Council relaxed over‘Parent Power’rankings

Perth and Kinross Council has warned parents to take the low positions of Perth and Kinross schools in a national ranking table with a pinch of salt.

The council commented after the Sunday Times recently published the top 100 Scottish secondary schools list, its annual‘Parent Power’rankings.

PKC said the order given to its educational establishments was due to the“limited criteria”used in compiling the table of top Scottish schools.

Rankings were based on the performance of pupils across the country, with schools ordered on the percentage of pupils passing a certain number of exams - higher, advanced higher and national 5 examinations.

The first percentage given was how many pupils got five or more awards at SCQF Level 6, the equivalent of highers.

Out of 100 state schools, the highest entry from Perth and Kinross was in the bottom half of the table.

The Community School of Auchterarder came in at joint 57th place.

Its pupils achieved a 46 per cent rate of gaining five or more highers, 15 percent got more than two advanced higher passes and 71 percent passed five or more Nat 5s exams.

After that, in position 59, was Kinross High School.

Many other schools outside the Big County had better results than the next local entry, in position 88 of 100, Crieff High School.

Just behind it was in 89th place was Breadalbane Academy. The Aberfeldy school saw 36 per cent of pupils achieve five or more highers and 19 per cent succeed with two or more advanced highers. No Perth schools were in the top 100. A PKC spokesperson said:“We note the publication of this informal ranking of Scottish schools on the basis of very limited criteria, and without an understanding of the individual context in which each school operates, including the communities they serve and support.”

Greater Glasgow had the highest number of top spots.