Education in Scotland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Education in Scotland

Scottish Government & Education Scotland
Cabinet Secretary Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Junior Ministers Minister for Children and Young People Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science	Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP Maree Todd MSP Richard Lochhead MSP
National education budget
Budget	£2.6 bn
Per student	£3,855 (2004–2005)‡
General details
Primary languages	English, Scottish Gaelic
System type	National
Compulsory education	1872
Enrollment (2005)
Total	1,452,240
Primary	390,260
Secondary	322,980
Post secondary	739,000#
‡: Expenditure on Pre-school, Primary and Secondary education only. #: 2004, All further and higher education institutions includes overseas students.

Education in Scotland is managed by the Scottish Government and its agency, Education Scotland. Scotland has a long history of providing education for everyone through public schools. The Scottish education system is quite different from those in other parts of the United Kingdom.

The Scotland Act 1998 gives the Scottish Parliament the power to make laws about education. The main law for education in Scotland is the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. In Scotland, secondary schools usually teach a wide range of subjects. This is different from England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, where students often focus on fewer subjects in more detail.

Because of this, university courses in Scotland are usually a year longer (often 4 years) than in other parts of the UK. However, students can sometimes join in the second year if they have taken advanced exams. A special thing about Scotland's older universities is that they give a Master of Arts degree as the first degree in subjects like history or literature.

Local councils, called Education Authorities, own and run state schools. Compulsory education is split into primary school and secondary school (often called high school). Education Scotland helps schools with teaching and learning. There are also private schools across the country. In September 2011, about 4.5% of all students in Scotland went to independent (private) schools.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) provides qualifications for secondary school and college students. The SQA is the national body that gives out and checks qualifications in Scotland. The Scottish Parliament is responsible for education at all levels. Different groups check the quality of education. The Care Inspectorate checks pre-school care. Education Scotland checks pre-school, primary, secondary, college, and adult education. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA Scotland) checks universities.

In 2014, a study found that Scotland was the most educated country in Europe. It was also among the most educated in the world for university-level studies. About 40% of Scots aged 16–64 had a high level of education.

How School Years Work in Scotland

Pupils with government ministers at Avenue End Primary Campus in Glasgow.

Children start primary school when they are between 4 and a half and 5 and a half years old. This depends on their birthday. In Scotland, all children born between March of one year and February of the next are in the same school year group.

Children born from March to August start school in August. They are usually between 5 and 5 and a half years old. Those born from September to February start school the previous August. They are between 4 years 11 months and 4 and a half years old.

Scotland's system is flexible. Parents of children born between September and December can ask to delay their child starting school for one year. For children born in January or February, parents can choose to hold them back a year. This lets children who might not be ready for school have an extra year at an early years centre (like a nursery). Funding for this extra year is usually only for children born in January and February.

Students stay in primary school for seven years. Then, at age eleven or twelve, they start secondary school. They must stay for four years. The last two years are optional. In Scotland, students usually take National 4/5 exams at age fifteen or sixteen. They typically take eight subjects, including English and Mathematics, which are compulsory.

A science subject (Physics, Biology, or Chemistry) and a social subject (Geography, History, or Modern Studies) used to be compulsory. This has changed with the new curriculum. The Scottish Parliament now requires students to have two hours of physical education each week. Schools can change these compulsory subject combinations.

The school leaving age is generally sixteen. After finishing National 4/5s, students can choose to stay at school. They can study for Higher and/or Advanced Higher exams.

A few students at some private schools might follow the English system. They might take GCSEs instead of National 4/5s. They might also take A and AS-Levels instead of (or alongside) Highers and Advanced Highers. Some independent schools also offer the International Baccalaureate.

The table below shows how Scottish school years compare to the rest of the UK:

Getting into Schools

Government-funded schools are free for children aged 5–19. This often includes children of international students and immigrants.

The age ranges show the youngest age for starting a year and the oldest age for leaving it. Playgroup is like a daycare for toddlers. Children can go to an early years centre after their third birthday. They then move to Primary 1 in August of the year they turn five. The age cut-off is usually the end of February. So, children must be a certain age by March 1st to start class in August.

Parents of children born between September and February can delay their child's start to Primary School. This is if they feel their child is not ready. Only children born in January or February usually get funding for an extra year at an early years centre. This can change if there are special reasons.

Children can leave school once they reach the legal leaving age. This depends on their birth date. For children born between March 1st and September 30th, they can leave on May 31st of their 4th year of secondary school. For those born between October 1st and February 28th, they can leave on the last day of June. This is if they have a college placement and the school has approved it.

The high school a child attends depends on where they live. This is called the "Catchment Area." Each area has a specific high school. Parents can also ask for their child to go to a school outside their area. A group will decide if the child is the best choice for any open spots. These spots are only available after all children from the catchment area have been accepted.

Here are the numbers of students, schools, and teachers in publicly funded schools:

Home education is also allowed in Scotland. Parents do not need permission from the local council to home educate. This is true unless their children are already enrolled in a school. We don't have exact numbers for children educated at home in Scotland.

School Curriculum

In 2003, work started on a new education plan. This plan created a new Curriculum for Excellence. It replaced the old rules for what schools should teach. The Curriculum for Excellence began in Scottish secondary schools in the 2012–2013 school year.

