether you can secure a spot on the live leaderboard. But be careful – this is one-strike gameplay. Get a single question wrong, and it is game over!

What will I learn?

• The Reality of Crime: You will discover surprising truths about offending in Scotland. (For example, did you know that drink-driving was reported nearly 1,500 times, or that shoplifting happens way more often than car theft?)
• Legal Terminology: Unsure what “bail offences” or “fireraising” means? Click the built-in tooltips to learn exactly what these tricky terms mean in plain English.
• The Big Picture: You will get a clear view of how different crimes compare to one another in the real world.

What Skills will I use?

• Data Literacy: Reading, interpreting, and comparing real statistical data.
• Decision Making: Making quick, logical choices under pressure to maintain your streak.
• Numeracy: Understanding large numbers and statistical frequency.

Play the Game

https://learningrmps.my.canva.site/higher-or-lower-crime

For Teachers: How to use this resource

This Higher or Lower game turns real Police Scotland data (specifically from October–December 2025) into a highly engaging classroom challenge.

Why it works in the classroom:

• One-Strike Gameplay: Pupils stay intensely focused. Because there are no second chances, every single question matters and prevents mindless clicking.
• Real Data, Real Learning: Interacting with authentic statistics sparks organic, meaningful classroom discussions about crime prevention and community impact.
• Built-in Explainers: Quick tooltips explain tricky legal terminology so pupils can navigate the game independently without needing to stop and ask for definitions.
• Friendly Competition: A live leaderboard lets your class compete, celebrates top scorers, and encourages pupils to revisit the data to beat their high score!

Suggested Use: This is perfect for building numeracy and data literacy within the BGE curriculum. It works brilliantly as a highly engaging 15-minute starter activity, a lively lesson plenary, or even a fun homework challenge for your pupils.