Achievements

Exams

Loretto School consistently delivers strong results, with A-Level pass rates reaching 98% in 2025—well above national averages. Students particularly excel in mathematics, sciences, and languages, including physics, chemistry, biology, French, and Spanish. This success translates into university placements, as 99% of graduates secure places at their chosen institutions, which often include leading British and American universities.

Golf at Loretto School

When Loretto Golf Academy opened in 2002 as Britain’s first at an independent boarding school, it set a precedent that has since yielded 14 national titles. Three professional PGA coaches work with students, who have access to 32 courses along Scotland’s coast. The programme runs year-round and includes specialized preparation for those targeting American college golf. Notably, the Old Lorettonian Golfing Society made history in 2023 by winning the Halford Hewitt Cup for the third consecutive year—a feat only one other team had previously achieved.

Notable Alumni

Major General Simon Graham, who earned a Companion of the Order of the Bath for transforming Britain’s reserve forces, began his military path in the school’s cadet corps. Professor Clare Jackson from Cambridge, whose award-winning historical works and BBC2 programmes have earned wide recognition, credits school theatre productions as formative experiences. Other alumni include Scotland rugby international Francesca McGhee, whom World Rugby nominated as 2023’s breakthrough player, opera singer Katie Thomson from the Royal College of Music, and MasterChef: The Professionals finalist James Sharp.

Sport

Students regularly earn selection for national and district teams in rugby, hockey, lacrosse, and cricket, representing Scotland in major competitions. The school has always valued fair play and respect for opponents over winning at any cost—an approach that shapes character alongside athletic ability. The programme encompasses both team sports like rugby, hockey, and tennis, and individual disciplines including athletics, badminton, swimming, and climbing. What students gain on fields and in gyms stays with them throughout their lives.