SCOTLAND’s top performing state secondary schools have been named in a new league table – with mixed results for North Ayrshire schools.

The Times Scotland’s 2022 high school league table calculates a percentage of the number of pupils that achieved the Scottish Government’s ‘gold standard’ of five Highers in 2021.

Both the Scottish Government and most local councils insist schools cannot be ranked on just the number of pupils gaining five Highers.

In particular, they claim the league table fails to take into account much of each school’s work over the year - and also fails to take into account each school area’s socio-economic issues.

Largs Academy was the top ranked school in the whole of Ayrshire this year - but fell 17 places down the table.

By contrast, Arran High, which came second in North Ayrshire, jumped more than 100 places to 81st in Scotland.

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St Matthew’s Academy also performed well, rising from 162nd last year to 86th in 2022.

There were falls for Auchenharvie and Garnock Campus, though Kilwinning Academy rose slightly.

Ardrossan Academy remained far down the table, although recorded a slight rise in ranking as did the worst performing school in North Ayrshire, according to the league table at least, Irvine Royal, which ranked 319th. It remained the lowest ranked school in the league table for a second year.

North Ayrshire’s full league table was as follows, showing each school’s current Scottish ranking, with last year’s in brackets:

  • 40. (23) Largs Academy
  • 81. (187) Arran High School
  • 86. (162) St Matthew’s Academy
  • 228. (195) Auchenharvie Academy
  • 229. (203) Greenwood Academy
  • 232. (242) Kilwinning Academy
  • 261. (218) Garnock Campus
  • 307. (318) Ardrossan Academy
  • 319. (324) Irvine Royal

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald: Marr CollegeMarr College

In South Ayrshire, Marr College in Troon was the best performing secondary, according to the Times league table, and came 68th in Scotland. Lowest ranked was Girvan Academy, which came 244th.

In East Ayrshire, Stewarton Academy came top, with Doon Academy the least successful, at least according to the league table.