The standard of education and schools in Edinburgh is among the best in Scotland, with the city being regarded as a thriving academic centre. On the whole, the region caters to a wide array of educational needs, from early years education all the way to top-notch further education options.
Both state (public) and independent (private) schools can be found in Edinburgh. The standard of education will generally be high regardless of the type of institution, but independent schools may have smaller class sizes and better facilities.
State schools in Edinburgh
Edinburgh's schools follow the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence, which divides schooling into two phases. The first phase is a compulsory Broad General Education, beginning at Nursery (age 3 or 4) and continuing through Primary (P1 to P7, age 5 to 11) and three years of Secondary (S1 to S3, age 12 to 15). At age 15, compulsory education is complete. The Senior Phase starts in S4 at age 16 and concludes with S6 at age 18.
State schools in Edinburgh are highly regarded and can be attended free of charge. They operate according to a catchment system. The city is divided into catchment areas, and households are given priority for admission to the school associated with their catchment area.
Expat parents should note that the school nearest to them might not necessarily be the catchment school for their area. For this reason, it is highly recommended to conduct extensive research into which schools serve which areas before choosing accommodation.
Parents can submit a request to the City of Edinburgh for a school outside their catchment zone, but these requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and may not necessarily be granted.
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Independent schools in Edinburgh
Independent schools in Edinburgh aren't funded by taxpayer money or government agencies. Even though the state-sponsored school system in Edinburgh is commendable, expat parents may prefer to send their children to tuition-based schools, as these usually have fewer students per class, better facilities, and a wider range of extracurricular activities.
These schools can fill up fast, but admission is not necessarily limited to a specific period, so expat parents can try to gain entrance for their child at various points in the school year. Sometimes, children must pass an examination or sit for an interview to satisfy admission requirements.
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International schools in Edinburgh
While there aren't any schools in Scotland specifically catering to foreign students from particular countries, a few schools offer the International Baccalaureate (IB), including one school in Edinburgh: Fettes College.
The IB is an ideal choice for many expat families, as it's standardised across more than 5,000 schools worldwide. It's considered a global qualification and is accepted by universities worldwide.
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Special educational needs in Edinburgh
The City of Edinburgh Council offers additional learning support to any student requiring assistance. The council evaluates the individual needs of children, which may range from disabilities and difficult home situations to assistance of English as an additional language. The latter is particularly useful for expat families from a non-English-speaking country whose children are still learning the language.
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Tutors in Edinburgh
Tutors can be helpful for expat families in many situations. Children from abroad may need a little help catching up with the local curriculum or could benefit from extra tutoring in English if they're new to it. Parents worried about children losing their mother-tongue language skills while in Scotland should consider hiring a tutor who is a fellow native speaker and can help maintain fluency.
There's a wide variety of tutoring companies to choose from, with some of the most popular being Tutor House, Superprof, and Tavistock Tutors.
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