Highlights - Summer Term 2025

Highlights Summer Term 2025

Sir Thomas More: Why not be a teacher? You’d be a fine teacher; perhaps a great one.

Richard Rich: If I was, who would know?

Sir Thomas More: You, your pupils, your friends, God. Not a bad public, that.

A Man for all Seasons, Robert Bolt From the moment I joined the School in 2004, I quickly noticed that in comparison to a number of schools I had taught in, the High School was a place of no half measures; it was, to borrow a line, a school which did ‘exactly what it said on the tin’.

From the classroom, to music, sport, DofE, clubs and competitions, to trips and opportunities to serve and lead as pupils – the busy active life and positive ethos and relationships promoted in the School has always embodied a desire to reach beyond our grasp in all we do, as embodied in our motto, Sursum Semper (Ever Upwards).

Fundamental to this special environment has been the consistency of dedication from staff, the quality of staff-pupil relations and the support of parents and former pupils. Even in a challenging year, as we have just experienced, my colleagues at no point missed a beat in ensuring the high standards and opportunities of the High School were maintained and promoted, a level of endeavour for which I am deeply grateful.

As you read these pages, please reflect upon the variety, the success, the endeavour, the challenges, the fun and the memories being made by pupils – for this is the stuff and the value of a good all-round education. You see, I always hope that a High School education will develop young people with that formidable combination of a good head and a good heart.

For all departing pupils and colleagues this year, my thoughts and good wishes for the future go with you.

For all returning in August, I simply extol Sursum Semper!

John O’Neill Rector

Highlights

Summer Term 2025

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Junior School pupils having fun at Midsummer Madness.

Contents School News

Pages 4-11

Summer Term in the Great Outdoors

Pages 12-15

Sporting Success

Pages 16-23

Sports Days 2025

Pages 16-19

Sporting Updates

Pages 20-23

Giving Back Our Term in Pictures

Highlights

Summer Term 2025

Page 24 Pages 25-28

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Boys Aloud, the Vocal Ensemble of the Year

School News The Summer Term is always a busy time at HSOG, with numerous trips, activities and sporting events taking place. Read on to dive into life at the High School!

Young Musicians of the Year ‘25 Our annual competition returned to its Summer Term slot this session, a stunning denouement for session 2024-25 that showcased some of the finest young musicians from the Senior Music Department.

We were delighted to welcome Jane Irwin, internationally renowned soprano and Head of Vocal Studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Will Conway, an internationally renowned cellist and conductor to help decide who would walk away with the top prizes. With a pair of prestigious adjudicators in attendance, our finalists were keen to impress, delivering incredible performances over the course of a memorable evening.

Rory S (S6) was the winner of The Fraser MacAulay Award for the Young Instrumentalist of the Year for his performance on the bagpipes.

Landi W (S5) won The Nadine Livingston Award for the Young Singer of the Year.

Boys Aloud, featuring Robbie L, Michael M, Harry S, Theo S, Adam W, Oscar W (all S4), Calum B, Ashley C, Ekam K, Suleman M and Cameron R (all S3) won The Peter Douglas Award for the Vocal Ensemble of the Year.

The violin playing duo of sisters, Catherine I (S4) & Elizabeth I (S2) won The Peter Douglas Award for the Instrumental Ensemble of the Year.

There were also Awards for Outstanding Potential given to Evelyn C (S4) (snare drum), Amitoj B (S3) (tabla), Calum B (S3) (marimba) and Ibrahim K (S4) (vocals).

Congratulations to our winners and all our musicians – what a special evening!

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Catherine & Elizabeth I

March for Nepal In the Spring Term edition of Highlights, we told you a little about our Junior School’s ‘March for Nepal’ efforts, reporting that they had raised more than £2,700 at the time.

We are delighted to now be able to update you further on their fundraising efforts.

Thanks to our brilliant community who supported their sponsored walks, which saw them stroll a cumulative 2,268 miles to raise awareness and funds for schools in Nepal destroyed by earthquakes and flooding, our children raised £4,001.83 (including Gift Aid) – a monumental effort from every involved!

