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Secondary education

In Scotland, young people attend secondary school for six years. The secondary years S1-S4 are mandatory, and secondary years S5 and S6 are optional. Young people start secondary school in August, and are typically aged 12 years but this is dependent on what age they started primary school. 

Number of Secondary Schools 

In 2022, there were 358 publicly funded secondary schools in Scotland with 309,133 pupils enrolled.

In Glasgow City Region there were 30 secondary schools with 29,215 pupils enrolled. Glasgow City had the highest number of secondary schools compared to all other local authorities, with the highest number of pupils enrolled. Two thirds (63%) of secondary schools across the city were non-denominational and 37% were Roman Catholic. Glasgow City had the highest proportion of Roman Catholic schools compared to any other local authority.

Pupil profile 

Ethnicity 

Across Scotland, a large majority (84%) of young people enrolled at secondary school identified as 'white British'. This was followed by young people who identified as 'minority ethnic' (9%) and 'white, other' (6%). A small proportion (2%) werelisted as 'not known' or 'not disclosed'.

Glasgow City Region had the highest proportion of minority ethnic primary pupils (25%) and Aberdeen City had the highest proportion of 'white, other' pupils (15%). Diversity in the secondary school population was lowest in Argyll & Bute, Clackmannanshire, East Dunbartonshire, Midlothian, North Ayrshire, Perth and Kinross, and Stirling which all had 99% 'white British' pupils. 

English as additional language 

Across Scotland, 0.7% of secondary pupils were new to the English language. Across all local authorities, Glasgow City Region, North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, and West Lothian all had the highest proportion of secondary pupils who were new to the English language (1%, respectively).

This information was not recorded for 15 local authority areas presumably due to low population numbers. 

Additional Support Needs 

Some children require support in addition to, or different from, that which is received by children the same age to ensure they benefit from education. Additional Support Needs (ASN) can be due to disability or health, learning environment, family circumstances, and social emotional factors; it can be short or long term; or to help a pupil through a difficult period. 

Across Scotland, 40% of secondary pupils were recorded as having additional support needs. North Lanarkshire had the smallest proportion of secondary pupils with ASN (22%) and Aberdeenshire had the highest (52%). These reflect findings among primary pupils.

In Glasgow City Region, nearly half (48%) of secondary pupils had ASN. Of these, the three key reasons for additional support were:

  • English was an additional language (41%).
  • Social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (20%).
  • Family issues (10%).

Financial Assistance 

Free School Meals 

Young people, whose parents are in receipt of certain benefits or are experiencing financial hardship, are entitled to free school meals throughout secondary school. Young people aged 16-18 years who receive certain benefits in their own right, are also entitled to free school meals. There is also support available during the six school holidays for young people entitled to free school meals. 

Across Scotland, the proportion of secondary school pupils registered for free school meals was higher in the lower stages (S1-S4) compared to the higher stages (S5-S6). Similar trends were seen in Glasgow City Region.

Overall the proportion of secondary pupils registered for free school meals in Glasgow City was double or treble the national average, depending on stage. In 2022, 43% of S1-S3 pupils in Glasgow City Region secondary schools were registered for free school meals, respectively. This compares to a national average of 20% for S1 pupils and 19% for S2-S3 pupils. 

Notably, despite the higher population density of Glasgow City compared to other local authorites, free school meal registrations in Glasgow City was lower among S5 and S6 pupils compared to the national average. In 2022, 15% of S5 pupils in Glasgow City were registered for free school meals, compared to national average of 38%; and 12% of S6 pupils in Glasgow were registered for free school meals compared to national average of 38%. 

Secondary Free MealsNotes

Data is from the 2022 annual school pupil census, published by Scottish Government in March 2023. 

There is no data for average class sizes in Secondary schools. 

This page was updated in June 2024.