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List of private schools in Scotland

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

The following is a partial list of currently operating private schools in Scotland.

Many of the schools are perceived to be heavily influenced by the culture, practices and ethos of English independent, or "public", schools. Author James Robertson described Glenalmond College as "a Scottish boarding school modeled on the English public school system".James Campbell, A life in writing: James Robertson, The Guardian, 14 August 2010 [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/aug/14/james-robertson-land-still-profile] The perceived English influence in many of these schools was such that in 1887 one author referred to them as "English schools".Christina Blackie, Geographical Etymology: A Dictionary of Place-names Giving Their Derivations (1887), John Murray, 1887, at page vi [https://archive.org/stream/geographicalety00blacgoog#page/n12/mode/2up] 43% of Scottish independent secondary schools offer boarding as an option, (especially for pupils from the western isles attending mainland schools) although there is more of a trend to attend as a day pupil compared to in England.{{Cite web|url=https://www.educators.co.uk/scotland/|title=Private Schools in Scotland {{!}} Educators.co.uk|website=www.educators.co.uk|access-date=2016-09-19}}

There are 91 independent schools across Scotland{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.scot/publications/independent-schools-in-scotland-register/|title=Schools - gov.scot|website=www.gov.scot}} of which 71 are members of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS). According to the SCIS, its members educate around 29,000 pupils in Scotland representing around 4.2% of the school age population in Scotland.{{cite web |title=SCIS Facts & Figures |url=https://www.scis.org.uk/facts-and-figures/ |publisher=Scottish Council of Independent Schools |access-date=29 February 2024}} The figure is significantly higher in Edinburgh, with around 1 in 4 pupils educated at an independent school, the highest proportion in the UK.{{cite news|last1=Scott|first1=Kirsty|title=Parents launch campaign to promote local schools in Edinburgh|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2009/sep/22/parents-campaign-schools-edinburgh|work=The Guardian|date=22 September 2009}} This figure has risen to 30 per cent in recent years.{{cite news |title=Scotland's private schools eye international expansion as market booms |url=https://www.scotsman.com/education/scotlands-private-schools-eye-international-expansion-as-market-booms-284201 |work=The Scotsman |date=7 June 2018}}

Scottish students from independent schools are over-represented at the four ancient universities of Scotland. They represented 26% of the student body at the four institutions in 2014/15 with 71% in total receiving an offer of admission at one of the four ancient universities compared to only 29% of state-school entrants.{{cite news|last1=Johnson|first1=Simon|title=Poor Scots 'squeezed out of university by SNP cap on places'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/27/poor-scots-squeezed-out-of-university-by-snp-cap-on-places/|accessdate=7 July 2016|work=The Telegraph|date=27 May 2016}}

List of schools

=North=

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=Central & Tayside=

Image:DollarAcademyPlayfair.jpg

Image:Dundee High School.jpg

=Fife=

=Edinburgh City Region=

Image:Fettes College, Edinburgh.jpg

Image:George-Herriot-high-school.jpg

=Glasgow City Region=

=Ayrshire=

=Borders=

=Additional Support Needs / Complex Additional Needs Schools=

Figures

=Fees=

The schools are ranked here by day school pupil fees for 2023/24 and boarding fees are given where applicable. In cases where the 2023/24 fees are not yet available, this is indicated next to the figures. Membership of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC) is indicated,{{cite web |title=HMC Independent Schools in Scotland |url=http://www.hmc.org.uk/hmc-independent-schools-scotland/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220175459/http://www.hmc.org.uk/hmc-independent-schools-scotland/ |archive-date=2016-12-20 |publisher=Hmc.org.uk |accessdate=2016-12-12}} as well as the curriculum followed by the school: English (i.e. GCSEs, A-levels), Scottish (i.e. Standard Grades/Intermediates, Highers, Advanced Highers), Mixed English and Scottish, or International Baccalaureate (IB).

class="wikitable sortable"

!School

!Day fees

!Boarder fees

!Curriculum

!HMC{{cite web |title=HMC: Schools Directory |url=https://www.hmc.org.uk/schools/ |access-date=2 December 2022}}

