“I’ll be there for you” was the theme of National Boarding Week. This statement is particularly relevant at Toowoomba Grammar School as the boarders, the dayboys and the staff, help each other in the good times and the bad. We see our school as a ‘boarding school’, not a ‘school with boarders’. We are proud to be one of the oldest and most highly regarded boys’ boarding schools in Australia, providing a home away from home for boys for almost 150 years.
TGS came from very humble beginnings. The Grammar Schools Act of 1860 proposed that any town raising 1000 pounds would have this matched by the Queensland Government and a Grammar school would be built. And so it was, in 1875 that the residents of Toowoomba banded together and raised that sum, and Toowoomba Grammar School was founded, by our community for our community.
The need for boarding is inextricably linked to geographical isolation and our sparsely distributed population. It was, and still is, simply not possible to offer a comprehensive education to all Australians living outside a metropolitan area. Furthermore, families identify boarding schools as providing opportunities to develop their son’s character through co-curricular experiences otherwise unavailable due to their geographic location. For many remote and rural families, boarding school is a necessity for their children. Toowoomba Grammar School understands the significance of this, and how important it is for a family to choose the school that is the ‘right fit’ for their child.
Our School has provided opportunity and support for its boarding students from its very beginning. Our boarders come from all over Australia, Papua New Guinea, Europe and Asia. Some are thousands of kilometres, or days, away from home.
Of the 1211 students currently enrolled at TGS from Prep to Year 12, there are 280 boarders. This is just under a quarter of our student population and according to data from the Australian Boarding Schools Association, that makes us one of the largest boarding schools. We have a market share of 8.5% of all boys enrolled in boarding, in Queensland, and 2.6% of all boys in Australia. These statistics certainly justify the claim that TGS is a leading boys’ boarding school.
On average a boarder will sleep in his dorm for 252 nights. This is roughly 70% of the year.
The TGS dining hall staff will prepare and serve approximately 300,000 meals over the course of all four terms. Of these meals, the sausage rolls at morning tea are a favourite and are on the menu approximately once every two weeks. This means there are 5,400 sausage rolls consumed in the year.
Growing boys need milk. Every second day there are 180 two litre bottles of milk delivered. That is 45,360 litres of milk consumed by TGS boarders every year.
Each day, the TGS laundry averages 1,600kg of washing. That’s 280,000 kg of washing for the school year.
Our boarders have the opportunity to participate in a plethora of co-curricular programs, from mountain biking and show cattle teams, to sport, performing arts and cadets. Weekend activities range from trips to the beach to movie nights.
Angus ‘Frank’ Cory, a Year 12 Stephens House boarder at Toowoomba Grammar School recently shared the impact that boarding has had on his life:
“The weeklong theme for 2022 National Boarding Week was “I’ll be there for you” which is a perfect representation of our community here at TGS. The theme for me symbolises the value of mateship in a tight-knit environment like boarding and the importance of comradery when times get tough. Boarders come from far and wide, with different backgrounds and interests but it is this community here, in boarding that draws us all together and creates a sense of belonging no-matter who you are.
TGS is "my home away from home" and as much as this phrase is joked about, it applies heavily to the last six years of my life. Without boarding I would not be the same person I am today. It has taught me tolerance, time-management, patience but most of all the art of just being a good man.
Constantly being with my mates for the majority of each year has brought me lifelong memories and friends. I would never have learned the independence of planning your time and washing your own clothes, or how to handle the problems I’ve faced along the way. Boarding has given me a massive sense of gratitude to my parents for making the sacrifice to have me here for so long and this ties into the “I’ll be there for you” theme.
“I’ll be there for you” stretches further than just the deep mateship we have created between our cohorts in our boarding culture. Especially recently, the Health Centre staff has “been there for us”, and I believe they are one of the most influential parts of the boarding experience. Whether you are ill, or just feeling down, each and everyone of them are “there for you”, and this is such a special part about boarding at TGS.
I would just like to say to all our boarders, ‘be there’ for each other, continue to form mateships, be thankful for the sacrifices the people in your lives have made and make the most of the time we have left together on this journey.”
