The school was established on 12 September 1859 at Charlotte Street, near Glasgow Green, in the East End of Glasgow. Here lived the city's largely migrant Catholic community from Ireland and the Scottish Highlands, both of which groups the school was intended to serve. Since 1866 the College's main campus has been situated in Garnethill on the north side of Glasgow city centre, adjacent to the Glasgow School of Art. Originally, the school was for boys only. In 1979 the admission policy was changed by the Governors during the tenure of Headmaster Fr. Henry Anthony Richmond SJ and girls were admitted. Girls now make up half of the school population.
Buildings
Buildings include the original category-B listedItalianate Chandlery Building, including the administration block, library, and refectory. Its 1908 and 1926 extensions are known collectively as The Hanson Building, which accommodates classrooms for languages and the humanities as well as the school chapel and gymnasium. The Mount Building, which originally housed the city's first Royal Hospital for Sick Children from 1882, and until recently housed the junior school, today houses music, art and drama, and the kindergarten. More modern additions include the Clavius Building housing the Mathematics, Science, and Technology faculty and the Junior School Building, both of which have won RIBA architectural awards, and have been identified as amongst the best modern Scottish buildings. In 2011, the number of buildings and the size of the campus increased with the acquisition of the Mercy Convent site and buildings. The building is used for additional support lessons, as well as a gym for students, offices and a staff room. The school has a close relationship with the Jesuit parish church of St Aloysius next door. The church is regularly used by the college and Masses offered for both the junior and senior schools. The building is listed category A, designed by C. J. Menart in the baroque revival style and modelled on the Church of the Gesú, original Jesuit headquarters in Rome. A new Sports Hall was recently constructed on the College campus, and open for use from August 2017. The school's main sports grounds are on the north-eastern outskirts of the city at Millerston.
St Aloysius' College Kindergarten and Junior School in Glasgow support children from the ages of 3 to 12 years old. The kindergarten is situated in the Mount Building, while the Junior school is in a modern building along Hill Street. As well as attending lessons in the Junior school, the pupils will also receive preparation for the sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation and First Holy Communion as part of the school's three-fold tuition for their academic, social and spiritual lives.
Houses
A house system was established by headmaster Fr. Adrian J Porter SJ in 1997. The four houses, named after notable Jesuit saints, compete against each other in events including rugby, hockey, athletics, inter-house debating and a quiz. Each house also has a housemaster and colour:
Aloysius Gonzaga: Blue
Ignatius Loyola : Red
John Ogilvie: Green
Francis Xavier: Gold
Under headmaster John E. Stoer, the house system was replaced with the year system, except for sports and chess. This meant that instead of each house having its own housemaster, each year would have a Head of Year and a Deputy Head of Year. Previously pupils were divided into 'Romans' and 'Carthaginians' with 'victories' being awarded to pupils for good work. These were totalled at the end of the academic year and overall awarded to the house with the most victories. As of 2016, there is no longer a Campion House, and instead Gonzaga, named after the patron saint of the school.
Athletics
Aloysius' rugby team won the Scottish Rugby U16 Schools' Cup Final in 2016.
