# Edinburgh primary schools



## 95107 (May 4, 2010)

We plan to place our children into Primary school (P3 for our son, nursery for our daughter) when we arrive in Edinburgh. 

Because I will be at the University, we'd like to spend the first 6 months living near the city centre. Yes, an apartment there will be more expensive than a suburb/commuting, but we're mostly concerned about having an easy transition, including not having to buy a car right away. After 6 months we'll look at all our housing options.

I'd be very interested in recommendations on Primary schools near city centre. 

Also, I've been trying to figure out what happens if we don't get placement in the most local school. For example, I contacted Stockbridge Primary, as that's one of our most preferred neighborhoods, and they said they would see they were likely to have openings for fall term, but then I never heard back again. If we take a flat in Stockbridge but the primary school doesn't have openings, where will our children be placed, and how will we get them to/from school each day?

Thanks,

Adam


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## contentedscot (Jan 7, 2010)

Have you thought about contacting private schools? Edinburgh Academy is close to Stockbridge.


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## 95107 (May 4, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestion. We've heard there are great private/independent schools, but we have some cash limitations because of the new job salary. We've generally heard that the state primary schools are very good, especially compared to the US, and were hoping to start there. 

Obviously, we'll give up cash to have the kids in a good school 

In the US, the school districts pretty much have to create space if you move into the district. It looks like the UK/Scotland takes a different approach. I'm just trying to get a sense of what happens if we're told there's no space for the kids in the nearest "catchment" school. I saw on the school website that there is an appeal process, but that seems like a poor start to the school experience.

If they are placed in a school that is 5 miles away, how do they get to/from school each day? Is it our responsibility to take them on public transport or drive them? Nursery school is only half day anyway-- that seems slightly silly.


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## contentedscot (Jan 7, 2010)

The best state primary schools in Edinburgh are often over-subscribed - in Morningside, where I used to live, there were stories of school staff checking distances from children's houses to the nearest meter to see who was in and who was not.

If the primary in Stockbridge is full then the head teacher should give you details of nearest alternatives.

Re travelling to school, here is an excerpt from the rules:

Travelling to school
If the Council has suggested a school for your child, the Council must
make arrangements to get them there IF:
> he or she is under 8 years of age and lives more than 3.2 kilometres
(2 miles) from school; or
> he or she is 8 years of age or over and lives more than 4.8 kilometres
(3 miles) from school.

There are many private nurseries who take pre-school children from 8am to 6pm - but not the cheapest option.


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## ragamuffin1 (Jan 28, 2011)

adamjbock said:


> We plan to place our children into Primary school (P3 for our son, nursery for our daughter) when we arrive in Edinburgh.
> 
> Because I will be at the University, we'd like to spend the first 6 months living near the city centre. Yes, an apartment there will be more expensive than a suburb/commuting, but we're mostly concerned about having an easy transition, including not having to buy a car right away. After 6 months we'll look at all our housing options.
> 
> ...


Hi Adam

We are considering Stockbridge as we hear it is a nice school although we have not visited yet. Did your children start there and if so how are you finding it?


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## Pecosa (Nov 29, 2009)

adamjbock said:


> We plan to place our children into Primary school (P3 for our son, nursery for our daughter) when we arrive in Edinburgh.
> 
> Because I will be at the University, we'd like to spend the first 6 months living near the city centre. Yes, an apartment there will be more expensive than a suburb/commuting, but we're mostly concerned about having an easy transition, including not having to buy a car right away. After 6 months we'll look at all our housing options.
> 
> ...



Hello Adam,
We are moving to Edinburgh in August with a 6 year old and a 14 year old (from the US) and feeling worried about the overcrowding issues you mentioned...
We had a terrible time dealing with this very issue in Bristol and I hate the thought of going through it all again!
Any tips or advice to share?
I'd really appreciate it.
Cheers,
Beth


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## 95107 (May 4, 2010)

Beth,

I've never been to Bristol, so my only point of comparison in the UK was London, which really isn't a good baseline.

That being said, Edinburgh has been fantastic--- we absolutely love this city. We've done the full-on city life version-- no car, living near the city centre, walking everywhere, groceries 3-4x per week.

Our kids are enrolled in Stockbridge Primary, which we love. In point of fact, both the Fall P1 class (our daughter) and P4 (our son) will have 30 kids per classroom, but we've accepted that as a reality of state schooling, especially in the better schools. As is always the case, a lot depends on the head teacher and the classroom teacher, and Stockbridge was very lucky to get a new, topnotch head teacher (Faye Calder-Kelly) this year. 

Our concern now focuses on secondary school, and Stockbridge feeds into Broughton which doesn't have quite as good a reputation. I'm assuming that would be more of an issue for you with a 14-yr old.

I'm afraid I don't have much more to offer, as I know nothing about the other schools in the area, other than to recommend against Flora Stevenson, simply because our son was bullied there before we got him into Stockbridge. I think that was mostly an idiosyncratic situation, because our son is a bit out of the ordinary, and there was a very cohesive group of Scots boys in the class who had known each other for years. Stockbridge is dramatically more international/multicultural, and much more accommodating of kids with unique characters.

Edinburgh Academy has a sterling reputation (fee school-- I still call them "private" though of course here they are referred to as "public")-- but it is very expensive-- I think something like £13,000 per year / child. 

We'll be in the States in Summer but returning in August. Drop me a note and let me know how things are going 

Adam

[email protected]
[email protected]



Pecosa said:


> Hello Adam,
> We are moving to Edinburgh in August with a 6 year old and a 14 year old (from the US) and feeling worried about the overcrowding issues you mentioned...
> We had a terrible time dealing with this very issue in Bristol and I hate the thought of going through it all again!
> Any tips or advice to share?
> ...


