Top Schools in Glasgow: Best Places to Live Nearby
Glasgow is renowned for its educational excellence, making proximity to the top schools in Glasgow a key consideration for many families when choosing where to live.
From outstanding state primaries to prestigious independent schools, the city offers a broad and high-performing educational landscape set within well-connected, vibrant neighbourhoods. This balance of academic opportunity and quality of life continues to attract families from across the UK and beyond.
Here, we explore some of the top schools in Glasgow and the surrounding areas, highlighting why these neighbourhoods are so popular.
The West End schools
Glasgow’s West End is celebrated for its striking period architecture, leafy streets, cultural vibrancy, and proximity to both the city centre and green spaces like Kelvingrove Park and the Botanic Gardens.
Excellent transport links and a strong local community make the West End a natural choice for families relocating to the city.
Jordanhill School
Jordanhill School stands out in Scotland’s state sector for its distinctive governance model: it is directly funded by the Scottish Government and operates its own admissions process based on a defined priority area.
The school consistently achieves exceptional academic outcomes and was named the country’s top state secondary in the 2025 Sunday Times Parent Power guide. Pupils also benefit from a broad programme of extracurriculars, including music, sport and outdoor learning.
The Glasgow Academy
Founded in 1845, The Glasgow Academy blends tradition with modern facilities across its junior and senior campuses. It is one of the city’s oldest independent schools and features a broad curriculum that includes art, music, sport and technology.
The Glasgow Academy is located near cultural institutions that enrich pupils’ educational experience.
Kelvinside Academy
Kelvinside Academy offers a progressive learning model through its Innovation School, which the school describes as encouraging interdisciplinary projects and creative problem-solving.
The Academy also highlights links with external organisations and opportunities for project-based learning, reflecting its focus on preparing pupils for life beyond the classroom. The Academy promotes real-world learning and external partnerships.
Top schools in Glasgow’s Southside
Stretching from Glasgow’s inner neighbourhoods into the sought-after suburbs of East Renfrewshire, the Southside offers a blend of period homes, generous green space, and well-established communities. Areas such as Pollokshields, Strathbungo and Giffnock are particularly popular with families.
Hutchesons’ Grammar School
Founded in 1641, Hutchesons’ Grammar School is one of Scotland’s most historic independent schools. Located in Glasgow, it is a private, co-educational day school for pupils aged 3-18, renowned for academic excellence and at the forefront of learning and teaching.
With its Campus for Excellence and comprehensive curriculum, Hutchesons’ offers exceptional all-through education, rich extracurricular opportunities, and strong pastoral care. It remains committed to developing confident, compassionate, and capable young people, prepared to thrive in a changing world.
St Ninian’s High School, Giffnock
St Ninian’s High School is a Catholic comprehensive that is regularly ranked among East Renfrewshire’s leading schools. It serves Giffnock and nearby communities and offers a structured academic pathway alongside a range of co-curricular activities.
The Southside Suburbs
Further south, Clarkston and Newton Mearns are popular residential areas with excellent schools and family-friendly amenities.
Williamwood High School
Located in Clarkston, just south of Glasgow, Williamwood High School is a highly-regarded state secondary school within East Renfrewshire.
The school offers a broad curriculum and supports pupils across a range of academic and extracurricular subjects.
Alongside classroom learning, Williamwood places importance on pastoral care and wider participation, with opportunities in areas such as sport, music, and leadership.
Mearns Castle High School
Located in East Renfrewshire, Mearns Castle High School is consistently ranked among the top-performing state schools in Scotland. The school is recognised for its strong academic standards and offers opportunities for pupil involvement in the arts and citizenship projects.
The North West and Suburban Belt
Beyond the city boundary, suburbs such as Bearsden and Milngavie offer leafy streets, a quieter pace of life, and train links to central Glasgow. These areas are home to several of the highest-ranked schools in Scotland.
Bearsden Academy
Bearsden Academy is widely recognised as one of Scotland’s consistently high-performing state secondary schools. The school has invested in modern facilities and maintains a strong reputation for academic achievement, supported by a focus on student wellbeing and community involvement.
Douglas Academy, Milngavie
Douglas Academy, located in Milngavie, is regularly ranked among East Dunbartonshire’s leading schools. It is particularly noted for its music department and creative arts offering, alongside a supportive academic environment.
Early Years and Nurseries
Glasgow offers a wide choice of early years provision, from council-run nurseries to private providers such as Bright Horizons, Berkeley House Nursery, and Glasgow Montessori.
Higher Education in Glasgow
Glasgow’s reputation for learning continues into higher education. The University of Glasgow, the University of Strathclyde, and Glasgow Caledonian University all contribute to the city’s status as a centre for teaching and research.
Glasgow’s universities each offer a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses across major disciplines.
Finding the right home near the top schools in Glasgow
In Glasgow, the choice of where to live and where your children learn is closely linked. Whether you are seeking a high-performing state school or an independent education with breadth and tradition, the city and its surrounding suburbs provide a wide range of well-regarded options.
Garrington’s property finders specialise in helping clients identify the best places to live across Scotland, combining detailed local knowledge with a tailored search approach.
Whether you’re relocating internationally or within the UK for education, our team can provide guidance to help you find the right home near one of the top schools in Glasgow.
Contact Garrington today to discuss your plans with one of our local consultants.
