West Lothian schools are top class in rankings
Secondary schools in West Lothian have experienced a surge in “gold standard” attainment levels, according to the latest ranking of state institutions.
West Calder High School shot up The Times Scottish education league table to 12th place after a 15 per cent rise in the number of pupils earning five or more passes at higher level.
Linlithgow Academy and the James Young High School in Livingston placed 11th and 20th respectively after their own double figure rises on last year’s rankings.
It means the region now has more high schools listed within the top 20 than any other part of the Lothians combined.
The Scottish exam diet was cancelled in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic during the last academic year, with the 2021 programme also shelved in favour of ‘examstyle’ assessments - which will be used by teachers to create an estimated grade.
It follows the controversial aborted Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) algorithm initially used in 2020, which was found to penalise students in deprived areas more harshly than those from affluent backgrounds.
Data from The Times revealed West Lothian now has an average of 53 per cent of students attaining five or more highers in secondary schools across the region - up from 46 per cent the previous year.
West Calder spearheaded that rise with a remarkable jump to 70 per cent of pupils receiving gold standard passes having posted 55 per cent in 2019.
The 1100 capacity school relocated to a new £32 million facility in 2018., two years after it was ranked 108th in the country with an attainment rate of nearly half its current percentage.
Linlithgow Academy also achieved a 70 per cent rate, up from 57, while James Young High rose 10 per cent from 55 to 65.
St Margaret’s Academy, which placed 26th in the overall rankings, Bathgate Academy, 74th and Armadale Academy, 93rd, all recorded double figure rises in gold standard attainment levels.
Only two schools in the region, Broxburn and Whitburn Academies, dropped their percentage of top passes.
West Lothian Council’s depute chief executive, Dr Elaine Cook said: “This is a reflection of the incredible work that been going on in our school community for a number of years.
“It’s been another outstanding year with improved results recorded now for the eighth consecutive year which is a credit not only to our pupils but also to their teachers and support staff who work with them on a daily basis.”
This is a reflection of the incredible work in our school community