Fettes College{{Cite web |title=Admissions |url=https://www.fettes.com/admissions |access-date= |website=www.fettes.com}}

|£37,050

|£44,100

|English/IB

|Yes

Gordonstoun School{{cite web |title=Gordonstoun School: Fees |url=http://www.gordonstoun.org.uk/fees |publisher=Gordonstoun.org.uk}}

|£35,601

|£48,990

|English

|Yes

Merchiston Castle School{{cite web |title=Merchiston Castle School: Fees |url=https://www.merchiston.co.uk/admissions/fees |publisher=Merchiston.co.uk}}

|£29,250

|£40,320

|English

|Yes

Strathallan School{{cite web |title=Strathallan School: Fees |url=https://www.strathallan.co.uk/fees |publisher=Strathallan.co.uk}}

|£27,360

|£41,829

|English/Scottish

|Yes

Glenalmond College{{cite web |title=Glenalmond College: Fees |url=http://www.glenalmondcollege.co.uk/admissions/fees/ |publisher=Glenalmondcollege.co.uk}}

|£25,275 (22/23)

|£41,145 (22/23)

|English

|Yes

Loretto School{{cite web |title=Loretto School: Fees |url=https://www.loretto.com/school-fees/55904.html |publisher=Loretto.com}}

|£25,155 (22/23)

|£36,945 (22/23)

|English

|Yes

Lathallan School{{cite web |title=Lathallan School: Fees |url=http://lathallan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Fee-schedule-2017-.pdf |publisher=Lathallan.org.uk}}

|£23,304

|£31,950

|Scottish

|No

St Leonards School, St Andrews{{cite web |title=Fees ~ 2022-23 |url=http://www.stleonards-fife.org/admissions/fees |format=}}

|£18,765

|£44,232

|IB

|Yes

St. George's School, Edinburgh{{Cite web |title=St. George's School, Edinburgh: Fees |url=https://www.stge.org.uk/admissions/school-fees/}}

|£18,324

|£37,575

|English/Scottish

|No

St. Mary's School, Melrose{{cite web |title=Fees and Charges |url=https://www.stmarysmelrose.org.uk/About-Us/Fees-and-Charges/ |publisher=www.stmarysmelrose.org.uk}}

|£17,940 (22/23)

|£20,640 (22/23)

|Scottish

|No

Morrison's Academy, Crieff{{cite web |title=Tuition Fees and Capital Levy - Session 2022-2023 |url=https://www.morrisonsacademy.org/admissions/fees/fee-notice-2022-2023-pdf/ |publisher=Morrisonsacademy.org}}

|£17,575

|n/a

|Scottish

|Yes

Edinburgh Academy{{cite web |title=Edinburgh Academy: Fees |url=https://www.edinburghacademy.org.uk/411/fees |publisher=Edinburgh Academy }}{{deadlink|date=September 2023}}

|£17,541

|n/a

|English/Scottish

|Yes

The High School of Glasgow{{Cite web |title=The High School of Glasgow - Fees |url=https://www.highschoolofglasgow.co.uk/admissions/fees-information}}

|£16,959

|n/a

|Scottish

|Yes

Dollar Academy{{Cite web |title=Dollar Academy - School Fees |url=https://www.dollaracademy.org.uk/admissions/school-fees/}}

|£16,677

|£38,601

|Scottish

|Yes

St Margaret's School for Girls, Aberdeen{{Cite web |title=St. Margaret's School for Girls Aberdeen - School Fees for Session 2022-23 |url=https://www.st-margaret.aberdeen.sch.uk/fees-and-funding |website=www.st-margaret.aberdeen.sch.uk}}

|£16,632

|n/a

|Scottish

|No

International School Aberdeen{{Cite web |title=International School Aberdeen: Fees |url=https://www.isa.aberdeen.sch.uk/pages/admissions/fees-bursaries}}

|£16,535

|n/a

|IB

|No

George Heriot's{{cite web |title=George Heriot's: Fees for session 2022/23 |url=https://www.george-heriots.com/admissions/fees-and-other-expenses/ |publisher=George-heriots.com}}

|£16,440

|n/a

|Scottish

|Yes

Clifton Hall School, Edinburgh{{cite web |title=Clifton Hall School: Fees |url=https://www.cliftonhall.com/admissions/fees/ |publisher=Cliftonhall.com}}

|£16,380

|n/a

|Scottish

|No

Hutchesons' Grammar School{{Cite web |title=Fees & Bursaries - Hutchesons' Grammar Private School Glasgow |url=https://www.hutchesons.org/admissions/fees-bursaries/}}

|£16,177

|n/a

|Scottish

|Yes

The High School of Dundee{{Cite web |title=High School of Dundee - Fees |url=https://www.highschoolofdundee.org.uk/admissions/junior-and-senior-years/fees-and-financial-support |website=High School of Dundee}}

|£16,050

|n/a

|Scottish

|Yes

Mary Erskine School, Edinburgh{{cite web |title=Erskine Stewart's Melville Schools: Fees |url=https://www.esms.org.uk/fees |publisher=Esms.edin.sch.uk}}

| rowspan="2" |£16,041

| rowspan="2" |£32,190

| rowspan="2" |Scottish

|No

Stewart's Melville College, Edinburgh

|Yes

Albyn School, Aberdeen{{Cite web |title=Upper School Admissions and Fees |url=https://www.albynschool.co.uk/admissions/upper-school-admissions-and-fees/}}

