Schools in West Lothian

[SundayMonday]

Can anyone advise me on secondary schools in the Livingston area? My DD is due to go to High School in 2012 and our catchment school is James Young. I believe the other schools in the area are Deans and Inveralmond and that some children go to Balerno

We don't know anyone with older children and I have read the HMIE report for JY but am none the wiser as to how good a school it is (and it's not very recent)

Any advice gratefully received!

I went to the James Young and son went there for a year and a bit. Ive just changed him to Deans High as I wasnt impressed with James Young and we had moved house. Deans High has improved over last couple of years, used to be one of the 'im not sending my child there' schools. Inveralmond doesnt have the greatest reputation but dont have any personal experience of it. Balerno- no idea.
There is also St Margarets(Catholic) and West Calder High(not sure if its any good).
I would go for whatevers closest as there isnt any really bad or really good ones out of them, none that are worth driving the extra distance for.

kellykate thanks for replying. Was just beginning to think I might be the only MNer in W Lothian

What were you not impressed with about JY? I've been inside the new Deans HS and really liked the new building. That's what puts me off Balerno - the extra travel and DD having friends who live far away (am thinking lots of fetching and carying at weekends/evenings!)

What was JY like when you went?

I'm not exactly local to West Lothian but did apply for jobs in the area once. You should be able to get HMI reports online for all of them, which might give you more of a comparison. Google the schools to see what comes up. Look at their websites. But really, a visit is a great idea, just to get a feel for the place and whatever staff you meet on the tour.
I went for a job at JY once and would have been very happy to work there, but that isn't the same as sending children there I know! Inveralmond's rep was not so good but that was a long time ago. West Calder seemed good too. I really think they are all fairly comprehensive schools so the most local/2nd most local one would be the two I'd make the choice between. If you go to Balerno you're into Edinburgh, you'l have different holidays from the West Lothian schools, which might or might not be a problem for you.

I didnt like the way they disciplined the children, Aome of the staff would punish everyone rather than find out who done what, but this was Communication from school was virtually nonexistant.
If we hadnt moved he probably would still have been there but I liked Deans High better, staff were more approachable and building is much nicer. JY is quite a dark school inside compared to it.
I also didnt want to have to drive the length of Livingston if we have another winter like last year, that was a nightmare.

Hi,

My son attends Deans High school and is very happy there. I just moved here lsat year and found the schools on google! But based which one to send him on the HMI reports. We tried to send him to St Magarets but there was a waiting list. JY high seems a good school on paper.

And there MHI reoprt last year - The one I read was great.

So sorry about the typos! I am a first time poster and can't find the edit button.

St Margarets Academy seemingly is spoken very highly of in the West Lothian region

I don't know anything about Livi schools.

Just wanted to say Hiya to all the others in West Lothian. Thought I was the only one too!

Hiya