Toowoomba Grammar School boarding provides the ideal living environment for our boys while they develop the values that will define their character.
Throughout the course of this year, I have been privileged to visit many of the towns and properties that our TGS boarders call home. When walking around those towns wearing a shirt with a TGS crest, it doesn’t take long to meet an Old Boy or to be asked about one of the boarders currently at the School. Our boarding staff pride themselves on knowing each individual boarder in their House, replicating how each boy is known and valued as an individual in their own hometown.
The demographics of Toowoomba are similar in this regard and provide the School with two unique characteristics. Firstly, as one of the smaller GPS schools, the numbers of dayboys do not overwhelm our boarders, with boarders enrolled at a ratio of nearly one to three in the Senior School. Secondly, most of our teaching staff hail from country areas, which means that our staff know our boarders and truly appreciate their background.
Our TGS campus does a good job of replicating the open spaces of our boarders’ homes, with six ovals for our boys to enjoy. Indeed, facilities such as our aquatic centre, indoor sports centre, weights room and performing arts spaces complement the green expanse of the ovals, giving the boys a great place to engage in all those activities that they love doing, from playing touch and cricket to swimming and shooting some hoops. The drama studios and music rooms allow our boarders to express themselves creatively, providing a different outlet for their energies.
Looking beyond the campus and the outstanding facilities we have, much can be said about the town of Toowoomba itself. As a regional city, the country values which our School creed personifies exist in the everyday interactions of our boarders with the wider community. Whether it is on a trip down to Grand Central or working alongside local tradesmen as part of a School-based apprenticeship, our boarders remain grounded and always give their best. As a hub for agribusiness, Toowoomba has attracted residents from all over regional Australia and the business interests of many of our boarding parents are entwined with those companies in Toowoomba. This results in connections across the city for our boarders and their families, which provides for an incredibly supportive community.
As the School that was built by the community, for the community, Toowoomba Grammar School is at the heart of Toowoomba. Our values mirror those of the city, and we are proud of the connections we have to regional Australia.
- Mr Nick Byron, Director of Boarding
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