School Qualifications

How Qualifications Progress

Most Scottish students take Scottish Qualifications Certificate qualifications. These are given by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). Usually, students take National 4/5s in S3-S4. They then take Highers in S5. If students stay for the final year (S6), they can take more Highers or Advanced Highers.

Students can go to university after S5. Highers meet the entry requirements for Scottish universities. Degrees there usually take four years. However, most students now stay until S6. They take more Highers or Advanced Highers. Most English universities, which are popular for Scottish students, require Advanced Higher qualifications. They see these as similar to A-levels.

All education qualifications in Scotland are part of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.

Names of Secondary Schools

There isn't one set name for secondary schools in Scotland. Most state secondary schools in Scotland are comprehensive. This means they accept all students, not just those who pass an exam.

Here are some common names for state secondary schools:

• High Schools: There are 188 of these. Many Catholic secondary schools are called High Schools.
• Academies: There are 131 Academies. They are common in North-East Scotland and Ayrshire. Some are even called Royal Academies.
• Secondary Schools: 15 schools are simply called "Secondary Schools."
• Grammar Schools: 14 schools still use this name. These schools were once part of an older system.
• Schools: 13 schools are just called "Schools." These schools teach both primary and secondary students. They are usually in rural areas or on islands.
• Junior High Schools: There are 8 of these, only in the Orkney and Shetland Islands. They teach students from Primary 1 to Secondary 4.
• Colleges: Four schools use this name, like Madras College and Marr College.

All these schools are comprehensive. They accept all students and are not selective.

Religion in Schools

Most schools in Scotland are non-denominational. This means they are not linked to a specific religion. These include the parish schools, which were started by the Church of Scotland and other Protestant Churches. They became state schools in 1872. Religious education is taught in both non-denominational and religious schools.

Out of over 2,500 schools in Scotland, 366 state schools are Roman Catholic. Three are Episcopalian, and one is Jewish. The Education (Scotland) Act 1918 brought Roman Catholic schools into the state education system. This made sure they could keep their Roman Catholic identity.

Higher Education (Universities)

The Main Building of Queen Margaret University

Scotland has fifteen universities and three other higher education places that can give out degrees. The oldest is St. Andrews, started in 1413. Three other "ancient universities"—Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh—were founded before 1600. The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) became a full university in 2011. It was formed by combining 13 colleges and research places across the Highlands and Islands.

All Scottish universities can give out degrees at all levels. This includes undergraduate (first degree), taught postgraduate (like a master's), and doctoral (like a PhD). The Scottish Government controls education in Scotland. The minister in charge of universities is the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills.

All Scottish universities are public universities. They get money from the Scottish Government. Scottish students and those from the European Union do not pay tuition fees for their first undergraduate degree. However, students from the rest of the United Kingdom do pay fees. All students must pay fees for postgraduate education. This is unless it's in a special area funded by the Scottish Government, or if they find other funding. Universities Scotland is a group that promotes Scotland's universities.

In 2014/15, Scottish universities had a total income of £3.5 billion. The Scottish Government gave about £623 million to help individual students. The Scottish Funding Council gave £1.1 billion of public money to the fifteen universities. This was a 6% drop since 2010/11.

St Andrews students in undergraduate gowns

In 2014–15, about 232,570 students studied at universities in Scotland. 56% were female and 44% male. 66% were from Scotland, 12% from the rest of the UK, 9% from the EU, and 13% were international students. About 76% were studying for their first degree. 24% were studying for a master's or PhD. The rest were on other programs, like Higher National Diploma. About 16,000 students studied in Scotland through The Open University by learning from a distance. The Open University teaches 40% of Scotland's part-time undergraduate students.

In the 2019 QS World University Rankings, three Scottish universities were in the top 100 worldwide: University of Edinburgh (18th), University of Glasgow (69th), and University of St. Andrews (97th). Other highly ranked universities include the University of Aberdeen (172nd), University of Strathclyde (268th), University of Dundee (272nd), Heriot-Watt University (302nd), and University of Stirling (417th).

Further Education (Colleges)

City of Glasgow College's Riverside Campus

Further education is provided by colleges. These are for people who have finished compulsory schooling at age 16. In the early 2010s, some colleges joined together to form bigger, regional colleges.

Colleges offer many different job-focused qualifications. These are for young people and adults. They include vocational qualifications (like SVQs), Higher National Certificates (HNCs), and Higher National Diplomas (HNDs). In Scotland, students who get certain qualifications from a college can sometimes join a university course in a later year.

Further education colleges also help with apprenticeship programs. These programs are managed by a public body called Skills Development Scotland.

Gaelic Medium Education

Some schools in Scotland teach in the Scottish Gaelic language. These schools are mostly in Scotland's main cities. They are also in areas where more people speak Gaelic. Gaelic medium education is becoming more popular in Scotland. The number of students in Gaelic primary schools grew from 24 in 1985 to 2500 in the 2012–13 school year.

Images for kids

• 

  First Minister Alex Salmond with primary school pupils

• 

  Kilmarnock Academy is the only school in Scotland to have educated two Nobel Prize Laureates

• 

  Marr College in Troon, South Ayrshire, carries the name College rather than High School or Academy