Strong attainment picture for Renfrewshire pupils
Renfrewshire’s secondary schools have posted a robust showing in the latest attainment figures drawn from the Scottish Government’s own datasets, with several secondaries placing among Scotland’s strongest performers for the share of pupils gaining five or more Highers. While presented as a national snapshot for 2026, the standings are based on 2025 exam outcomes and underline the area’s continued track record in helping young people secure key qualifications that underpin entry to further study, training and employment.
At the top of the local table sits Gryffe High School in Houston, where an estimated 68% of the cohort achieved at least five Highers. On the national measure used, that places Gryffe at 21st across Scotland. Trinity High School in Renfrew follows with 60% of pupils meeting the same threshold, corresponding to a 34th place nationally.
Top performers and their national context
Two further Renfrewshire schools also feature prominently. Park Mains High School in Erskine recorded 50% of pupils obtaining five or more Highers, placing it 67th in Scotland on this metric. St Benedict’s High School in Linwood registered 49%, ranking 74th nationally. These figures, collated from the Government’s published attainment tables, offer a consistent view of outcomes across local authorities.
| School | Location | Five+ Highers | Scotland rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gryffe High School | Houston | 68% | 21st |
| Trinity High School | Renfrew | 60% | 34th |
| Park Mains High School | Erskine | 50% | 67th |
| St Benedict’s High School | Linwood | 49% | 74th |
How to read the data
The national tables used here report the proportion of pupils reaching the oft‑cited “gold standard” of at least five Highers or equivalent. It is an informative barometer of attainment at SCQF level 6, but it is not a league table of overall school quality. As the source material emphasises, a single percentage does not capture the full breadth of a school’s work: the additional support delivered to young people with complex needs; the professional effort and classroom expertise of staff; resources made available by Renfrewshire Council; or the socio‑economic profile of the community a school serves.
In short, the figures say something important about exam success, but not everything about a school. Families weighing options should consider pastoral support, wider achievement, subject breadth, progression pathways into college and apprenticeships, and the quality of the student experience alongside published attainment.
Local significance for pupils and families
For Renfrewshire learners, strong Higher‑level outcomes open doors to further and higher education as well as work‑based routes. The data suggests many pupils are securing those qualifications in significant numbers. That matters for post‑school transitions, where five Highers can be a stepping stone to university entry requirements or strengthen applications for college places and apprenticeships.
Within the area, there is variation between schools—reflecting different intakes and contexts—but the overall picture places several Renfrewshire secondaries in competitive positions nationally. As ever, the headline percentages are a starting point for questions about subject choice availability, support for exam preparation, and how schools are embedding equity and inclusion in their approaches to attainment.
What’s next
As schools move through the 2026 academic cycle, attention will turn to sustaining attainment while supporting the widest possible range of learner needs. The emphasis on balance—between exam performance and broader development—will remain central to discussions among school leaders, parents and the council. For those consulting the figures, it is worth noting again that they capture a single outcome measure over one year; trends over multiple cohorts can provide a fuller picture of progress.
- Gryffe High leads locally on the five‑Highers measure, with 68% achieving the threshold.
- Trinity, Park Mains and St Benedict’s also feature strongly in national rankings.
- Officials caution that attainment percentages should be read alongside wider context and support.
InfoRadar will continue to monitor Renfrewshire’s attainment data as further detail is released and as schools publish their own improvement plans for the year ahead.
