West Dunbartonshire

41 schools · 32 primary · 5 secondary

Browse all schools by town →Official council website ↗

Schools

11,669

Pupils

865

Teachers (FTE)

Open jobs

West Dunbartonshire is one of Scotland's 33 local authorities (councils), responsible for 41 state schools — 32 primary, 5 secondary and 4 special, educating around 11,669 pupils with 865 full-time-equivalent teachers. In 2024-25, West Dunbartonshire spent around £8,859 per primary pupil and £9,468 per secondary pupil — above the Scotland averages of £7,606 and £9,338. In 2024-25, 93.1% of school leavers went on to a positive destination (below the Scotland average of 95.7%), and 30.4% left with five or more Highers (Scotland average 40.8%). Schools in West Dunbartonshire are inspected by Education Scotland on a six-point scale. Browse every school by town, view pupil and staffing data, or compare schools side by side.

Education spending in West Dunbartonshire

Gross council expenditure per pupil/place, shown against the Scotland average (2024-25).

£8,859

per primary pupil

▲ 16%vs Scotland (£7,606)

£9,468

per secondary pupil

▲ 1%vs Scotland (£9,338)

£13,790

per pre-school place

▲ 14%vs Scotland (£12,055)

Source: Local Government Benchmarking Framework (Improvement Service), 2024-25, under the Open Government Licence. A higher figure is typical of rural and island councils, where smaller schools cost more per pupil to run — it does not by itself mean better-resourced classrooms.

School outcomes in West Dunbartonshire

How this council's schools compare to the Scotland average (2024-25). Higher is better.

93.1%

Positive destinations

▼ 2.6 ptsvs Scotland (95.7%)

59.7%

5+ at National 5

▼ 8.9 ptsvs Scotland (68.6%)

30.4%

5+ Highers

▼ 10.4 ptsvs Scotland (40.8%)

72.1%

Primary literacy

▼ 2.4 ptsvs Scotland (74.5%)

79%

Primary numeracy

▼ 1.3 ptsvs Scotland (80.3%)

90.5%

Attendance rate

▼ 0.5 ptsvs Scotland (91%)

74.7%

Parents satisfied

▲ 5.7 ptsvs Scotland (69%)

Source: Local Government Benchmarking Framework (Improvement Service), 2024-25, under the Open Government Licence. Outcomes are council-wide averages and reflect each school's intake and catchment, not just its teaching.