Landi W

Let’s hear it for our fantastic fundraisers!

Click here to read more about their efforts

Rory S

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Ocean Experts Junior 1 were excited to welcome loved ones into their classrooms to share everything they had learned from their ‘Under the Sea’ topic in May. The children worked hard to create an interactive ocean wall, showcasing their learning in Phonics and Maths over the last term. Our little ocean experts were able to answer questions about various water related topics including the water cycle, the layers of the ocean and the food chain of an orca whale.

Their hard work really paid off, with their confidence in answering questions impressing everyone in attendance!

Well done J1 and thank you to your family members for continuing to support our ‘Sharing the Learning’ events!

Junior School Public Speaking Champs!

The Junior School welcomed Rector Mr O’Neill to judge its annual Public Speaking Competition at the end of May, with an exceptionally high standard of oration on display.

Congratulations went to Felicity M of Junior 5 who was crowned overall victor in the competition with her touching yet hilarious speech entitled ‘Letter to my younger Self’.

Second place was awarded to Jackson C (J6), who also had our audience laughing while recounting recent renovations in his home, while joint third place went to Junior 4 pupils, Cecily S and Harris V, for their amazing talks entitled ‘If my cat was an opera singer’ and ‘Should pets come to school’.

Every single pupil who performed spoke with great poise and confidence, touching on a wide variety of themes, all delivered in their unique tone. What a great effort from all involved!

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Maths Challenge Champs!

S1 and S2 pupils competed in the UKMT Junior Maths Challenge this term, with a number of our young mathematicians gaining awards.

Congratulations to our 18 gold award winners: Nina C, Jonathan F, Elizabeth I, Catriona K, Chloe L, Eric M, George N, Jacob R, Emmett T, Ashwin V, Shiva V (all S2), Rohan J, Basil M, Fraser R, Aryav V, Ruby W, Hanhan W (all S1) and Han-Lin W (Transitus).

HSOG pupils also achieved 21 silver and 14 bronze awards, while Eric M, Basil M (both of whom top-scored in the competition with an impressive 129 out of a possible 135 marks) and Hanhan W all went on to the follow-on Kangaroo competition, once again achieving gold awards. Well done everyone!

Midsummer Madness Returns!

How exciting it was to have the return of Midsummer Madness to the Summer Term schedule!

The weather might not have been ideal, but our community still enjoyed a memorable Saturday at Old Anniesland, taking no notice of the rain as they enjoyed fairground games, carnival rides and even a Taylor Swift tribute act!

Thanks to everyone who made it along and thanks to the Parent Association for organising such a great event. Same time next year?

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Romeo and Juliet “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” ...did anyone check in the Drama Studio at HSOG? Our star-crossed lovers entranced audiences over three unforgettable nights at Old Anniesland, putting on a Junior Drama Production for the ages. A huge well done to all involved, both onstage and behind the scenes!

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Instrumental Mini Concerts Talented Junior School musicians took to the stage for our showcase of instrumental mini concerts at the end of May. Pupils impressed with not only their playing skills, but with their confidence and musical flair. Well done to all of our brilliant young musicians!

Our young musicians really have been hitting the right note in 2025 – they made up more than a tenth of the entire National Youth Choirs of Scotland Development Orchestra, a remarkable feat that no other school in Scotland can claim! Click here or on the image above to read all about our impressive Music Department including updates about pupils performing in a number of national ensemble performances at prestigious Scottish venues.

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London Calling The Globe Theatre trip in June saw S4 pupils travel down south for a little bit of culture in the capital.

During a busy itinerary, our pupils took in a number of shows including ‘London Road’ at the National Theatre, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and ‘Cabaret’ at the Playhouse Theatre. They were treated to a tour of the Globe Theatre and took part in a workshop in the iconic venue, as well as participating in dance and stage fighting workshops at Pineapple Studios – another famous institution!

An unforgettable few days!

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Summer Term in the Great Outdoors Newlands Junior 6 enjoyed an unforgettable trip to Newlands Adventure Centre in the Lake District in early June, during which they embraced the great outdoors and tackled a few challenges along the way!

