HSOG Community

The High School of Glasgow celebrates 900 continuous years as a school in 2024.

Traditionally taking 1124 as our foundation date as the Sang School of Glasgow Cathedral, we have evolved many times over the centuries to become a modern and vibrant place of learning.

No other school in Scotland can lay claim to 900 years of existence and we have been hard at work planning how we can make 2024 a year to remember.

The High School of Glasgow at 900

2024 is a year of opportunity, bringing together past and present members of the High School community through a series of events celebrating the illustrious story of the School and pointing, with ambition, to the future.

It will be a year of stories, learning, fun, personal catch-ups, pride in achievements and a time to encourage our community to think of the School and its future. A year of celebration and a year of giving.

The High School has a long history of philanthropy, notably demonstrated by the determination and generosity of former pupils and friends who played a pivotal role in rescuing the School in 1976 when it was faced with the prospect of closure.

Across our 900th anniversary, it is our goal to both continue and broaden this culture of philanthropy through ongoing investment in both our infrastructure and outreach.

On Monday 22nd January 2024, we formally launched the 900 Campaign and we are delighted that former Rector, Colin Mair, will be heading up our fundraising campaign as Campaign Chair, supported by Governor, Neil Watson as Deputy Campaign Chair.

From the 900 Campaign Chair

Philanthropy is the bedrock of The High School of Glasgow and as we mark 900 continuous years, we give thanks to the support of generations of former pupils, parents and friends of the High School, without which we simply would not exist. 

When the new Senior School building opened at Anniesland in September 1977, Appeal Director Norrie Thomson had raised £35,000 more than the £600,000 target through the extensive support of former pupils and parents. To put that into context, in today’s money, £4 million had been raised by our community to secure the future of the High School when met with the possibility of closure. At the same time, a newly established Educational Trust ensured that 8 of the 340 Senior School pupils received bursaries.

Since the 1980s, several further Appeals were led by the inimitable Ian Docherty, with considerable involvement by Rector Robin Easton, and in 2007-08 by Colin Mackie. We owe a great debt of gratitude to those whose dedication and generosity ensured the School’s survival beyond its 853rd anniversary.

The focus of our 900 Campaign includes fundraising to increase the Bursary Fund, to ensure the High School is a place of sustainable learning, and to support the development of an exciting and innovative programme in entrepreneurship and design thinking which has the potential to benefit High School pupils and beyond.

Now is the time for today’s generation to play our part and keep the High School beacon burning brightly for all those who follow after. 

Colin D.R. Mair
Chair of the 900 Campaign

Leaving a Legacy

Writing a Will is a deeply personal matter. We appreciate that you first must make provision for your family and loved ones in your Will, but if you would consider remembering the High School with a bequest, you will create a lasting legacy that will benefit many children and young people.

Including a charitable bequest can also have financial benefits by reducing the burden of inheritance tax on your estate.

All those who have pledged a legacy to the School will become members of the 1124 Society. Being part of this society comes with the opportunity to attend special events dedicated to recognising and celebrating the generosity of your commitment to the future of the High School.

Philanthropic gifts, such as legacies, help the School by providing greater clarity around financial planning for the future. Your support will help to shape the School’s continued excellence and will impact the lives of young people, and the wider High School community, for years to come.

Find out more

International Donors

International Donors

We welcome donations from anywhere in the world. You can make a donation by credit or debit card online, cheque/banker’s draft, or international bank transfer. Please contact the External Relations Office for more details via email at development@hsog.co.uk or by telephone on +44 141 954 9628.

Donate from the USA and Canada

If you live in the USA or Canada and would like to make a donation to The High School of Glasgow, we’re delighted to let you know that you can do so tax-efficiently. You can donate via The Chapel & York Foundation using our online giving form below:

Donate via Chapel & York