Choosing a secondary school in Edinburgh

[Marmaladegin]

Considering relocating to Scotland with 3dc. DH is Scottish, I am not and so am unfamiliar with the Scottish school system.

DH and I both have jobs that mean we can choose where to live based on school catchment. Secondary is the main concern. Where would you start for picking a good school? Personal recommendations welcome but I also need to know where to go for information to compare. Would consider private, though state probably more realistic. We're technically Catholic so could go that direction too.

Tia!

In Scotland every house has 2 catchment schools, 1 catholic, 1 non-denominational. Most children attend their catchment school. However Edinburgh is an anomaly as 25% of secondary children attend private schools. This means there's not the same social mix in state secondaries and therefore affects school's placing on results tables (if these are important to you). I'm not aware of official tables but The Herald produces a league of state school results at Highers across whole of Scotland.

If you want a particular state secondary you'll need to make sure you buy/rent in catchment as placing requests are very unlikely. Don't take estate agents word, check the address on Edinburgh city council website, they have maps of all the catchment areas. If you're buying a house ESPC has a function where you can search by school catchment.

The "good" state secondaries are considered to be Boroughmuir, James Gillespie's, Royal High, Craigmount, Trinity. St Thomas of Aquins for catholic provision. Also Currie and Balerno on periphery. All those are nice family areas to live.

Main private schools used are Watsons, ESMS, Heriots, Edinburgh academy, St George's (girls only). They're all similar in terms of results.
Clifton hall is very small and just outside city. The other schools have a lot boarders.

Edinburgh is a great place to live and very safe for bringing up children.

Edinburgh has a high proportion of children going privately - around 25%.

Schools there don't tend to make the top of the league tables.

East Renfrewshire (Clarkston, Giffnock, Mearns) & North Dunbartonshire (Bearsden/Milngavie( near Glasgow, Dunblane near Stirling, & Houston have the best state schools.

If Catholic provision is important- St Ninians in East Ren.

High property prices & school fees is a bit of a combination (Edinburgh).

Thanks for taking the time to reply with so much helpful information.

But I still can't find where comparative exam results are published. I've tried looking for something published by the herald. I appreciate league tables aren't the be all and end all but they're not a bad objective place to start.

The full list is here but you'll need to subscribe.

There are various newspapers that do a top 10 or top 10 in council areas as well.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/best-uk-schools-guide-parent-power-tr95xdztg

This one is free- full list at the bottom

www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scotlands-secondary-schools-ranked-best-27299635

Edinburgh has a high proportion of children going privately - around 25%.Schools there don't tend to make the top of the league tables.

The private schools aren't part of the league tables published above.

@hartytype - I was meaning that the Edinburgh state schools generally don't make the top 10 in Scotland.

Most of the top performing state schools are in East Ren/Dunbartonshire.

I think the point is that parental engagement is the biggest factor in how well DC do at school. Those going to private school will in general have high levels of parental involvement. That then reflects on the general presentation of achievement of Edinburgh schools which appears comparatively lower overall as that cohort is not included.

And obviously achievement of individuals in schools cannot be measured with these stats.

I used this, super helpful as there is a searchable table where one can see exam results for the last 5 years.

datamap-scotland.co.uk/2022/07/secondary-school-survey-scotland-2022/#performancetable

@ProseccoOnIce I have noticed that the best schools are in/near Glasgow...

I am also considering a move that is within a commutable distance of Edinburgh for work. I'm currently living within about an hour train ride to London.

I haven't considered Glasgow because I haven't heard a huge amount of great things about it and wasn't interested in a long commute but perhaps it is something I should consider...

I moved to a Scottish secondary from England midway through (Year 10/ S5) and it was such a massive change as I was half way through GCSE and then thrown into Highers which was equivalent of As Level so I would do it as early as possible. I went to Trinity Academy which is in edinburgh and it was lovely and nice catchment area. Avoid Leith Academy!!

@cizzababes Thanks for info about Trinity. That is an unfortunate year to move. Mine are in Y5/P5 and Y8/S1. I hadn’t given much thought to religious schools but my oldest is baptised RC. When did you attend Trinity?

Isn't y5 P6? And y8 S2?

Depends when their birthdays are. If you post month and year they were born people on here can advise.
Pupils start S1 the school year they turn 12 (so age range is approx 11.5 -12.5 at start of S1)

This has a table to find when your child would start school:

https://www.mygov.scot/register-your-child-for-a-school

About 15 years ago but as far as I am aware, it is still a fantastic school.
My daughter is also baptised Roman Catholic and attended a catholic primary in England and would definitely think about sending to catholic secondary x

Trinity Academy is a non-denominational school.

@skeemee Even better! Thanks. :)

Absolutely cannot recommend Trinity as a secondary, I live across the road from it and went there myself many moons ago. Eldest is just finishing up s5 there this year, the pupils run the place. Absolutely zero support from year heads, even when ds suddenly lost his father and subsequently failed his exams. They go through staff like water, drugs are rife. My youngest is due to start in the summer and I’m desperately trying to find an alternative.

Agree @Sootess list - these are the best state schools in Edinburgh:

The "good" state secondaries are considered to be Boroughmuir, James Gillespie's, Royal High, Craigmount, Trinity. St Thomas of Aquins for catholic provision. Also Currie and Balerno on periphery. All those are nice family areas to live.

I think Boroughmuir and James Gillespies are best, and likely have best parental support due to catchment areas they cover. A lot of parents will be lecturers at Edinburgh Uni, so high expectations for their children.

I know a teacher at one if these schools. She says the behaviour/attitude of the children is excellent (compared to their last school).

@SolitaryMind Thank you. Staff turn over is a bad sign. A quick google of the school turned up this article, not great... www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/unqualified-students-teaching-maths-edinburgh-11564448

Also thanks to @Sootess & @skeemee Will stick to these.

The cut-off date between school years is the end of February in Scotland, not the end of August.

if you move into catchment you still need there to be spaces in order to get in. You might have spotted Jordanhill in Glasgow looking good - in order to get in there parents in catchment are advised to put their name baby’s down on the way home from hospital. You would pay a huge premium to buy a house in that catchment without any chance of getting in. Nowhere else is as extreme as that but there still might not be space for your S2 (though your primary dc should be guaranteed a place if living in catchment when they move up).

Also add, though not relevant to Edinburgh, not all children in Scotland are in a Catholic catchment as not all areas have Catholic secondaries.

By cut-off date between years I mean birth date for falling into different year groups (although autumn/winter born kids can defer starting school by a year). Primary kids still move up year groups over the summer. Not sure about Edinburgh, but secondary pupils often move up year groups after exam time (which is slightly earlier in Scotland). So they change over onto their new timetables around May and, unlike GCSE pupils, S4s finish their exams and start on their new courses before the summer. I think this is weird and it would be much better if the exams were a month later instead.