From scaling climbing walls to taking part in a thrilling ghyll scramble, every pupil showed resilience, courage and an unwavering team spirit. Although the group didn’t see the sun shine much this year, that didn’t dampen their spirits! Everyone pushed themselves beyond their comfort zones and supported each other throughout the adventure. Rain or shine, memories were made that will last a lifetime!

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DofE Expeditions Duke of Edinburgh’s Award participants tested themselves on expeditions throughout Scotland during the Summer Term, come rain or shine!

Bronze, Silver and Gold candidates enjoyed the opportunity to traverse through stunning Scottish scenery, as well as heading out onto lochs in kayaks and canoes during challenging qualifying expeditions in May and June.

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Activities Week The daily timetable? Consider it ‘torn up’! Each May, Activities Week sees Transitus-S3 pupils let loose and enjoy the opportunity to take part in a number of memorable activities, workshops and trips.

2025 provided yet another unforgettable Activities Week, with the lower half of our Senior School broadening their horizons during mind-expanding workshops, having great fun on school trips and discovering new talents during compelling in-school activities. A magical few days at HSOG!

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Raasay As is tradition, as part of Senior School Activities Week, S1 pupils headed 200 miles north to Raasay in May. Two parties of First Year pupils spent five days each on the isle of Raasay, enjoying some surprisingly scorching Scottish weather! They loved taking in the sights, participating in fun-filled outdoor adventures, climbing mountains, scaling off some craggy peaks and working together in invigorating team-building challenges – what an incredible few days in the great outdoors!

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Sports Days 2025 The annual Junior and Senior School Sports Days saw High School athletes take part in a number of sporting events at Old Anniesland in June.

Junior Sports Day 2025 Our youngest athletes took over the Senior School playing fields on Thursday 12th June for their annual Sports Day. Junior School pupils had a ball, enthusiastically participating in a number of entertaining races such as the classic ‘three-legged’ race, team relay events and the sack race!

Another fantastic Junior School Sports Day – great job to our winners and all children who took part so enthusiastically.

Click here for a gallery of images from the day

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Junior Sports Day Results Junior 5 Championships Girls 1st 2nd 3rd

Boys Honor A Eliza T Cara P

1st 2nd = 3rd

Max M Brodie F Gregory P / Tonio T

Junior 6 Championships Girls 1st 2nd = 3rd

Boys Katie P Susanna R Skye A / Emma G / Ella M

1st = 2nd 3rd

Jackson C Joel B / Fergus T Angus P

Team Events Relay Cup Campbeltown

Overall Results 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

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Summer Term 2025

Longhope Campbeltown Lizard Broughty Ferry

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Senior Sports Day 2025 Our Senior Sports Day on Tuesday 10th June once again saw hundreds of athletes battle it out across a number of events, sparking an unforgettable day at Old Anniesland.

There was impressive sporting prowess on show, with sprint racing, hurdling, long distance tests of endurance, and a variety of field events taking part across the acres of playing fields.

Congratulations to all who took part, and, in particular, to those who took home medals and trophies!

Click here to see a gallery of images from a truly sun-kissed Senior Sports Day!

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Senior Sports Day Results Transitus Championships

Individual Events

Girls

Mile Cup - Girls

1st = 2nd

Boys Cara M Rebecca P / Isha R

1st 2nd 3rd

Ruaridh G Adam A Charlie D

Anna C (S4)

Mile Cup - Boys James A (S5)

First Year Championships Girls 1st 2nd 3rd

Boys Ellie M Chloé C Erin A

1st 2nd 3rd

Rhys F Harry M Charlie M

S3 Girls’ Hurdles Cup Amber M

S3 Girls’ Throwing Cup Amber M

Pentland Quaich (Senior Boys’ 100m) Robbie S (S5)

Second Year Championships

The Former Pupils Cup (Senior Boys’ 200m)

Girls

Fergus M (S6)

1st 2nd 3rd

Boys Leah N Daisy C Mhairi M

1st 2nd 3rd

Isaac A Carter D L-G Maxwell Z

The Scott Cup (Senior Girls’ Hurdles) Layla R (S4)

