Profiles: Only a few miles from each other but their performance is light years apart

Williamwood High School in East Renfrewshire is among the best performing state schools in Scotland and always comes near or at the top of the exam leagues tables.

The 1,598-pupil school is a non-denominational secondary which serves the wealthy, leafy suburbs around Glasgow of Busby, Clarkston and Netherlee.

According to the latest Scottish Government statistics, just 2.8 per cent of pupils claimed free school meals in 2009 - a key indicator of poverty.

Key to the success of exam results in such a middle class area is the ability of parents to support their children in resources, such as being able to afford to have the internet at home and pay for school trips.

Such parents are more likely to have had good experiences of education themselves and be more willing and able to support their children in education emotionally and practically.

Williamwood High School headteacher, John Fitzpatrick, said: "Our success is a tribute to the hard work of our pupils and staff and the support we receive from parents and the council.

"Last year HMIe inspectors noted the considerable strengths of Williamwood High School, including our best-ever examination results. But what drives our school forward is a commitment that we won't relax in our efforts to improve.

"Our ambition, which is to achieve high standards in everything we do, remains exactly the same."

Profile: Drumchapel High

DRUMCHAPEL High is a secondary school on the opposite outskirts of Glasgow to Williamwood, far north of the River Clyde.

The sprawling council estate in which it stands was built to house people cleared from the inner city slums.

However, the poverty has remained and with it poor educational aspiration and attainment. Just three per cent of the pupils who stayed on to fifth year last year achieve three Higher passes at the secondary - the same figure as the previous year.

A massive 45.1 per cent of pupils at the school are entitled to free school meals

The national average for free school meals entitlement is 12.3 per cent and 26.7 per cent for Glasgow. The 611-pupil school also has a high truancy rate, with an unauthorised absence rate of 4.2 per cent.

Glasgow City Council has many measures in place to improve outcomes for pupils at schools such as Drumchapel.