List of private schools in Scotland

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 modelled on the English public school system".^[1] The perceived English influence in many of these schools was such that in 1887 one author referred to them as "English schools".^[2] 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.^[3]

There are 91 independent schools across Scotland^[4] 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.^[5] The figure is significantly higher in Edinburgh, with around 1 in 4 pupils educated at an independent school, the highest proportion in the UK.^[6] This figure has risen to 30 per cent in recent years.^[7]

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.^[8]

List of schools

North

Additional Support Needs / Complex Additional Needs Schools

Ardfern School, Johnstone
Closeburn House School, Dumfries
Common Thread Schools, Dumfries
Corseford School, Kilbarchan
Donaldson's School, Linlithgow
CrossReach Erskine Campus,Erskine
Dunedin School, Edinburgh
East Park School, Maryhill
Falkland House School, Falkland
Good Shepherd Centre, Bishopton
Harmeny School, Balerno
Hillside School, Aberdour
Kibble Education & Care Centre, Paisley
Maben House School Lochmaben
Mirren Park School, Paisley
Moore House Academy, Bathgate
Moore House Academy, Butterstone, Dunkeld
New Struan School, Alloa
Ochil Tower School, Auchterarder
The Royal Blind School, Edinburgh
Scottish Centre For Children With Motor Impairments, Craighalbert Centre, Cumbernauld
Seamab School, Rumbling Bridge
Stanmore House School, Lanark
Starley Hall School, Burntisland
Troup House School, Gamrie

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,^[9] 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).

School	Day fees	Boarder fees	Curriculum	HMC^[10]
Fettes College^[11]	£37,050	£44,100	English/IB	Yes
Gordonstoun School^[12]	£35,601	£48,990	English	Yes
Merchiston Castle School^[13]	£29,250	£40,320	English	Yes
Strathallan School^[14]	£27,360	£41,829	English/Scottish	Yes
Glenalmond College^[15]	£25,275 (22/23)	£41,145 (22/23)	English	Yes
Loretto School^[16]	£25,155 (22/23)	£36,945 (22/23)	English	Yes
Lathallan School^[17]	£23,304	£31,950	Scottish	No
St Leonards School, St Andrews^[18]	£18,765	£44,232	IB	Yes
St. George's School, Edinburgh^[19]	£18,324	£37,575	English/Scottish	No
St. Mary's School, Melrose^[20]	£17,940 (22/23)	£20,640 (22/23)	Scottish	No
Morrison's Academy, Crieff^[21]	£17,575	n/a	Scottish	Yes
Edinburgh Academy^[22]	£17,541	n/a	English/Scottish	Yes
The High School of Glasgow^[23]	£16,959	n/a	Scottish	Yes
Dollar Academy^[24]	£16,677	£38,601	Scottish	Yes
St Margaret's School for Girls, Aberdeen^[25]	£16,632	n/a	Scottish	No
International School Aberdeen^[26]	£16,535	n/a	IB	No
George Heriot's^[27]	£16,440	n/a	Scottish	Yes
Clifton Hall School, Edinburgh^[28]	£16,380	n/a	Scottish	No
Hutchesons' Grammar School^[29]	£16,177	n/a	Scottish	Yes
The High School of Dundee^[30]	£16,050	n/a	Scottish	Yes
Mary Erskine School, Edinburgh^[31]	£16,041	£32,190	Scottish	No
Stewart's Melville College, Edinburgh	£16,041	£32,190	Scottish	Yes
Albyn School, Aberdeen^[32]	£15,995	n/a	Scottish	Yes
George Watson's College, Edinburgh^[33]	£15,951	n/a	Scottish/IB	Yes
Kelvinside Academy^[34]	£15,951	n/a	Scottish	Yes
Robert Gordon's College, Aberdeen^[35]	£15,845	n/a	Scottish	Yes
Wellington School, Ayr^[36]	£15,645	n/a	Scottish	No
St. Columba's, Kilmacolm^[37]	£15,610	n/a	Scottish	Yes
Belmont House School^[38]	£15,492	n/a	Scottish	No
St. Aloysius' College^[39]	£14,976	n/a	Scottish	Yes
Lomond School^[40]	£14,925	£36,200	Scottish	Yes
The Glasgow Academy^[41]	£14,850	n/a	Scottish	Yes
Hamilton College^[42]	£13,875	n/a	Scottish	No
Edinburgh Steiner School^[43]	£11,208 (22/23)	n/a	Scottish	No
Drumduan School^[44]	£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.^[45] 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.

