Achieving qualifications that open doors to new opportunities beyond high school is one of the most important parts of a student’s time there.
We’re revisiting some of the country’s highest achieving state-funded schools. We’ve based this on the Scottish Government’s breadth and depth of information data, which covers school years up to 2022/23 currently. More specifically, we’ve looked at the percentage of each school’s students gaining a pass in five or more Higher qualifications - as well as some supplementary information from independent data site Scotland’s Data on a Map.
Using these figures, we’ve been able to compare the schools that came out on top in the last available year, as well as across the four before it (dating back to 2018/19). This certainly isn’t the only measure of what makes a school a great place to learn, but it can help give parents some idea as to which of Scotland’s schools have maintained consistently high levels of students securing these important qualifications in their time there.
While some high-achieving schools came close, only a handful achieved a place in the top 25 over all of the last five available years. Here they are:

5. Boroughmuir High School
Boroughmuir is a state secondary school in Edinburgh. Over the last five available years, it has an average place of about 8.2 in the top 25. In the 2022/23 school year, it was 5th overall, with 76% of its students attaining five or more Highers. | Google

6. Williamwood High School
Williamwood is a secondary school in Clarkston, East Renfrewshire. Over the last five available years, it has an average place of about 7.2 in the top 25. In the 2022/23 school year, it drew for 7th overall, with 73% of its students attaining five or more Highers. | Google

7. Douglas Academy
Douglas Academy is a secondary school in Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire. Over the last five available years, it has an average place of about 10.2 in the top 25. In the 2022/23 school year, it was 9th overall, with 72% of its students attaining five or more Highers. | Google

8. Linlithgow Academy
This is a secondary school in Linlithgow, West Lothian. Over the last five available years, it has an average place of about 15 in the top 25. In the 2022/23 school year, it was 10th overall, with 70% of its students attaining five or more Highers. | Google


