The latest rankings for Scottish secondary schools were recently revealed with some unsurprising results as Jordanhill tops the list for the fifth year in a row. Although, there is a shining light for Renfrewshire with Gryffe High School leaping from tenth place last year to 2021’s third place, which could mean educating your children at Scotland’s top schools is more accessible.

House prices in Scotland soared throughout the pandemic and have continued to rise this year, increasing 6% YoY across Scotland to £189,729, reaching the highest average house price in years. But luckily for house buyers looking to move into the areas containing these top schools, this could mean paying 9% less than the average house price in Scotland. For the top 5 schools alone, the average house price across the 5 areas is £172,398. And with the government’s new mortgage guarantee scheme offering 95% mortgages, saving for a deposit in a more desirable area could be within closer reach.

Jordanhill, Glasgow

Topping the schools’ list for the fifth year in a row, Jordanhill is not only well-known for its academic achievements, but also for its unique admissions regulations. According to its Board of Managers, the school’s prime function is to serve the community in which it sits, therefore admission priority is given to those who reside locally. And by locally, this means a very tight area surrounding the school itself, meaning addresses within the immediate vicinity are hot properties for those looking to secure a future place for their children.

When it comes to securing a property within Jordanhill’s catchment area, due to its small size and how popular the school is, you will need to act fast when a new home becomes available. Property types vary though, from 2-bedroom flats to grand 4-bedroom Victorian homes, typical for the West End of Glasgow. At the moment, you could pay upwards of £245,000 for a 3-bedroom house in the Jordanhill area, with the price increasing to over £400,000 to ensure you are within the school catchment area. For a 2-bedroom flat in the surrounding area, you would be looking at a starting price of around £245,000.

St Ninians and Mearns Castle, East Renfrewshire

Located in one of the most affluent areas of East Renfrewshire, St Ninians High School in Giffnock has been a familiar name at the top of Scotland’s best schools list, rising from 4th place to second. According to the school’s handbook, it serves the community of Clarkston and has associations with 4 primary schools in that area – where the majority of their pupils come from. Therefore, to have a chance at attending this high school, your child will need to have attended either one of their associated primary schools or live within the catchment area which covers various areas within East Renfrewshire such as Giffnock, Clarkston, Newton Mearns, Eaglesham and Thornliebank.

Schools in East Renfrewshire seem to have dominated the list, holding 3 positions in the top 10, with Mearns Castle taking 5th and Williamwood High School taking 8th position. Mearns Castle just makes the top five, dropping 3 places from second from last year.

Pupils transitioning into Mearns Castle normally come from the primary schools within the area cluster which includes Eaglesham Primary, Kirkhill Primary, Maidenhill Primary and Mearns Primary.

As with St Ninians, property prices around this area are the highest on the list given their location and the types of properties that you’ll find in these areas. In terms of properties to buy, house prices are at the higher end of the scale with the average house in East Renfrewshire priced at £322,519.

That’s a 69% increase from the national average. Although, flat prices are cheaper, with the average price at £177,317, again higher than the national average. You’ll find a nice array of property styles though, and affordable homes can be found amongst the stately homes and Victorian terraces.

One area that you’ll find some of the most beautiful homes is Newton Mearns, featuring both traditional and modern styles, and you might even find yourself with a footballer neighbour. Prices do increase depending on the style, age, and size of the property, for example, a modern, new build 5-bedroom house could have a starting price of around £480,000. Although you could also secure a 3-bedroom for just under £300,000.

Gryffe High, Renfrewshire

This year’s surprising entry comes in the form of Gryffe High in Renfrewshire, jumping up from tenth place to third, meaning good news for pupils already attending the school and a shining light for those living in Renfrewshire. It also means that securing a place at one of Scotland’s top schools won’t mean an expensive move as Renfrewshire is one of the most reasonably priced areas to live, and the catchment area is one of the largest from our top list.

The average property price in Renfrewshire is £156,028, lower than the national average for both houses and flats. The catchment area for Gryffe covers a huge area, spanning from the likes of Houston, Bridge of Weir and skimming past Kilmacolm. At the moment you could look to pay around £150,000 for a 2-bedroom flat in Bridge of Weir and around £200,000 for a 3-bedroom house in Houston. Renfrewshire is a great commuter location with plenty of public transport links, close to the motorway and Glasgow Airport is a short drive, or taxi ride away. Perfect for those long-overdue summer holidays.

Dunblane, Stirling

Heading east now to Dunblane High School which although slipping from third to fourth, remains firmly in the top five. For enrolment, pupils from Dunblane Primary School, Newton Primary School, and St Mary's Episcopal Primary School transfer automatically to Dunblane High at the end of their primary education if they live in the catchment area which is Dunblane itself, Ashfield and Kinbuck.

Aside from East Renfrewshire, property prices in Stirling are higher than the other areas, with the average property price at £179,499.

It may feel remote, but Dunblane offers great transport links to Glasgow and Edinburgh so if you wanted to move to improve your child’s education, you don’t need to compromise on your work commute.

To search all the latest properties in Scotland, including these areas, then visit s1homes.com today.

Please contact the schools directly when considering applying for a placement to double-check your property postcode is within their catchment area. Property prices correct at time of print.