Private schools can be a pricey option for parents, but if they have a university-bound child it might be worth the investment - or seeking out a bursary.
Data from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) for the most recent summer exam season showed generally higher attainment for independent schools than education authority ones, a trend also mirrored elsewhere in the UK. When it came to Higher qualifications, the attainment rate for top grades (an ‘A’) was 28.1% in state schools in 2024, compared to 58.7% in private schools.
We’ve created a list of the top performing private secondary schools in Scotland, based on data from the Sunday Times’ prestigious Parent Power Guide for 2025, including information on just how much they cost per term. We filtered these exclusively by the percentage of total Higher and Advanced Higher entries in the summer 2024 exam season to get a top grade - an A or a B.
Highers, administered by SQA, are loosely equivalent to A Level qualifications around the rest of the UK. They can play a big part in opportunities for students after they finish secondary school, including which universities they can get into. It is worth noting that some private schools may not be included in the list if their students primarily sit an alternative qualification - or if they did not supply their results data to The Times.
Here were the 15 highest performers:
1. St Mary’s Music School
Scotland’s number one private secondary school based on Highers top grades in the 2023/24 school year was this specialist music school in Edinburgh, which provides academic education to gifted instrumentalists and singers. In the last school year, 90.9% of all Higher and Advanced Higher grades achieved by its students were an A or a B. Tuition fees are about £11,498 per term for day students. | Google
2. George Heriot’s School
George Heriot’s is another private secondary school in Edinburgh. In the 2023/24 school year, 89.2% of all Higher and Advanced Higher grades achieved by its students were an A or a B. Tuition fees are about £5,480 per term. | Google
3. The Mary Erskine School
The Mary Erskine School is yet another private secondary school in Edinburgh, this one for girls. It is set to merge with Stewart’s Melville College next year. In the 2023/24 school year, 87.9% of all Higher and Advanced Higher grades achieved by its students were an A or a B. Tuition fees are about £6,493 per term. | Google
4. The Glasgow Academy
As its name might suggest, this is a private secondary school in Glasgow. In the 2023/24 school year, 87.1% of all Higher and Advanced Higher grades achieved by its students were an A or a B. Tuition fees are between £4,949 - £5,371 per term. | Google