|£15,995

|n/a

|Scottish

|Yes

George Watson's College, Edinburgh{{cite web |title=George Watson's: Fees |url=https://www.gwc.org.uk/admissions/fees-and-financial-support |access-date= |publisher=Gwc.org.uk}}

|£15,951

|n/a

|Scottish/IB

|Yes

Kelvinside Academy{{cite web |title=Fees |url=https://www.kelvinside.org/admissions/fees |publisher=Kelvinside Academy}}

|£15,951

|n/a

|Scottish

|Yes

Robert Gordon's College, Aberdeen{{cite web |title=Robert Gordon's, Aberdeen: Fees |url=https://www.rgc.aberdeen.sch.uk/admissions/fees |publisher=Rgc.aberdeen.sch.uk}}

|£15,845

|n/a

|Scottish

|Yes

Wellington School, Ayr{{Cite web |title=Wellington School - Fees |url=https://wellingtonschool.org/admissions/fees-2/}}

|£15,645

|n/a

|Scottish

|No

St. Columba's, Kilmacolm{{cite web |title=St Columba's, Kilmacolm Fees |url=https://www.st-columbas.org/admissions/fees-financial-assistance |publisher=St. Columba's}}

|£15,610

|n/a

|Scottish

|Yes

Belmont House School{{Cite web |title=Fees - Belmont House School |url=https://www.belmontschool.co.uk/apply/fees/ |website=www.belmontschool.co.uk}}

|£15,492

|n/a

|Scottish

|No

St. Aloysius' College{{cite web |title=St. Aloysius - Fees |url=https://www.staloysius.org/admissions/fees-55 |publisher=Staloysius.org}}

|£14,976

|n/a

|Scottish

|Yes

Lomond School{{cite web |title=Fees & Payment Terms |url=https://www.lomondschool.com/admissions/fees-payment-terms/ |publisher=Lomond School}}

|£14,925

|£36,200

|Scottish

|Yes

The Glasgow Academy{{cite web |title=School Fees |url=https://www.theglasgowacademy.org.uk/admissions/school-fees/ |publisher=Glasgow Academy}}

|£14,850

|n/a

|Scottish

|Yes

Hamilton College{{cite web |title=Hamilton College: Fees |url=https://www.hamiltoncollege.co.uk/admissions/fees-financial-assistance |access-date=}}

|£13,875

|n/a

|Scottish

|No

Edinburgh Steiner School{{Cite web |title=Fees and finance |url=https://www.edinburghsteinerschool.org.uk/admissions/fees-and-finance/}}

|£11,208 (22/23)

|n/a

|Scottish

|No

Drumduan School{{Cite web |title=Fees & Finances |url=https://www.drumduan.org/fees-finances}}

|£10,347

|n/a

|Scottish

|No

=Exam results=

Scottish Exams
The following table ranks the schools by performance in the 2008 round of Scottish Qualifications Authority examinations according to the percentage of A/B grades achieved at Higher level according to The Times newspaper. The percentage of 1 grades at Standard Grade and A grades at Intermediate 2 are also provided.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/|title=The Times & The Sunday Times|website=The Times}} As indicated above, some independent schools in Scotland follow the English curriculum or offer the International Baccalaureate.

Higher and Standard Grade/Intermediate 2 Results
Here, schools following the Scottish exam curriculum are ranked according to the percentage of Highers achieved in 2009 at A/B, as recorded in The Times.

class="wikitable sortable"
! School

! A/B Higher (%)

! 1/A Standard Grade/Int 2 (%)

