Bishopbriggs Academy named state school of the year

Bishopbriggs Academy has been named as the Scottish state secondary school of the year in new survey.

The East Dunbartonshire school was selected for the title after rising 15 places to a new high of 11th in the rankings compiled by Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2018, using recent examination results.

It is the second time in four years the school has won the award after 60% of students gained five or more Highers, 23% achieved two or more advanced highers and 84% of pupils in S4 gained five or more National 5 qualifications in 2016.

Alastair McCall, editor of Parent Power, said: “It is a great achievement to win our Scottish state secondary of the year award once, but to do so twice in four years is remarkable.

“Under the leadership of Gordon Moulsdale, the school is going from strength to strength, having only featured in our top 50 since 2011.

“We fully expect to see it break into the top 10 next year, propelled by examination results that just get better and better.

“It is a common trait of brilliant schools like this that examination success is just part of what they do, rather than being the be all and end all. Bishopbriggs is no exception.

“The children excel in the examination halls but also go on to make outstanding contributions to school life more widely and to the community in which they live.''

Jordanhill School in Glasgow remained top of the state school rankings with 79% of pupils attaining five or more Highers.

Second and third place went to St Ninian's High School in Giffnock, East Renfrewshire, and Cults Academy in Aberdeen respectively.

The guide, published in The Sunday Times Scotland this weekend, also ranks independent schools, with The High School of Glasgow top for those following the Scottish examination system, followed by George Heriot's School in Edinburgh and Dollar Academy in Clackmannanshire.

Dollar Academy was named the Sunday Times Scottish independent school of the year after reaching its highest-ever position in the rankings with more than 85% of Higher and Advanced Higher pupils securing top A or B grades in 2017.

Mr McCall said: “The huge success the school has achieved in the past 12 months both inside and outwith the examination halls is a credit to the community that Rector David Knapman has built at Dollar.

“This is a big school with more than 1,200 Higher and Advanced Higher examinations taken this year. To achieve the level of academic results that we saw this summer is remarkable.''

Of those schools that follow the A-level/GCSE or International Baccalaureate examination system, Edinburgh's Fettes College was ranked first once again.