Introduction

The education system in Scotland is different from the rest of the UK, as this is a devolved matter.

Children in Scotland receive free education from the age of around 4. This is delivered using the Curriculum for Excellence (Scotland’s national curriculum) which covers the skills and attributes for learning and life during nursery, primary, and secondary schooling (between age 3 and 18).

The Curriculum for Excellence includes a broad general education and emphasises inter-disciplinary learning, skills development, and personal achievement. It focuses on developing four key capacities in students:

• Successful learners
• Confident individuals
• Responsible citizens
• Effective contributors.

Below are some more resources on the Scottish Education system:

• A guide on the Scottish Education and School systems, covering everything from nursery, primary, and secondary education to college and university.
• Information on Early Learning and Childcare (ELC), which covers the ages of 3-5 year olds.
• A guide about Broad General Education, which covers broad general education and the senior phase, beginning in early learning and childcare and continuing to the end of the third year of secondary school.
• This list of support available for Scotland’s children and young people covers inclusion policies, a range of universal and targeted support available in schools, and information on ESOL and children’s rights.

Early Learning and Childcare

Early learning and childcare (ELC) is funded by Local Authorities and the Scottish Government, which means it is free for eligible children. This includes BN(O) families.

From August 2021, your 2, 3 or 4 year old may be eligible for up to 1140 hours a year of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC). This is a free and fully funded service provided at the discretion of your Local Authority. This is equal to around 30 hours a week if you use this during school term-time, or roughly 22 hours a week if you use it for the whole year. This includes access to nurseries, playgrounds, and childminders – you can select these based on your individual needs and the availability of services near you.

Visit this Parent Club to find out more about how to apply. You should note that each Local Authority will have its own application process. The best thing to do is to get in touch with your Local Authority to find out how the process works and which sessions and providers are available to you. They will be able to advise on your child’s circumstances.

This Scottish Government webpage includes a tool that enables you to contact your Local Authority about early learning and childcare funding.

You may also opt to send your child to a private nursery. These are not funded by your Local Authority or Scottish Government and may have their own eligibility criteria. 

Primary School

Children usually attend primary school for seven years from the age of 5 to 12. This may however, depend on when your child’s birthday falls. Find out more information on registering for primary school here.

You can find more information on primary schooling in Scotland here.

Secondary school

Children usually attend secondary school for up to six years between the ages of 12 and 18. This may, however, depend on when your child’s birthday falls.

Qualifications are taken in the final three years of secondary school, which enable students to qualify for further or higher education.

You can find more information on secondary schooling in Scotland here.

Private/Independent/Boarding schools:

There are a wide range of private, independent and boarding schools in Scotland, covering all phases of education, from nursery to secondary school. You can find primary or independent schools close to you using this tool from the Independent Schools Council.

Further Education (Colleges and Universities)

To learn more about colleges and universities, please visit our page on Further Education & Universities. It includes information on applying, tuition fees, and useful links to colleges and universities in Scotland.