	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.^[46]^[47]

	School	A/A* A-level (%)	A/A* GCSE (%)	HMC
1	George Watson's College	55.4	(No data)	Yes
2	The Edinburgh Academy^[48]	46.1	40.6	Yes
3	Fettes College^[49]	45.0	68.0	Yes
4	St Leonards School^[50]	43.2	41.2	Yes
5	Merchiston Castle School^[51]	38.6	69.3	Yes
6	Loretto School^[52]	37.5	49.7	Yes
7	St George's School, Edinburgh^[53]	34.8	48.9	No
8	Glenalmond College^[54]	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.

	School	Average Score (/45)	>40 points (%)	HMC
1	Fettes College^[55]	36.9	34	Yes
2	George Watson's College^[56]	34.0	(No data)	Yes
3	St Leonards School^[57]	33.0	13.0	Yes

References

^ James Campbell, A life in writing: James Robertson, The Guardian, 14 August 2010 [1]
^ Christina Blackie, Geographical Etymology: A Dictionary of Place-names Giving Their Derivations (1887), John Murray, 1887, at page vi [2]
^ "Private Schools in Scotland | Educators.co.uk". www.educators.co.uk. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
^ "Schools - gov.scot". www.gov.scot.
^ "SCIS Facts & Figures". Scottish Council of Independent Schools. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
^ Scott, Kirsty (22 September 2009). "Parents launch campaign to promote local schools in Edinburgh". The Guardian.
^ "Scotland's private schools eye international expansion as market booms". The Scotsman. 7 June 2018.
^ Johnson, Simon (27 May 2016). "Poor Scots 'squeezed out of university by SNP cap on places'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
^ "HMC Independent Schools in Scotland". Hmc.org.uk. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
^ "HMC: Schools Directory". Retrieved 2 December 2022.
^ "Admissions". www.fettes.com.
^ "Gordonstoun School: Fees". Gordonstoun.org.uk.
^ "Merchiston Castle School: Fees". Merchiston.co.uk.
^ "Strathallan School: Fees". Strathallan.co.uk.
^ "Glenalmond College: Fees". Glenalmondcollege.co.uk.
^ "Loretto School: Fees". Loretto.com.
^ "Lathallan School: Fees" (PDF). Lathallan.org.uk.
^ "Fees ~ 2022-23".
^ "St. George's School, Edinburgh: Fees".
^ "Fees and Charges". www.stmarysmelrose.org.uk.
^ "Tuition Fees and Capital Levy - Session 2022-2023". Morrisonsacademy.org.
^ "Edinburgh Academy: Fees". Edinburgh Academy.^{[dead link‍]}
^ "The High School of Glasgow - Fees".
^ "Dollar Academy - School Fees".
^ "St. Margaret's School for Girls Aberdeen - School Fees for Session 2022-23". www.st-margaret.aberdeen.sch.uk.
^ "International School Aberdeen: Fees".
^ "George Heriot's: Fees for session 2022/23". George-heriots.com.
^ "Clifton Hall School: Fees". Cliftonhall.com.
^ "Fees & Bursaries - Hutchesons' Grammar Private School Glasgow".
^ "High School of Dundee - Fees". High School of Dundee.
^ "Erskine Stewart's Melville Schools: Fees". Esms.edin.sch.uk.
^ "Upper School Admissions and Fees".
^ "George Watson's: Fees". Gwc.org.uk.
^ "Fees". Kelvinside Academy.
^ "Robert Gordon's, Aberdeen: Fees". Rgc.aberdeen.sch.uk.
^ "Wellington School - Fees".
^ "St Columba's, Kilmacolm Fees". St. Columba's.
^ "Fees - Belmont House School". www.belmontschool.co.uk.
^ "St. Aloysius - Fees". Staloysius.org.
^ "Fees & Payment Terms". Lomond School.
^ "School Fees". Glasgow Academy.
^ "Hamilton College: Fees".
^ "Fees and finance".
^ "Fees & Finances".
^ "The Times & The Sunday Times". www.thetimes.co.uk.
^ "A-level results 2015: Independent schools results table". The Telegraph. 22 August 2015.
^ "GCSE results 2015: Independent schools table". The Telegraph. 29 August 2015.
^ "Edinburgh Academy: Exam Results". Archived from the original on 26 July 2015.
^ "Fettes Results 2014".
^ "St Leonard's: Academic Results". Archived from the original on 3 September 2015.
^ "Merchiston Academic Results 2014".
^ "Public examination results". www.loretto.com.
^ "Examination Results - St George's School, Edinburgh". www.stge.org.uk.
^ "Glenalmond College: Academic Results". Archived from the original on 11 August 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
^ "Fettes: Excellent IB Results".
^ "George Watson's College: Exam Results". Archived from the original on 1 August 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
^ "St Leonards: Academic Results". Archived from the original on 27 September 2015.

