HMIe Inspection 2026: An Outstanding Report for The High School of Glasgow

The High School of Glasgow has received a glowing endorsement from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIe), with today's published report confirming the school's position as one of Scotland's leading independent schools.

Following their visit in February, inspectors identified a number of significant strengths across the school community and recognised both the exceptionally high standards achieved by our young people and the strength of the relationships and culture that underpin school life.

Inspectors rated the High School in the following categories:

• Leadership of Change – Very Good
• Learning, Teaching and Assessment – Very Good
• Ensuring Wellbeing, Equality and Inclusion – Very Good
• Raising Attainment and Achievement – Excellent

The Excellent evaluation for Raising Attainment and Achievement is the highest grade possible within the Scottish inspection framework and is awarded only rarely by HMIe. It reflects the sustained hard work of our pupils, staff and wider community over many years, and recognises the consistently outstanding outcomes achieved by our young people.

The report describes a school defined by a "highly ambitious culture of attainment" and "exceptionally high standards", a reflection of the outstanding outcomes achieved by pupils across both our Junior and Senior Schools.

Inspectors recognised the shared set of values, strong community spirit and ambitious culture that runs through every part of school life, noting that pupils demonstrate “kindness and high levels of responsibility across their school experience” and that they are “immensely proud to be members of the school community”, factors that all played a role in the School being awarded The Sunday Times Scottish Independent Secondary School of the Year 2026.

The School's leadership team were praised for driving meaningful, well-paced improvement while honouring the HSOG's longstanding traditions, while staff, pupils and parents were commended for their collective commitment to nurturing young people who are courteous, kind, respectful and ambitious, embodied in the "High School Way" that underpins daily life across the school.

Academic results were described as "sector-leading" and "consistently outstanding", with performance in national qualifications "exceeding national and independent-school averages" across the board. Inspectors noted that these "sustained exceptional" levels of attainment are a hallmark of the High School, maintained year after year, with every school leaver progressing to a positive destination.

Beyond academic excellence, inspectors highlighted the remarkable breadth of opportunity available to pupils. From the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and national sporting competitions, to music performances and community leadership, the school develops young people who are well-rounded, confident and socially aware. Junior School pupils' contribution to being recognised as the 'Kindest School in Scotland' was singled out as a particularly proud achievement, reflecting the School's high levels of compassionate citizenship.

Inspectors identified our START programme as sector-leading practice worthy of being shared more widely. This reflects the growing national recognition of the programme’s impact. By way of example, Professor Ross Tuffee, author of the Scottish Government’s policy paper, The Entrepreneurial Campus, recently described START as “by far, the UK’s most impactful skills development programme for secondary schools”, adding that it “has the potential to change lives and educational outcomes for thousands of young people.”

Inspectors were equally impressed by the High School's inclusive ethos and exceptional wellbeing provision. Pupils feel safe, respected and nurtured, with robust support in place for those with additional learning needs. The report noted that the school's vision - that every pupil is nurtured - is lived out in practice every day.

Speaking on the published report, Rector of The High School of Glasgow, Antonia Berry, commented:

This is a proud moment for our school community and one that reflects our academic excellence and the inclusive and compassionate community we are.

I would like to thank our staff for their extraordinary commitment to young people, our pupils for the pride and character they showed throughout the inspection process, and our parents for the continued support you give the school."

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With strong foundations in place and ambitious plans for further development, The High School of Glasgow is looking forward with confidence, continuing to provide an outstanding education for every young person in its care.

Click here to read the full HMIe Summarised Inspection Findings