Discus Statue

Third Year Championships Girls 1st 2nd 3rd

Senior Girls’ Athletics Salver (Senior Girls’

Boys Amber M Riya S Mimi T

1st 2nd 3rd

TBC

Throwing Events) Ben H David B Ashley C

Layla R (S4)

The Millenium Rose Bowl (Senior Girls’ 100m) Layla R (S4)

Burma Bowl (Senior Boys’ Field Events)

Senior Championships Girls 1st 2nd 3rd

James C (S6)

Boys Layla R (S4) Luisa C (S4) Anna C (S4)

1st 2nd = 3rd

James C (S6) Finlay G (S4) Angus M (S6) / James A (S5)

Inter-House Championship Shield Law House

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Track & Field Stars In an incredibly busy final few weeks of the Summer Term, HSOG athletes, old and new, have excelled in athletics and cross country, winning national medals at a number of competitions.

Scottish Schools’ Relay Championships Four HSOG teams won medals at the Scottish Schools’ Secondary Relay Championships at Hutchesons’ Grammar School in June.

The U20 boys’ team of James C (S6), James A (S5) and Adam W (S4) not only took home gold medals in the 3x800m race, but did so in a recordbreaking time! They were also awarded the Most Meritorious Male Relay Performance award for the day.

Congratulations also go to the team of Angus M, Fergus M, Robbie S (all S6) and Luc C (S5) who won silver medals in the U20 Boys’ 4x100m race; Isaac A (S2), Rhys F, Charlie M and Harry M (all S1) who were runners up in the U14 Boys’ 4x100m race; and Libby M (S6), Beth C, Eva S (both S5) and Layla R (S4), who won bronze in the 4x100m U20 Girls’ event.

Scottish Primary Schools’ Cross Country Championships A round of applause is due to our Junior 6 girls’ cross country team who were crowned Scottish Schools’ Primary Cross Country Champions in April!

Well done to the team: Skye A, Phoebe B, Ella M, Katie P, Susanna R and Niamh R.

Multiple Medals at Schools’ Multi-Events Senior athletes had a great day at the Glasgow Schools’ MultiEvents Championships, with Rhys F winning gold in the S1 Boys’ competition, silver medals going to Layla R (S4) in the Senior Girls’ and Amber M in the S3 Girls’ events, and bronze being won by Leah N and Isaac A in the S2 Girls’ and S2 Boys’ events, respectively.

Congratulations to all of our medalists and competitors.

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Scottish Schools Pentathlon Not content with his silver medal at the Scottish Schools’ Secondary Relay Championships (see opposite page), Angus M (S6) (pictured right) went one better at the following day’s Scottish Schools’ Pentathlon competition at Grangemouth, winning a hard earned gold medal in the Boys’ U20 event – well done Angus!

Scottish Schools Track & Field Championships HSOG athletes took on a number of track and field events at June’s Scottish Schools Athletics Championships. Over two tough days, a huge number of our pupils competed well, with many recording top ten finishes in their respective events.

Particular congratulations go to our medal winners, James C (S6) (pictured below right, centre) who won gold in the U20 800m event, and, once again, to Angus M (S6) who won bronze medals in both the U20 110m Hurdles and U20 Triple Jump events.

Athletics League Finals Congratulations go to the S2 boys and S1 girls’ teams, who were victorious at the Athletics League Finals in mid-June.

On a memorable day for our younger athletes at Hutchesons’ Grammar School, our S3 boys, S3 girls, S2 girls and S1 boys’ teams also ran well, finishing the day as runners up.

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Summer Sporting Stars The best of the rest from our PE Department, including achievements in tennis, hockey, swimming and much more.

First Year pupil Rhys F (pictured above right) made a huge splash earlier this term, impressively claiming Scottish age grade titles in six different strokes! Competing at the Scottish Swimming National Age Group Championships in Aberdeen, the premier event for young Scottish swimmers, Rhys excelled in nine individual events, advancing to the finals in each, as well as being part of three relay teams.

