First class reports for schools across South Lanarkshire

Published: Friday 16 October 2026

This images shows pupils from St John Ogilvie High School outside the school holding up letters which spell out the work excellent following a very impressive HMI report

Early Years, Primary and Secondary Schools have been excelling according to inspections by His Majesty’s Inspectors of Education (HMIE).

In a report submitted to the Education Resources Committee, 15 school inspections were carried out during the 2025/2026 period.

As the fifth largest local authority by population, South Lanarkshire Council’s HMIe reports attained 82.5% of inspection outcomes as good, very good or excellent, compared to the other larger councils across Scotland whose figures ranged from 36.5% to 81.9%.

And three primary schools and one secondary school were also identified by HMIE as having practice worth sharing nationally.

Councillor Hamilton sits in the middle of two older pupils reading a book.

The report also revealed that in almost all the school inspections last academic year, there was no requirement for follow-up following the initial inspection.

Indeed, in the last 11 years, only two educational establishments have required follow up inspections across South Lanarkshire.

Chair of the council’s Education Resources Committee, Councillor Lynsey Hamilton, said: “Huge congratulations to our schools for their outstanding success following inspections.

“It shows how well they are performing and it is a testimony to the hard work of head teachers, teachers, support staff, pupils and the wider school community.

“It was particularly pleasing to hear that some of them were also identified by HMIE as having practice worth sharing nationally.

“That shows that in South Lanarkshire we are leading the way when it comes to young people’s education.”