High School of Glasgow

The High School of Glasgow is a co-educational Independent School now located in the Anniesland area of Glasgow, Scotland, with a role of just over 1,000 pupils between the ages of 3 and 18. It is the oldest school in Scotland, and the ninth oldest in the United Kingdom. The school is regarded as Scotland's highest performing secondary school, consistently topping official and unofficial league tables.

The School was founded as the Choir School of Glasgow Cathedral in 1124 and changed its name to The High School of Glasgow in 1834.

For centuries it was an integral part of the city's educational system, but in 1976, despite its high standing and achievements, it was closed when education in Glasgow was reorganised along 'comprehensive' lines. The Glasgow High School for Girls was founded in 1894 and flourished until it too disappeared in the 1970's as a result of changes to Glasgow's schooling system.

The day after the closure of the Boys' High School the new, independent, co-educational High School came into being following a merger involving the Glasgow High School Club and Drewsteignton School in Bearsden.

The new, purpose-built Senior School is now set among the spacious playing-fields of Old Anniesland, while the much-extended Junior School is in Bearsden. Many of the extensions to the school have been made possible through the generous funding of former pupils and parents. Recent additions to the school include the Jimmy Ireland grandstand, which serves as the school's refectory, meeting rooms, fitness gym as well as the seating area for rugby games.

Hawks RFC and GHK RFC also play at Old Anniesland and make use of the Jimmy Ireland grandstand.

The current rector of the school is Colin Mair. Mrs Karen Waugh is headmistress of the Junior School.

Notable alumni

• William Beardmore, Industrialist
• James Bryce, Politician, British Ambassador to the United States
• Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde, General
• Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, Prime Minister
• Hazel Cosgrove, Lady Cosgrove, Senator of the College of Justice
• Charles Scott Dickson, Lord Justice Clerk
• David Pinkerton Fleming, Solicitor General for Scotland
• Muriel Gray, Journalist and Broadcaster
• Arthur Campbell Hamilton, Lord Hamilton, Lord President of the Court of Session
• Jimmie Ireland, Scotland rugby player
• David Lacy, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, 2005
• Andrew Bonar Law, Prime Minister
• Norman Macfarlane, Baron Macfarlane of Bearsden, Industrialist and Life Peer
• Edwin Morgan, Poet, The Scots Makar
• Sir Teddy Taylor, former MP
• Sir John Moore, British Soldier and General

Four of the alumni give their names to the four senior school houses, alphabetically Bannerman (red), Clyde (blue), Law (green) and Moore (yellow); the junior school houses take their names from British lifeboats: Broughtyferry (red), Campbeltown (blue), Lizard (green) and Longhope (yellow).

Notable staff

• Thomas Muir, mathematician

External links

• Official web site