Scotland’s highest-achieving independent secondary schools have been revealed in the 33rd edition of The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2026.
Recognised as the definitive ranking of the UK’s top primary and secondary state and independent schools, the guide aims to be an essential resource for parents seeking the very best in education for their children.
The guide includes a fully searchable national database of more than 2,000 schools by name, local authority, town and postcode - along with an assessment of academic results on a school-by-school basis.
Helen Davies, editor of The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide, said: “The educational landscape is testing – budget challenges, rising student mental health issues, special educational needs and an increasingly uncertain future. But there is also so much to celebrate from the dedication of teachers who are finding ever more innovative and impactful ways to enrich their students and give them the very best start in life.
“As well as celebrating the academic excellence of the top schools it is uplifting to see how they are shaping their students to be ready for the 21st century, and instilling a lifelong love of learning.”
The guide is available online here and will be available in print in a 28-page supplement in the newspaper on Sunday, December 7.
Here are the top 10 independent (or fee-paying) Scottish secondary schools to make the top 10 when it came to Higher exam results.
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9. Robert Gordon's College
Aberdeen co-educational independent school Robert Gordon's College came ninth in the Higher exam results rankings in the Sunday Times report. It was founded as a hospital school in 1750 using the estate of local merchant Robert Gordon, left "for the maintenance, aliment, entertainment and education of young boys, whose parents are poor and indigent and not able to maintain them at schools and put them to trades and employment." It now has a school roll of around 1,500 pupils. | Google Maps
10. Albyn School
Another independent Aberdeen day school completes the top 10 - Albyn School on the city's Queen's Road. It was founded in 1867 as a private school for upper-middle-class girls and now has a school roll of around 800 - with roughly half being secondary pupils. | Google Maps