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## Pecosa (Nov 29, 2009)

adamjbock said:


> Beth,
> 
> I've never been to Bristol, so my only point of comparison in the UK was London, which really isn't a good baseline.
> 
> ...


Thanks, Adam.
Great to hear you are all settling in well and that you are liking Stockbridge Primary.
We very much want to be in the heart of the city and walk and bus (no car!!) as that is the model we yearn for and miss having here Oregon.
Secondary schools are our biggest focus as our almost-15 year old daughter will need to be as well set-up as we can manage (and there is no way we can afford a fee-paying school!). What have you heard that is negative about Broughton?
Is Stockbridge Primary your catchment school and is it difficult to get into (what neighborhood is it in?)?
Anyway, I really appreciate the tips and wish you a safe journey back to the US (where are you all from?). 
Bye for now,
Beth


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## 95107 (May 4, 2010)

Beth:

We are from Wisconsin and will be mostly visiting there.

Stockbridge is our catchment school. The P1 class was full-up with a waiting list. The school is right in the heart of the Stockbridge area-- my opinion the best place to live in Edinburgh. It can be a bit pricey, especially if you want to live in a nicer building and have a view. But it is walking distance to the central bus and rail stations, NewTown, OldTown, and close to Leith as well.

If you contact Stockbridge Primary they can tell you whether a given class is already full. Your 6-yr old would likely be going into P2 (depending on birthday). I don't know how big that class is-- sorry.

My general sense is that many of the secondary schools in the UK are considered questionable-- there is a perception of a broad-based dropoff in quality from the primary to the secondary schools. I've never been to Broughton or talked to anyone who has kids there-- this is mostly just hearsay from parents who have already pulled their kids out to go to Academy (some as early as P1/P2) or who are planning to do so after P3/P4. I don't think it's a bad school the way an inner-city school might be in Chicago or Los Angeles, I just get the impression that there isn't as much confidence about the educational and social program. It could be entirely false, as I've done no research on it, partly because we don't know if we'll be staying in Edinburgh indefinitely.

I presume there must be good secondary schools in Edinburgh-- there is more than enough local money to support it, but I simply don't know where they would be. Presumably Morningside/Marchmont? 

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Happy to chat more-- but please email directly, as I don't use the expat system very often and have to login separately each time 

Adam



Pecosa said:


> Thanks, Adam.
> Great to hear you are all settling in well and that you are liking Stockbridge Primary.
> We very much want to be in the heart of the city and walk and bus (no car!!) as that is the model we yearn for and miss having here Oregon.
> Secondary schools are our biggest focus as our almost-15 year old daughter will need to be as well set-up as we can manage (and there is no way we can afford a fee-paying school!). What have you heard that is negative about Broughton?
> ...


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## embralady (Jul 28, 2011)

Good (state) high schools in Edinburgh include: James Gillespies, Boroughmuir, Royal High and most of the Catholic (also state) high schools. If you Google Edinburgh Council school catchment areas, you can download maps.

HTH!


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## Pecosa (Nov 29, 2009)

embralady said:


> Good (state) high schools in Edinburgh include: James Gillespies, Boroughmuir, Royal High and most of the Catholic (also state) high schools. If you Google Edinburgh Council school catchment areas, you can download maps.
> 
> HTH!


My daughter was offered a place at Royal High, but in the year above where she would naturally be based on her education so far. She was also offered one at Trinity Academy...is that meant to be a good secondary school as well?
Thank you!


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## embralady (Jul 28, 2011)

Trinity is also good, as far as I know. The ones I mention top the league tables in terms of academic achievements but, as everyone knows, that isn't everything. You could check out the Edinburgh Evening News (local newspaper) website. They publish the results regularly. (Sorry - my kids are not at that stage yet so my knowledge is second hand!)


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## embralady (Jul 28, 2011)

This table is from 2009.

Sorry it's all out of whack - I am not able to post weblinks yet!

S5 is the fifth year of high school and Highers are the exams kids take in that year:

Edinburgh Schools
School	Local authority	% S5 pupils gaining 5+ Highers	% Pupils on Free school meals
James Gillespie's High School	Edinburgh	31	7.4
Boroughmuir High School	Edinburgh	28	2.9
St Thomas of Aquin's High School	Edinburgh	26	6.4
Firrhill High School	Edinburgh	23	5.5
Currie Community High School	Edinburgh	17	5.5
Craigmount High School	Edinburgh	15	5.3
The Royal High School	Edinburgh	15	4.7
Balerno Community High School	Edinburgh	13	2.7
Trinity Academy	Edinburgh	12	12.7
Portobello High School	Edinburgh	11	8
Queensferry Community High School	Edinburgh	10	3.7
Broughton High School	Edinburgh	9	14.7
St Augustine's High School	Edinburgh	8	15.8
Holy Rood RC High School	Edinburgh	7	16.9
Leith Academy	Edinburgh	7	14.6
Forrester High School	Edinburgh	6	13.1
Gracemount High School	Edinburgh	6	26.3
Drummond Community High School	Edinburgh	4	18.6
Castlebrae Community High School	Edinburgh	3	50
Liberton High School	Edinburgh	2	18.9
Tynecastle High School	Edinburgh	1	20.1
Craigroyston Community High School	Edinburgh	0	38.1
Wester Hailes Education Centre	Edinburgh	0	49.5
Edinburgh average 12	11.9


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