Over the course of the competition, he claimed the title of Scottish champion in the 1113 age category for six different strokes: 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle, 100m Butterfly, 200m Butterfly, 100m Backstroke and 200m Individual Medley (winning the prestigious Sharp Trophy). Additionally, his team won bronze medals in two relay events: the 4x100m Freestyle and the 4x100m Medley. What a promising future Rhys has ahead of himself in the pool!

For the second year running, the Senior Boys’ Tennis Team (pictured above left) were runners up in the Scottish Secondary Schools’ Championships. They saw off challenges from Perth Academy, Hutchesons’ Grammar School and Strathallan School, before coming unstuck in a tough final loss to Merchiston Castle School. Congratulations to the team – Findlay P (Captain), James A (S5), Lucas N & Harry S (both S4) – on their fine efforts.

10,000m Champion A huge congratulations goes to Scottish Cross Country international, current Garscube Harriers athlete and Class of 2022 former pupil, Anya MacLean (pictured left, centre), who was crowned Scottish 10,000m track champion in April having clocked an impressive time of 36:05:51 at the Scottish Athletics race at Crownpoint. Well done Anya!

Click here to read more about her success.

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High School hockey players have made their impact at both national and inter-district levels this term.

Olivia M (S5) (pictured below left) was part of the Scotland U18 squad that finished third in the 6 Nations Easter Series, impressing in victories over Czechia, Poland and the USA, while Andrew C (S6) (pictured below right) was part of the Scotland U18 Aspiring squad who faced Ulster in multiple fixtures in early June.

At inter-district level, Ella T (S3), Cece F (S2) and Erin A (S1) (pictured below centre) were selected to represent West District U15 teams at the Inter-District Tournament in May. They were presumably inspired by a couple of recent former pupils, the Class of 2022’s Zara Kennedy and Jess Mitchell, both of whom were involved with the Scottish Women’s team during the Easter break.

Congratulations to Jess, who was making her debut for the full squad, and to Zara, who has been selected for the Great Britain Elite Development Programme.

Well done to our 1st XI cricket side who earned two very creditable draws in the annual fixtures against MCC and the Forty Club earlier this month. Shlok T (S6) top scored with a defiant 69 not out against MCC, helping to secure the draw that has seen HSOG now go four years unbeaten in the fixture. The 1st XI are pictured left, alongside their opponents from the Forty Club.

12 HSOG golfers competed in the newly created ‘Mini Ryder Cup’ competition between ourselves and Dollar Academy taking place at Muckhart Golf Club in Dollar. Well done to our ‘B’ team who finished the day as worthy runners up.

And finally... Congratulations to our Director of PE and Sport, Mr Phil Smith, who was recently appointed as the new Head Coach of Glasgow Hawks! Click here to read more.

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Giving Back The Summer Term saw High School pupils give back to their community and do their bit to support worthwhile causes, including Transitus taking part in the annual ‘Go Yellow’ 5km Charity Walk.

Transitus pupils joined other local schools in taking on the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice ‘Go Yellow’ 5km Walk in Bellahouston Park, raising £1,474 for the charity. Well done Transitus!

While we love highlighting the positive differences that our current pupils and staff make on the world, we never forget our wider community. Recently, we have been touched by fundraisers affecting some recent High School leavers...

Ashwin Bali (Class of 2015) (pictured right) was a former pupil of the School who sadly passed away unexpectedly in March 2024 from Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS), an extremely rare condition. His family have been honouring his memory by raising money and awareness of Cardiac Risk in the Young, a charity who work to reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac death. Most recently Ashwin's dad, Sanjeev, along with colleagues from Gildeas Solicitors in Glasgow, took part in Edinburgh's Tough Mudder.

If you’d like to show your support in memory of Ashwin, there is still time to give to Sanjeev’s JustGiving fundraiser by visiting www.justgiving.com/team/gildeas-solicitors.

Colin Smith (Class of 2006) is the older brother of Chris Smith (Class of 2012), who passed away 13 years ago at just 17 years old. In Chris’ memory, Unite Against Cancer was founded, a charity very close to the hearts of so many in the High School community. Very sadly, Colin’s life has once again been touched by the illness, his wife Kirsty having been battling cancer over the last few months.

