We commenced our 900 celebrations by hosting our 900th Anniversary Gala Homecoming Dinner at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum attended by 450 guests on Saturday 20th January 2024. It was a joyous affair, bringing together many former pupils and staff, current parents and friends of the School. On the night, £45,000 was raised for the 900 Campaign by generous guests.

This fundraising Black Tie event included both a silent and live auction run by our host, Fred MacAulay, as well as a raffle. We are incredibly grateful to all of those who generously donated prizes to our fundraising activities on the evening.

Other highlights include the rousing rendition of the School Song played on Kelvingrove’s spectacular organ by David Brown (Class of 1991) who had travelled all the way from Australia to attend. Grace was given by the recently retired Minister John Purves of Drumchapel St Andrew’s Church, an individual with a close connection to the School. John was also representing the School’s origins as he now has a role at Glasgow Cathedral.

In line with the School’s sustainability goals, pupils from our Junior and Senior School Eco Committees put together a plan to plant 900 trees to create a lasting legacy and benefit the City of Glasgow, whose name derives from the Gaelic for ‘dear green place’.

Swapping  jotters and iPads for spades and saplings, pupils headed to the Cathkin Braes in the south of the city on Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th February 2024.

Across the two day period, with the guidance of a number of mentors from Glasgow City Council’s Community Woodlands, Greenspace and Biodiversity project and The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), some 200 pupils from Senior 2, Transitus (Primary 7) and Junior 5 (Primary 5), displayed true teamwork to plant an impressive 3600 trees, four multiples of 900.

On Saturday 23rd March 2024, many current and former pupils, as well as their families, descended on Old Anniesland for a sporting festival as part of our continued celebrations for our 900th anniversary.

Eight hockey teams competed in a Hockey 5’s tournament with 10 rugby teams taking part in a 7-a-side touch rugby tournament. It was a day of four seasons: with sunshine, showers, rainbows and a few gusty spells, keeping our sportspeople on their toes in changeable conditions.

It was the perfect opportunity for many former pupils to return to the playing fields of their youth, unlocking fond memories. Some even dusted off their old hockey and rugby strips which was great to see! Family and friends lent their support as enthusiastic spectators on the side lines, with many very young fans out in force to cheer on their parents.

Thursday 18^th April 2024 saw around 200 current and former pupils and parents, staff and friends of The High School of Glasgow coming together at City Chambers to attend a civic reception hosted by the Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren and Glasgow City Council to celebrate the School’s 900^th anniversary.

Civic Receptions are offered by Glasgow City Council for a number of reasons, including marking city-wide organisations of either 50 years or centenaries thereafter of their founding.

Music was woven throughout the evening, with guests treated to hauntingly beautiful music by Maya M (S4) on the clarsach, a Celtic harp, as well as an outstanding performance by the Chamber Choir.

On Friday 31st May 2024, current staff were joined by former staff from across the High School’s illustrious past including Elmbank Street, Garnethill and Drewsteignton to join together in celebration of the High School at a special event held at the Senior School.

It was a fantastic opportunity to welcome many individuals who have been a part of the High School in recent decades back to the School to celebrate alongside those currently raising the high tradition before they too pass it gloriously on. 

Heralding the start of June, the Parent Association and parent volunteers hosted HSOG Fest here at Old Anniesland on Saturday 1st June 2024. 

Featuring a festival of entertainment, music, food and fun, this event was inspired by the golden days of Midsummer Madness, which we’re sure many former pupils will remember fondly.

It was the perfect summer gathering for current pupils and parents, as well as former pupils and their families, to enjoy a range of summer fun including artisan food trucks; coffee, refreshments, ice cream and cocktails; carnival rides; live music hosted by Gina McKie; a Mini Manoeuvres pop up with free activities and much more!

For the first time in history, a Whole School Photograph encompassing all pupils and staff from Kindergarten through to Sixth Form was taken on the Old Anniesland pitches on Tuesday 11th June 2024. We’re extremely grateful that Scotland’s summer weather made an appearance! It will be a truly special memento to reflect on in years to come.

You can view a time-lapse video of the entire set up by clicking the button below!

During the penultimate week of the Summer Term, the School hosted a Gala Concert at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Monday 17th June 2024.

In a fitting tribute to our Choir School roots, over 300 pupils from Junior 4 through to Senior 6 took to the stage to perform a carefully curated show which had been months in the making and featured performances from our various school choirs, ensembles and orchestras.

Each performance was simply outstanding, however, the highlight of the evening was a rousing Finale recital of ‘Highland Cathedral’, arranged and kindly lent to the School by Martin Thomson, featuring every single musician and singer from across the evening.

As per tradition, our annual Commemoration and Thanksgiving Service took place at Glasgow Cathedral on Thursday 26th September 2024, the place where our School was first founded. During our 900th anniversary year, this event held special significance.

With a new session underway, September supercharged fundraising efforts for the 900 Campaign with a mighty 900km sponsored cycle in aid of the Bursary Fund! Across a period of nine days from Tuesday 17th September – Wednesday 25th September 2024 , a cohort of High School staff tested their endurance skills by cycling from Drewsteignton in Devon (a nod to Drewsteignton School on Ledcameroch Road which now houses our Junior School) to Glasgow Cathedral (the site of our School’s founding).

Our 900^th anniversary celebrations continued this Autumn Term with a Whole School Expressive Arts Exhibition held in the Senior School Assembly Hall on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th October 2024, featuring work from across the whole school from Junior 1 to Senior 6. Mr Peter Gilchrist (former Head of Art at the Senior School from 1986 to 2015) was the guest of honour for the evening and gave a keynote speech reflecting on the changes he witnessed, and was instrumental in, across the School’s Art Department during his 28 year tenure.

Read more by clicking here.

To leave a permanent reminder of the 900-year history of the School, we have been gathering materials throughout November 2024 to be buried in a time capsule in the early stages of the New Year to be discovered in years to come! 

To mark the conclusion of our year of 900th anniversary celebrations, members of the High School community gathered in Glasgow Cathedral on Monday 16th December 2024 for a special service of Nine Lessons and Carols ahead of the Christmas holidays. In a nod to our Choir School roots, we felt it fitting that the final 900th event of 2024 be held where the High School story began in 1124.