Guides
Choosing a School
Catchment areas, placing requests, and school comparisons
12 guides in Choosing a School
Best Schools in Aberdeen: What Parents Need to Know
Aberdeen's top primary and secondary schools. How oil-industry funding shapes education, catchment areas, and the grammar school question
Updated 24 April 2026
Choosing a SchoolBest Schools in Dundee: A Parent's Guide
Dundee's top schools, new-build investment, catchment areas, and what the regeneration means for education quality
Updated 24 April 2026
Choosing a SchoolBest Schools in Edinburgh: What the Data Actually Shows
Edinburgh's top-performing primary and secondary schools by attainment data. Catchment pressure, placing requests, and what the rankings miss
Updated 24 April 2026
Choosing a SchoolBest Schools in Glasgow: What the Data Actually Shows
Glasgow's top-performing schools by attainment data. Why deprivation context matters, catchment pressure, and how to choose the right school
Updated 24 April 2026
Choosing a SchoolBest Schools in Perth, Stirling & Inverness
Top schools in Perth, Stirling and Inverness. Why smaller Scottish cities offer great education without the catchment pressure of Edinburgh or Glasgow
Updated 24 April 2026
Choosing a SchoolDenominational Schools in Scotland: What Parents Need to Know
How denominational schools work in Scotland, who can attend, what's different about the curriculum, and whether your child needs to be Catholic to apply
Updated 23 April 2026
Choosing a SchoolHome Education in Scotland: Your Legal Rights and How It Works
Parents in Scotland have the right to home educate. How to withdraw from school, what the council can and can't require, and how home-educated children
Updated 23 April 2026
Choosing a SchoolSchool Enrolment in Scotland: When and How to Register
How to enrol your child in a Scottish state school. Registration week timing, documents needed, mid-year enrolment, and what happens after you register
Updated 23 April 2026
Choosing a SchoolHow to Appeal a Refused Placing Request in Scotland
Your child's placing request was refused. Here's how the Education Appeal Committee works, how to prepare your case, and when to escalate to the Sheriff
Updated 23 April 2026
Choosing a SchoolState vs Private Schools in Scotland: Is Independent School Worth It?
Comparing state and private schools in Scotland after the VAT on fees change. Costs, exam results, class sizes, and what the data actually shows
Updated 23 April 2026
Choosing a SchoolPlacing Requests in Scotland: How to Apply for an Out-of-Catchment School
How to submit a placing request, what councils take into account, and how to appeal if you're refused. The 15 March deadline explained
Updated 30 March 2026
Choosing a SchoolSchool Catchment Areas in Scotland: How They Work
How catchment areas are set, how to find yours, and what to do if you want a school outside it. The 15 March deadline explained
Updated 28 March 2026