Colin recently announced a charity golf day to take place at Mar Hall on Wednesday 6th August, all in support of Unite Against Cancer. If you are interested in taking part or supporting the event, you can find out more by clicking here.

We’re sure it will be a fantastic day, all for such an important cause – get involved!

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Our Term in Pictures We bid farewell to session 2024-25 during a Summer Term packed with fun!

J2 were spinning their way through a web of spider facts in May! From learning all about the spider life cycle to crafting their own creepy-crawly creations, they had a blast!

Our Pipe Band greatly impressed at the Dollar Pipe Band Contest in May – congratulations to our drumming champions in the Novice B section and to our Pipe Band who finished the day fourth overall. A great effort!

Our young skiers had a great day at the SSSA Scottish Primary Dry Slopes South Qualifier in May. Particular congratulations went to our top 10 placing J5-Transitus team, who did brilliantly to qualify for the finals.

Congratulations to Chloe C, who was crowned winner of our prestigious Transitus Bake Off Final in June. Her mini Victoria sponges with freshly made strawberry jam wowed the judges, landing her the top prize!

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Our annual Celebration of Sport highlights the incredible sporting achievements that take place across the School each session. Amongst a number of individual and team awards, it was James C of Sixth Year who took home the top prize, winning the prestigious HSOG Sports Person of the Year for 2025.

Congratulations James!

Hannah R and Ali U (both J6) travelled to the Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum on a beautiful day in June to accept, on behalf of the Junior School Eco Committee and Outdoor Learning Committee, the second placed award in the ‘Video Report’ category of the Keep Scotland Beautiful Young Reporter of the Environment competition. Well deserved!

Our cricketers were blessed with an incredible few weeks of sunshine in May, taking advantage by getting the pads on and heading out onto the grass! They are pictured above participating at the Glenalmond Sixes Tournament.

We welcomed 23 former colleagues from the Junior School to the Jimmie Ireland Stand for their annual Afternoon Tea at the beginning of May – spot any familiar faces?

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Our Senior School played host to the Scottish Schools’ Maths Challenge 2025 in June, with 123 pupils from 12 schools filing in to our Assembly Hall for a full day of challenging mathematics – well done to everyone who took part.

Click the image below to see a gallery of images from the J6 Leavers’ Dance!

J6 said goodbye to Junior School life at their Leavers’ Dance on Wednesday 18th June – what a night! Next stop: the ‘big’ school!

The Class of 2025 had a wonderful time at their Leavers’ Dance on Thursday 19th June. They came together, one final time, for a night of merriment, dinner and dancing at Old Anniesland – an emotional evening that will live long in the memories of our departing Sixth Years. Farewell to the Class of ‘25!

Highlights

Summer Term 2025

Junior 2 loved watching their tiny caterpillars grow into butterflies as part of their Minibeasts topic!

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A huge thank you to everyone who supported our Junior School Plant Sale in May. It all came down to the hard work of our Outdoor Learning Committee, alongside the ever excellent support from our school community. What a brilliant afternoon!

Sixth Year pupils headed back to Ledcameroch Road one last time in June as they enjoyed a nostalgic trip to the Junior School towards the end of the Summer Term – a day full of emotion for our S6 Leavers.

Senior mathematicians attended a prizegiving ceremony in June to receive awards for the Scottish Maths Challenge, which took place earlier in the session. Gold awards were won by Kaiwei C (S3), Eric M (S2) and Angela W (S1), silver awards went to Avi M (S4), Catriona K (S2) Amna A and Saymion V (both S1), while bronze awards were won by Claire Z (S4), Elizabeth I, Jacob R, Emmett T, Maxwell Z (all S2) and Wenwen X (S1). Well done to our young mathematicians!

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Towards the end of the Summer Term, the Pipe Band hosted a concert and ceilidh at Drygate Brewery, a memorable evening filled with foot-thumping music to raise money towards Pipe Band equipment and the NYC Tartan Parade in April 2026.