We rely on primary schools to guide the young children in their care through some of their most important milestones.
These schools will oversee much of their pupils’ early social, emotional, and intellectual growth - and what children learn there will serve as the foundation for the rest of their educational journey. That is why it’s so important that parents choose a school that works for their child, and their family.
Each part of Scotland, from Edinburgh to the Orkney Islands, has its own collection of primary schools, including some which shine particularly bright. But how do Scotland’s different regions stack up when it comes to which has the best schools, those that are getting the most children across the goal line in learning essential school skills?
Using Scottish education statistics, Scotland’s Data on a Map publishes annual league tables for council areas across the country, rating how well the country’s state primary schools have performed each year. Schools are ranked using ACEL (or Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels) data. This shows the percentage of pupils across a range of different year groups who have achieved the expected levels in important school skills; literacy, numeracy, and speaking and listening.
Using the most recent data currently available (currently the 2022/23 school year until this year’s data has been finalised) we’ve ranked each of Scotland’s local authority areas based on the percentage of their state-funded schools to be placed in ‘Band 1’ - the highest available, reserved for those with more than 80% of their pupils hitting the mark.
We have also included the top-performing schools in each part of the country, those with the very highest percentage of children in their care meeting key targets for each age group. It is worth noting, however, that some primary schools - mostly those with very small class sizes - have been excluded from the data.
Here’s how each of the regions did:
21. Perth & Kinross
Of all Perth & Kinross primary schools with published performance data, 44% made it into the top band. This represented 21 great local schools. The region’s top performing schools were: Dunning Primary School (95%), Arngask Primary School and Madderty Primary School (both 92.5%). | (Madderty Primary School/Google)
22. Scottish Borders
Of all state primary schools in the Scottish Borders Council area with published performance data, 43% made it into ‘Band 1’. This equates to 16 high-performing local schools. The region’s top performing schools were: Coldstream Primary School and West Linton Primary School (both 95%), followed by Priorsford Primary School and St Ronan's Primary School (both 92.5%). | (West Linton Primary School/Google)
23. Midlothian
Of all Midlothian primary schools with published performance data, 41% made it into the top band. This represented 12 fantastic local schools. Its top performing schools were: Moorfoot Primary School (95%), Loanhead Primary School (90%), Bonnyrigg Primary School and Tynewater Primary School (both 87.5%). | (Bonnyrigg Primary School/Google)
24. Argyll & Bute
Of all Argyll & Bute primary schools with published performance data, 38% made it into the top band, representing 10 local schools. Some of the area’s top schools were: Rhu Primary School (95%), Taynuilt Primary School (95%), Kilcreggan Primary School (92.5%), Cardross Primary School (90%), Colgrain Primary School (90%) and St Joseph's Primary School (90%). | (Rhu Primary School/Google)