All secondary schools in Scotland have seen their academic attainment results from 2023 published this month by the Scottish Government - we put together this list of all the high schools in Glasgow, ranked by the percentage of school leavers who achieve 5 Highers or more in their exam results.
Each school has been measured on the percentage of pupils who received the Scottish Government’s educational “gold standard” of five Highers, or their equivalent, in 2023 – based on data published by the Scottish Government.
The top performing school in Glasgow this year was Jordanhill High School - for the seventh year in a row, aided by the fact it is a school funded by the Scottish Government, and not the local authority. Jordanhill is the only school of its type in Scotland.
These exam tables do not take into account factors such as the support offered to children with complex needs, the quality of the teaching staff, the quality of the student experience, the funding the school receives from Glasgow City Council or a myriad of other factors that make up a good, well-rounded education. The exam results emphasise an attainment gap between schools in affluent areas of Glasgow and those serving areas in the city with high incidence of childhood poverty.
Throughout our coverage, we use ‘Highers’ as a term to mean both Highers and equivalent qualifications at SCQF level 6 and above, such as Skills for Work Higher awards.
This is the information that the Scottish government provides to give parents and students insight into the performance of schools across the country.
For further High School league tables in nearby constituencies, click below:
North Lanarkshire High School League Tables 2024: All 23 North Lanarkshire High Schools ranked by academic attainment in 2023 South Lanarkshire High School League Table 2024: All 17 South Lanarkshire High Schools ranked by academic attainment in 2023
1. Jordanhill School
Renowned for its academic excellence, Jordanhill School is both the highest ranked school in Glasgow in terms of academic attainment, but also across the whole of Scotland. At the grant-aided school, an impressive 89 per cent of pupils leave with at least five Highers. The school has a roll of 584 pupils and is unique in Scotland in that it is directly funded by the Scottish government.
2. Glasgow Gaelic School
Glasgow Gaelic School is the 2nd highest ranked school in Glasgow and 12th in Scotland. 491 pupils attend the school. 68% of leavers achieved 5 Highers or more. Photo: Google Maps
3. Hyndland High School
Hyndland is ranked 3rd in Glasgow and 22nd in Scotland. 62% of school leavers achieve 5 Highers or more. 1,034 pupils attend the school. Photo: Google Maps
4. Notre Dame High School
Notre Dame High School was ranked 4th in Glasgow and 23rd in Scotland. 60% of school leavers achieved 5 Highers or more. 789 pupils attend the school.