Philanthropy is the bedrock of The High School of Glasgow. By choosing to make a legacy gift to the School, you will play your part in keeping the High School beacon burning brightly for many generations of young people to come. 

When the High School became an independent school in 1976, the Board of Governors recognised that access to a HSOG education should be available to all who demonstrate the ability and drive to benefit from, and contribute to, school life and financial barriers to entry should not hinder them.  

Thus, The High School of Glasgow Educational Trust was formed with the intention of providing bursaries to support young people of potential. We would like to invite you to become part of our vision and help us to grow our Bursary Fund by leaving a gift to the School in your Will. 

Perhaps you’d like to direct your bequest to another area of school life instead? There are so many ways in which we can recognise your gift, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to discuss your intentions.

By making a legacy gift, you will become a part of our vibrant community of donors and your generosity recognised through automatic membership to the 1124 Society, which will include regular communications and invitations to special events.  

At the High School, we truly believe that philanthropic gifts, such as legacies, help to shape the School’s continued excellence and will impact the lives of young people, and the wider HSOG community, for years to come. 

We know that writing a Will is a deeply personal matter and we appreciate that you must first make provision for your family and loved ones. But if you would consider remembering the High School with a bequest, you will be helping to create a lasting legacy that will benefit many generations of children and young people to come.

While the Bursary Fund remains at the heart of our fundraising goals, it is just one of the ways that you can make a lasting difference. You may choose to support the School through a gift to our Unrestricted Fund. This flexible option allows your legacy to be directed to the area of greatest need, ensuring your generosity has an immediate and meaningful impact. Whether you choose to transform a life through a bursary or empower the School to respond to emerging priorities, your support will help shape a brighter future for generations to come.

Perhaps you are interested in supporting a specific area of the curriculum or department, or our facilities more widely. We are more than happy to discuss your intentions for your legacy gift to ensure we are able to honour your wishes. Including a charitable bequest can also have financial benefits by reducing the burden of inheritance tax on your estate.

How do I make a Will?

We would always advise you to contact a solicitor or a professional Will writer in the first instance as they are best placed to advise on the contents of your Will and advise on the most tax-efficient way to administer your estate. The process of making a Will is often straightforward and inexpensive, costing between £100 and £300. If you need help finding a solicitor, the Law Society of Scotland or Law Society will be able to help. Alternatively, we would be happy to suggest Glasgow-based solicitors, so please feel free to get in touch.

If you have already made your Will, but have now decided you would like to leave a bequest to the High School, you can ask your solicitor to amend your Will. This would typically be done by adding a codicil to your existing Will.

What type of legacy gifts are there?

There are several ways you may wish to consider leaving a gift to the High School in your Will:

Residuary legacy – A gift of all, a percentage of, or a share of your estate after expenses, pecuniary and specific bequests. The benefit of residuary legacies is that the value is not affected by inflation as there is no fixed sum. As the value of your estate increases, so will the value of your legacy.

Pecuniary legacy – a fixed sum of money, which can be index-linked to safeguard its future value.

Reversionary legacy – this type of legacy allows you to leave a gift to family and friends during their lifetime. Upon their death, the legacy would then revert to the High School.

Specific legacy – you could choose to gift property, antiques or stocks and shares to the School as a gift in kind.

What are the High School’s charity details?

Should you choose to support the School in your Will, you will need to provide your solicitor with our details to make sure we receive your gift. For ease, we’ll note these below:

High School of Glasgow Educational Trust, charity number: SC004394, The External Relations Department, The High School of Glasgow, 637 Crow Road, Glasgow, G13 1PL.

I live in the United States and I’d like to leave a legacy gift to the High School, how do I do this?

If you are a US taxpayer, gifts to Friends of the High School of Glasgow, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, are 100% deductible from your taxable estate as charitable gifts. Should you require further information to provide to your solicitor, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the External Relations Team. We’re more than happy to help.

To find out more about leaving a legacy to the High School, please reach out to Karen McDonald, Director of External Relations, on 0141 435 5707 or via email at kjmm@hsog.co.uk.