Senior schools in Edinburgh

[mumof2cakesgalore]

Hello all, would there be any thoughts on senior schools in Edinburgh. I will be relocating to Edinburgh next year. It would be great to hear parent experiences and reviews of the schools in the area. I was looking at the Edinburgh Academy and nearby local schools. Many thanks in advance

There are very good state and private schools in Edinburgh.

1st thing to understand is Edinburgh is unique in uk in that 25% of secondary pupils are in the private sector. That means the state schools don't have the same social mix as elsewhere and don't top the "league tables" if that's important to you.

"Best" state schools are considered to be Royal High, Boroughmuir,, James Gillespies, Craigmount, Firhill .
If you move to the catchment of any of those you can't go wrong.

The private day schools are all pretty similar in terms of results and what they offer, they just vary by size and character. A lot of people choose based on location, north or south of city

Hello, Thank you so much for your advice and the interesting points you have raised. I had made inquiries to the first few school mentioned on your list, and indeed will need to be living within the catchment area when the time comes.

I am very interested in how teachers engage and support pupils, as well as school facilities to help expand and develop a child's interest.
Be great to know some details about the Edinburgh Academy if known.

Like many children of all ages, my child thrives on consistency of 'inspiring' teaching and a mutual respect in class. It is important to see that teachers and support staff understand each child for both strengths and weaknesses.
Thank you for replying!

I’ve had 3 at EA (who have joined at different stages). We’ve not got private school comparisons but have been very happy with the academic & pastoral support and the music & sporting opportunities. The head is brilliant - as far from pompous / arrogant as it’s possible to be. There is a ‘whole-family-community’ ethos that I wasn’t expecting. There’s also lots of flexibility around which subjects can be taken at what stage. Good luck with your decision making.

Hello Scenglish, Thank you for taking the time to respond and sharing your thoughts. I am truly thankful to both replies.
I am so glad to hear your own personal experiences and thoughts about the the EA. I know that my child would thrive and feel very at ease. Creative writing and sports is certainly a huge passion, as well as making friends.
Thank you again for your time to reply.

Welcome. It’s a big decision.

Are you moving from within Scotland or from further afield? If your child isn’t already in the Scottish school system then you need to watch out for the different exam system. Some of the independents do GCSEs / Alevels and IB which might suit better if they’re not already in Scotland and approaching those school years.