1

| George Heriot's School

| 79.7

| 71.3

2

| St George's School, Edinburgh

| 77.9

| 62.6

3

| Dollar Academy

| 76.5

| 66.2

4

| Hutchesons' Grammar School

| 76.1

| 73.7

5

| St Columba's School

| 76.1

| 72.2

6

| The High School of Glasgow

| 75.7

| 80.4

7

| Albyn School

| 73.9

| 58.9

8

| The Glasgow Academy

| 73.6

| 66.2

9

| Stewart's Melville College

| 73.3

| 68.9

10

| The Mary Erskine School

| 73.1

| 75.2

11

| High School of Dundee

| 72.6

| 73.3

12

| St Margaret's School for Girls, Aberdeen

| 71.7

| 62.8

13

| St. Aloysius' College

| 71.2

| 65.5

14

| George Watson's College

| 70.9

| 68.1

15

| Morrison's Academy

| 68.6

| 66.5

16

| Wellington School

| 68.6

| 61.1

17

| Robert Gordon's College

| 68

| 65.9

18

| Kilgraston School

| 67.7

| 47.5

19

| Lomond School

| 65.9

| 51.5

20

| Kelvinside Academy

| 65

| 55

21

| Hamilton College

| 64.5

| 54.1

22

| Fernhill School

| 61.5

| 77.9

23

| The Edinburgh Rudolf Steiner School

| 60.5

| 40

24

| Belmont House School

| 46.2

| 23.1

25

| Queen Victoria School

| 37.1

| 41.4

Results of English Qualifications
The below schools follow the English exam curriculum, and are ranked according to the percentage of A-levels achieved at A*/A, as recorded in The Telegraph in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/leaguetables/11816732/A-level-results-2015-Independent-schools-results-table.html|title=A-level results 2015: Independent schools results table|publisher=The Telegraph|date=22 August 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/leaguetables/11825016/GCSE-results-2015-Independent-schools-table.html|title=GCSE results 2015: Independent schools table|publisher=The Telegraph|date=29 August 2015}}

class="wikitable sortable"
! School

! A/A* A-level (%)

! A/A* GCSE (%)

! HMC

1

| George Watson's College

| 55.4

| (No data)

| Yes

2

| The Edinburgh Academy{{Cite web|url=http://www.edinburghacademy.org.uk/Senior_School/Exam_Results|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150726211425/http://www.edinburghacademy.org.uk/Senior_School/Exam_Results|url-status=dead|title=Edinburgh Academy: Exam Results|archivedate=July 26, 2015}}

| 46.1

| 40.6

| Yes

3

| Fettes College{{Cite web|url=http://www.fettes.com/fettes-college/academic/results/|title=Fettes Results 2014}}

| 45.0

| 68.0

| Yes

4

| St Leonards School{{Cite web|url=http://www.stleonards-fife.org/our_school/academic_results|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903181929/http://www.stleonards-fife.org/our_school/academic_results|url-status=dead|title=St Leonard's: Academic Results|archivedate=September 3, 2015}}

| 43.2

| 41.2

| Yes

5

| Merchiston Castle School{{Cite web|url=http://www.merchiston.co.uk/about/academic-2/academic-results/|title=Merchiston Academic Results 2014}}

| 38.6

| 69.3

| Yes

6

| Loretto School{{Cite web|url=https://www.loretto.com/search/public-examination-results/49417.html|title=Public examination results|website=www.loretto.com}}

| 37.5

| 49.7

| Yes

7

| St George's School, Edinburgh{{Cite web|url=https://www.stge.org.uk/upper/exam-results/|title=Examination Results - St George's School, Edinburgh|website=www.stge.org.uk}}

| 34.8

| 48.9

| No

8

| Glenalmond College{{Cite web |url=http://www.glenalmondcollege.co.uk/academic-life/academic-results/ |title=Glenalmond College: Academic Results |access-date=2015-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150811200649/http://www.glenalmondcollege.co.uk/academic-life/academic-results/ |archive-date=2015-08-11 |url-status=dead }}

| 31.5

| 52.8

| Yes

Results of International Baccalaureate
The below schools offer the International Baccalaureate as a qualification, and are ranked according to the average score achieved out of a maximum 45 points.

class="wikitable sortable"
! School

! Average Score (/45)

! >40 points (%)

! HMC

1

| Fettes College{{Cite web|url=https://fettes.com/news/item/excellent-ib-results/|title=Fettes: Excellent IB Results}}

| 36.9

| 34

| Yes

2

| George Watson's College{{Cite web |url=https://www.gwc.org.uk/our-school/senior-school/exam-results/ |title=George Watson's College: Exam Results |access-date=2016-12-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150801142932/https://www.gwc.org.uk/our-school/senior-school/exam-results/ |archive-date=2015-08-01 |url-status=dead }}

| 34.0

| (No data)

| Yes

3

| St Leonards School{{Cite web|url=http://www.stleonards-fife.org/our-school/academic-results|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927084253/http://www.stleonards-fife.org/our-school/academic-results|url-status=dead|title=St Leonards: Academic Results|archivedate=September 27, 2015}}

| 33.0

| 13.0

| Yes

See also

References

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

External links

  • The website [http://www.schoolswebdirectory.co.uk/ UK Schools & Colleges Database] lists currently operating state (and some independent) schools by Local Education Authority and also links to websites of individual schools where available.
  • [https://www.educators.co.uk/scotland/ Information on Private Schools in Scotland] Key information and independent ratings on private Secondary Schools across Scotland.
  • [https://archive.today/20121225121019/http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/scottishschoolsonline/othersearches.asp?strFundingType=Independent&bSubmit=1 Scottish Schools Online] Contact information and attainment data for independent Scottish schools.

{{List of schools in Scotland}}

{{Schools in the United Kingdom}}

{{Scottish education}}

Private

*