Ages
A community school that is expanding and growing in popularity. Impressive sporting achievements (home to a football and rugby school), thriving art and music departments and a head with a focus to improve academic attainment. Popular choice with parents, with lots of new houses being built in the area. Worth applying from out of catchment as pupils come from far and wide.
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Overview & data
- Pupil numbers
- 850 ·
- Religion
- Non-denom
- Local authority
- The City of Edinburgh Council
Headteacher
Headteacher
Ros Ranger
Since August 2022, Ros Ranger, previously deputy head for five years.
Entrance
From three local primaries - Dean Park, Ratho and Kirknewton - plus many others whose pupils request placements every year from as far as the east side of Glasgow, Motherwell, Fife, Dunfermline and Dunbar. Waiting list for lower year groups for no
- Open days
- September
Exit
Not many depart at the end of S4/S5, those that do mostly move on to apprenticeships. Head reassured us that the doors don’t shut once they leave, telling us that vulnerable kids sometimes come back to say hello and ask for career advice. Good num
Latest results
In 2018, 58 per cent of pupils got 3+ Highers and 33 per cent got 5+.
Teaching & learning
No Oxbridge places in recent years. MFL (French and Spanish) to Higher only. AH courses include maths of mechanics, PE, computing, music, art and design and modern studies alongside core subjects. Students from other schools come to do AH biology
Learning support & SEN
Learning support includes individual audit sessions, withdrawal from class as appropriate, plus comprehensive tutorial assistance, use of ICT (laptops available) and extra time in exams. Specialist help also provided for the relatively few non-nat
Arts & extracurricular
Drama AH available since 2018 due to popularity and demand. School shows – recently Annie, West Side Story, Bugsy Malone, Chicago and Les Miz – performed in drama studio with theatre seating. The Power Trip was devised by pupils and the musical Du
Sport
Benefiting from a 3G Astro pitch, Balerno has an impressive sporting record and is home to a football academy for Heart of Midlothian (Hearts), providing an environment where pupils can combine their studies and footballing education up until the
Ethos & heritage
Has historic antecedents – the charming logbook kept by the principal teacher of St Mungo's Episcopal School in Balerno during the 19th century is a joy: 'Wet and windy all week. One child was blown into the Water of Leith but was fortunately resc
Pastoral care, inclusivity & discipline
All pupils join one of three houses called after local areas: Bavelaw, Cockburn and Malleny. Siblings in same house; guidance team of three are in charge of pastoral care and guidance. Same tutor throughout the school, a good contact for parents o
Pupils & parents
On the edge of the countryside, it attracts farming families as well as those from suburban and urban areas of Edinburgh. Parents mainly middle class, with small number from more deprived backgrounds. Small numbers of ethnic minorities. Well-organ
The last word
A community school that is expanding and growing in popularity. Impressive sporting achievements (home to a football and rugby school), thriving art and music departments and a head with a focus to improve academic attainment. Popular choice with