External links

The website 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.
Information on Private Schools in Scotland Key information and independent ratings on private Secondary Schools across Scotland.
Scottish Schools Online Contact information and attainment data for independent Scottish schools.

[1] James Campbell, A life in writing: James Robertson, The Guardian, 14 August 2010 [1]

[2] Christina Blackie, Geographical Etymology: A Dictionary of Place-names Giving Their Derivations (1887), John Murray, 1887, at page vi [2]

[3] "Private Schools in Scotland | Educators.co.uk". www.educators.co.uk. Retrieved 19 September 2016.

[4] "Schools - gov.scot". www.gov.scot.

[5] "SCIS Facts & Figures". Scottish Council of Independent Schools. Retrieved 29 February 2024.

[6] Scott, Kirsty (22 September 2009). "Parents launch campaign to promote local schools in Edinburgh". The Guardian.

[7] "Scotland's private schools eye international expansion as market booms". The Scotsman. 7 June 2018.

[8] Johnson, Simon (27 May 2016). "Poor Scots 'squeezed out of university by SNP cap on places'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 7 July 2016.

[9] "HMC Independent Schools in Scotland". Hmc.org.uk. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.

[10] "HMC: Schools Directory". Retrieved 2 December 2022.

[11] "Admissions". www.fettes.com.

[12] "Gordonstoun School: Fees". Gordonstoun.org.uk.

[13] "Merchiston Castle School: Fees". Merchiston.co.uk.

[14] "Strathallan School: Fees". Strathallan.co.uk.

[15] "Glenalmond College: Fees". Glenalmondcollege.co.uk.

[16] "Loretto School: Fees". Loretto.com.

[17] "Lathallan School: Fees" (PDF). Lathallan.org.uk.

[18] "Fees ~ 2022-23".

[19] "St. George's School, Edinburgh: Fees".

[20] "Fees and Charges". www.stmarysmelrose.org.uk.

[21] "Tuition Fees and Capital Levy - Session 2022-2023". Morrisonsacademy.org.

[22] "Edinburgh Academy: Fees". Edinburgh Academy.^{[dead link‍]}

[23] "The High School of Glasgow - Fees".

[24] "Dollar Academy - School Fees".

[25] "St. Margaret's School for Girls Aberdeen - School Fees for Session 2022-23". www.st-margaret.aberdeen.sch.uk.

[26] "International School Aberdeen: Fees".

[27] "George Heriot's: Fees for session 2022/23". George-heriots.com.

[28] "Clifton Hall School: Fees". Cliftonhall.com.

[29] "Fees & Bursaries - Hutchesons' Grammar Private School Glasgow".

[30] "High School of Dundee - Fees". High School of Dundee.

[31] "Erskine Stewart's Melville Schools: Fees". Esms.edin.sch.uk.

[32] "Upper School Admissions and Fees".

[33] "George Watson's: Fees". Gwc.org.uk.

[34] "Fees". Kelvinside Academy.

[35] "Robert Gordon's, Aberdeen: Fees". Rgc.aberdeen.sch.uk.

[36] "Wellington School - Fees".

[37] "St Columba's, Kilmacolm Fees". St. Columba's.

[38] "Fees - Belmont House School". www.belmontschool.co.uk.

[39] "St. Aloysius - Fees". Staloysius.org.

[40] "Fees & Payment Terms". Lomond School.

[41] "School Fees". Glasgow Academy.

[42] "Hamilton College: Fees".

[43] "Fees and finance".

[44] "Fees & Finances".

[45] "The Times & The Sunday Times". www.thetimes.co.uk.

[46] "A-level results 2015: Independent schools results table". The Telegraph. 22 August 2015.

[47] "GCSE results 2015: Independent schools table". The Telegraph. 29 August 2015.

[48] "Edinburgh Academy: Exam Results". Archived from the original on 26 July 2015.

[49] "Fettes Results 2014".

[50] "St Leonard's: Academic Results". Archived from the original on 3 September 2015.

[51] "Merchiston Academic Results 2014".

[52] "Public examination results". www.loretto.com.

[53] "Examination Results - St George's School, Edinburgh". www.stge.org.uk.

[54] "Glenalmond College: Academic Results". Archived from the original on 11 August 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2015.

[55] "Fettes: Excellent IB Results".

[56] "George Watson's College: Exam Results". Archived from the original on 1 August 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2016.

[57] "St Leonards: Academic Results". Archived from the original on 27 September 2015.

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List of private schools in Scotland

List of schools

North

Central & Tayside

Fife

Edinburgh City Region

Glasgow City Region

Ayrshire

Borders

Additional Support Needs / Complex Additional Needs Schools

Figures

Fees

Exam results

See also

References

External links

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