Using official Scottish Government statistics, Scotland’s Data on a Map publishes an annual league table rating how well the country’s state high and secondary schools have done, after the National and Higher exam results are released each year. They are ranked based on what Scotland’s Data on a Map describes as the ‘gold standard’ - the percentage of students who sat their Highers that year that passed five or more of them.
While this school year’s candidates are still waiting on their results, parents might want a little more insight into how schools encourage their pupils to achieve to the best of their abilities.
The most recent data currently available is from the 2022/23 school year, which saw a whopping 57 schools reach that gold standard with at least half of their students who sat their higher exams. But just ten schools hit the prestigious mark of having 70% or more of their students attain five or more Highers.
Here were the top 25 scoring state schools overall:

21. Hyndland Secondary School
Hyndland is a secondary school in Glasgow. In the 2022/23 school year, 62% of its students attained five or more Highers. | Google

22. Dunblane High School
This is a high school in Dunblane, Stirling area. In the 2022/23 school year, 62% of its students attained five or more Highers. | Google

23. Notre Dame High School
Notre Dame is now a co-educational Catholic school in Glasgow, although it was formerly a girls’ school until 2021. In the 2022/23 school year, 60% of its students attained five or more Highers. | Google

24. Westhill Academy
This is a secondary school in Westhill, Aberdeenshire. In the 2022/23 school year, 60% of its students also attained five or more Highers. | Google


