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Schools in Scotland
The educational system in Scotland differs from the English in a number of
respects. Some Scottish independent schools follow the Scottish system, others
stick to the English one, and others are a hybrid of the two.
Secondary schooling in Scotland starts at 12, rather than 11 or 13. There
are separate year numbers in primary and secondary, so 12-year-olds join
S1. While English and Welsh pupils are doing GCSEs, Scots are doing S-grades
(standard grade) in S4. In S5, they take Highers and the following year,
S6, they take Advanced Highers and/or further Highers. The Highers and Advanced
Highers may be in either academic or vocational subjects. Core skills
(communication, numeracy, problem solving, IT, working with others) are
incorporated in the curriculum.
Scottish pupils often sit S-grades only in those subjects that they are not
going to continue to Higher, so that some of the ablest pupils will have
only 3 or 4 S-grades. This makes it much more flexible for the pupils but
makes it harder to assess the school, because pupils are not all sitting
the same exams at the same time. In a strong school, S5 pupils will take
four or five Highers that they will pass with good grades. If they stay on
to the sixth year, they may take further Highers in subjects that they have
not studied before, as well as Advanced Highers. In some schools, a number
of pupils do not take Highers until the sixth year; this is usually an indication
that they need two years to cope with the Higher courses. You need to bear
this in mind when reading the School reports.
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) develops, accredits and awards
all vocational and academic qualifications in Scottish schools. See SQA.
Traditionally, Scottish students went on to degree courses at 17, after taking
Highers in S5. Some still do if they are going to a Scottish university.
But increasingly they stay on in the sixth year, particularly if they want
to move south of the border. There is a strong tradition for students in
Scottish schools to stay in Scotland and not to head for Oxbridge or other
English universities; indeed pupils from Glasgow schools (for example) often
go on to Glasgow universities.
For a list of Scottish Independent schools follow the link.
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