Honesty, gratitude and integrity are qualities that characterise TGS boarders through all that they do in the classroom, on the stage, on the sporting field, in the community.
Our amazing staff, coaches, tutors and support staff are dedicated to the wellbeing of every single boy and to see them develop their good character. And the message is clear at TGS – “I’ll be there for you.”
Mr Nick Byron
Director of Boarding
Latest Blog
Making a Positive Impact with Homework Assistance
The Anglicare Homework Assistance Program (HAP), run in conjunction with Darling Heights State School, sees many of our boys volunteer their time on Wednesdays after class to help many young refugee and primary school students facing challenging times with their homework, or to chat and play games. Our boys thoroughly enjoy meeting, supporting and learning about the lives of the younger children. This forges community connections and fosters inclusion for the Darling Heights students; it also…
Fresh Faces Guide - TGS Sportsmen into the Fray
With their dedication to excellence and player development, TGS athletes are in good hands as they navigate the challenges and triumphs of competitive sports.
Honouring Tradition, Preparing for the Future
They will invariably be inspired by effective teaching and the satisfaction of personal achievement will always be motivating. At Toowoomba Grammar School, the power of high-quality instructional practices has resulted in the development of a strong academic culture that has endured for nearly 150 years. Preserving core principles provides stability and continuity. However, we must be open to continuously adapting our methods so that our students are well-prepared for the ever-changing world…
We See You - Mitchell Wilkes
That was the heart-wrenching diagnosis for Year 10 student, Mitchell Wilkes, right on Christmas in 2021. Mitchell’s mum noticed he wasn’t reading properly and had a gut feeling that there was something wrong with his eyesight. A trip to the optometrist revealed a thinning in the retina, and further tests showed that Mitchell had a genetic condition called Stargardt Disease, a juvenile macular degeneration illness that results in slow central vision loss.
Correcting our School's official record commemorating World War I and World War II
On the eve of our 150th year, we're calling on the School's alumni, parents, past parents and greater community to aid us in correcting the record of our involvement in two watershed geopolitical events of the 20th century. For the last four years Toowoomba Grammar School Museum Volunteers, Mrs Ann Hallam and Mrs Sue Palmer, have been updating the School records on Old Boys, staff and Trustees for the World War I and World War II theatres of war. Over the years several staff and volunteers have…
A Pioneering Woman of TGS
My late husband was a teacher, and our four children are all teachers, which we encouraged them to do because it is the best job in the world. It’s hard to believe I’ve been here for 36 years, working under four Headmasters: Mr Bill Dent, Mr Hugh Rose, Mr Peter Hauser and now Dr John Kinniburgh. I still drive into the School each day and smile, looking at the beautiful place it is — magnificent ovals, gracious trees and historically significant buildings. It is difficult to express the…
NZ Rugby Tour success, more than winning matches across the Ditch
The teams were undefeated and it was a trip the players will never forget. This tour was years in the making and heralds a new era of touring and hosting different rugby schools to give our players opportunities for growth as athletes and as people. Head of Sport - Rugby, Mr Lincoln Clapham, explained they selected 46 students to take part in the ten-day tour and began training last year. From Term 1 onwards, the squad trained twice weekly on the oval plus two and sometimes three gym sessions…
Aussie Teen Reading Habits Revealed
I was recently sent an article, summarising some research from Deakin University around the reading habits of teens in 2024. Some of it was, as the title suggests, surprising. Some was not. However, all of it was built around the importance of reading, and supporting our teens to read, which is something that every one of us should do. While we tend to see our teens as digital natives, recent research from Deakin University suggests that the average Aussie teen reader would rather flick through…
Now More Than Ever
The one-of-a-kind Indigenous artwork is emblazoned across the shirts for the First IV Tennis team, jerseys for the First XI Football team and First XV Rugby team and First V Basketball team's singlets. National Reconciliation Week is a significant date on the calendar for all Australians, running from Monday, 27 May to Monday, 3 June. The incorporation of this Indigenous design in our uniforms is a significant milestone for our School, especially for our 47 Aboriginal and Torres Strait…
