Website That Allows Parents to Compare and Contrast Data
By ANDREW DENHOLM
DETAILS of this summer’s Scottish school exam results were published yesterday on the internet as part of a service for parents.
The data is made available annually by the Scottish Government on the Scottish Schools Online website and allows parents to compare the performance of individual state and independent schools.
Log on to the website, http: //www. scottishschoolsonline. gov. uk/ .
There parents can find details of a particular school after a simple search. You can either enter the school name and click the search button. This will bring you to the relevant school’s performance information.
The alternative is to select a local authority from the dropdown menu. This will produce a list of all schools under each local authority area in alphabetical order. You can also choose to look only for primary, secondary or special schools by clicking a check box.
Once a school has been found, the website provides some basic information including contact details, pupil roll and whether it is local authority run or independent. It provides links to the school’s own website where available.
Aseries of further links then highlights the school’s performance in exam results at fourth, fifth and sixth year as well as providing other information such as staying on rates, attendance and absence, leaver destinations and free school meal entitlement. Scottish Schools Online also includes a link to the most recent reports by HM Inspectorate of Education – detailed appraisals of how a school is doing compiled by schools’ inspectors.
The Herald uses the benchmark of five or more Highers, graded A to C, by the end of S5 which is found under the heading: “Fifth year staying on rates and exam results”. The website allows a straightforward comparison between the performance of a school compared with the average in its local authority area and the overall Scottish average. However, the website does not allow for ready comparisons with other schools, either in the same area or elsewhere in Scotland.
In order to make such comparisons parents have to search for each individual school by name and compare the data themselves. This is a deliberate policy by the Scottish Government to discourage the drawing up of league tables based purely on exam results.
Top independents
Independent School per cent of S5 pupils gaining five Higher passes at A to C*
High School of Glasgow, Glasgow, 73per cent Founded as the Choir School of Glasgow in the 12th century, it was also last year’s top independent school. 95per cent of pupils go on to university.
Robert Gordon’s College, Aberdeen, 72per cent Founded as a boy’s school 257 years ago, it went coeducational in 1989. Currently 1080 pupils in the senior school. Fees are GBP8495 a year.
Fernhill School, South Lanarkshire, 68per cent Small Catholic girls’ school, founded in 1972 on the outskirts of Glasgow.
Hutchesons’ Grammar, Glasgow, 66per cent Originally founded as a school for orphans, it has moved around Glasgow a number of times in its 366 year history.
Mary Erskine School, Edinburgh, 66per cent Part of the Erskine Stewart’s Melville College group of schools, it has provided education for girls in Edinburgh for over 300 years.
Dollar Academy, Clackmannanshire, 62per cent Describes itself as “Scottish. . . but international”. Funded by a bequest from ship owner, Captain John McNabb 190 years ago, 99per cent go to university.
Glasgow Academy, Glasgow, 62per cent Has claims as the oldest fullyindependent school in Glasgow, this co-ed school is situated in the west end. It also has a nursery and primary department.
George Heriot’s School, Edinburgh, 58per cent Founded in 1628 by goldsmith George Heriot on a site beside Edinburgh Castle. The school has 900 pupils.
St Margaret’s School for Girls, Aberdeen, 57per cent One hundred- year-old girls’ school in Edinburgh, with fees of GBP3000 per term in the senior school.
Lomond School, Argyll and Bute, 56per cent A merger of two Helensburgh schools dating back to 1845, alumni include TV’s inventor, John Logie Baird and Prime Minister Andrew Bonar Law. With just 500 pupils, this co-ed school emphasises traditional music and outdoor pursuits.
Top state schools
State schools’ percentage of S5 pupils gaining five passes at A to C
Jordanhill School, Glasgow 38per cent.
Banchory Academy, Aberdeenshire 35per cent.
Mearns Castle High School, East Renfrewshire 32per cent.
St Ninian’s High School, East Renfrewshire 31per cent.
Cults Academy, Aberdeen 29per cent.
Douglas Academy, East Dunbartonshire 29per cent.
James Gillespie’s High School, Edinburgh, 29per cent.
Lenzie Academy, East Dunbartonshire, 29per cent.
Linlithgow Academy, West Lothian, 28per cent.
Wallace Hall Academy, Dumfries and Galloway, 28per cent.
Aberdeen Grammar, Aberdeen, 27per cent.
Boroughmuir High School, Edinburgh, 26per cent.
North Berwick High School, East Lothian, 26per cent.
Williamwood High School, East Renfrewshire, 26per cent.
Castle Douglas High School, Dumfries and Galloway, 23per cent.
Madras College, Fife, 23per cent.
Dunblane High School, Stirling, 23per cent.
Gryffe High School, Renfrewshire, 23per cent.
Dornoch Academy, Highland, 22per cent.
Gairloch High School, Highland, 22per cent.
Largs Academy, Ayrshire, 22per cent.
Ullapool High School, Highland, 22per cent.
Originally published by Newsquest Media Group.
(c) 2007 Herald, The; Glasgow (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.