Scottish school league table 2022: The top 10 best schools in Scotland ranked by the Scottish Government’s “gold standard”
The High School League Table, which covers state schools and has been compiled based on the percentage of pupils achieving the Scottish Government’s “gold standard” for education of five Highers in 2021.
Jordanhill School in the West End of Glasgow – which is unique in that is directly funded by a grant from the Scottish Government rather than a local authority – has topped the table from The Times for the sixth year running.
Wealth continues to play a significant role in determining school performance. The vast majority of pupils in the top ten schools live in Scotland’s most affluent neighbourhoods with The Times noting that there were no pupils from the most deprived areas at Jordanhill School in 2021.
East Dunbartonshire is now level with East Renfrewshire as the local authority with the highest performing schools, with 69% gold standard pupils in both councils.
Braes High School near Falkirk is Scotland’s most improved school following a stellar increase in “gold standard” pupils in recent years. Last year, 62% of Braes High pupils attained five Highers, up from 33% in 2016, the earliest date for which there are comparable figures.
Mark McLaughlin, education correspondent at The Times Scotland, said: “The Scottish Government claims it ‘does not do league tables’ but this is disingenuous. It discloses an annual school-by-school breakdown of the proportion of pupils who earn qualifications at each level of the curriculum - a league table in all but name.
“By publishing this information in an accessible and fully searchable guide, we seek to empower parents with information around the performance of their local schools."
1. Jordanhill School
Jordanhill School tops the table for the sixth year running, with the school’s pupils increasingly drawn from affluent neighbourhoods. The school is Scotland’s only state school free of council control. 91 per cent of those at the school achieved the Scottish Government’s “gold standard” of five Highers in 2021. Photo: Google
2. Bearsden Academy, East Dunbartonshire
Bearsden Academy, East Dunbartonshire was listed second. 81 per cent of those at the school achieved the Scottish Government’s “gold standard” of five Highers in 2021. The school was sixth last year. Photo: Bearsden Academy
3. St Ninian’s High School, East Renfrewshire
St Ninian’s High School, East Renfrewshire was named third on the list with 78% hitting the Scottish Government’s “gold standard” of five Highers in 2021. In the previous list the school was second in Scotland. Photo: Google Maps
4. Cults Academy, Aberdeen City
Cults Academy, Aberdeen City was listed fourtht with 78% hitting the Scottish Government’s “gold standard” of five Highers in 2021. Last year the school was listed ninth. Photo: Google Maps