George Watson's College, Edinburgh
George Watson's College is an independent school for pupils in Edinburgh.
Data last updated 24 Oct 2026
George Watson's College in detail
Independent school in Scotland
George Watson's College is an independent school in Scotland, on the Scottish Government's register of independent schools (updated August 2026). Independent schools in Scotland are inspected by Education Scotland rather than Ofsted.
It is run by The Merchant Company Education Board. The register gives it a maximum roll of 2,480 pupils.
As an independent school it sets its own admissions and fees, so contact the school directly about places, entry assessments and any bursaries.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to George Watson's College are Edinburgh Steiner School (0.3 miles), St Mary's Music School (1.2 miles), George Heriot's School (1.4 miles) and The Montesorri School Edinburgh (1.5 miles).
Edinburgh Steiner SchoolSt Mary's Music SchoolGeorge Heriot's SchoolThe Montesorri School Edinburgh
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Slateford Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gillsland Road (after), 160 metres away.
Sources: Scottish Government register of independent schools (OGL); NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
Scottish GovernmentInspection
Schools in Scotland are inspected by Education Scotland, not Ofsted. Find George Watson's College's reports on the inspectorate's website.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Keep up with George Watson's College
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 11
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 1 serious and 9 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Edinburgh City is 12 (the median across 140 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
George Watson's College
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about George Watson's College
How do I apply to George Watson's College?
George Watson's College is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near George Watson's College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 1 serious and 9 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Edinburgh City is 12 (the median across 140 schools, same distance and years).
Where is George Watson's College?
George Watson's College is at 67-71 Colinton Road, Edinburgh, EH10 5EG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)