I am excited to be joining the staff here at Toowoomba Grammar School in the role of Head of Curriculum. I grew up in a small coastal town in NSW and attended the University of Sydney to complete my undergraduate degree. Please don’t hold my NSW origin against me (Go Blues!). Teaching, and education, has always been a passion of mine and ever since I was in high school, the plan was to be a teacher. I graduated from the University of Sydney with a double degree in Education and Arts, majoring in both English and History. Since then, I have also completed a Master of Education at the University of New South Wales. I started my career in a comprehensive state high school in Sydney and I have worked in a variety of contexts across my teaching career. In addition, I have fulfilled a variety of roles, focusing on both wellbeing and pastoral care, as well as classroom and curriculum leadership. As a result of these different roles, I have developed a holistic approach to education, believing that educators should develop the whole person. In 2020, I moved from Sydney to Toowoomba with my wife, Stephanie, and we fell in love with the region. We now live on five acres on the outskirts of town with our horses, cats and dogs.
I am incredibly excited to be at Queensland’s leading regional day and boarding school for boys from Prep to Year 12. For generations, TGS has been educating boys and this sense of history and tradition was something that drew me to the School. A boys’ only education allows for not only a focus on academic success, but also to facilitate the growth of boys into young men of strong character and integrity. This is a core focus of TGS that I am keen to contribute to. A holistic approach to education, focusing on academic rigour, as well as character development and wellbeing, is central to educating boys to allow them to flourish individually and contribute to society.
My role as the Head of Curriculum is to facilitate the smooth functioning of our education program in the Senior School. Central to this is ensuring that our curriculum maintains the highest standards of academic rigour, building upon our excellent academic results in previous years, while also ensuring that strong character and wellbeing development is embedded into all facets of our curriculum. In addition, my role is to be a point of contact for all boys and their families as they move through their QCE years, so I look forward to establishing quality connections and working with families to ensure success. One of the focuses here at TGS is explicit instruction. This approach to teaching and learning involves expert teachers modelling to students the learning being delivered and allowing boys the opportunity to consolidate their understanding through practice and high-quality feedback. I am excited to develop and embed this approach to learning in all our teaching programs and continue to build upon the excellent academic results for our boys.
TGS is committed to building deep connections and offering extensive opportunities for our students, and this is something that I am eager be involved with and contribute to. I hope to be able to ensure a rigorous curriculum that focuses on the whole person, while also building upon the incredible opportunities for our boys to access. As the school year begins, I look forward to meeting all our families and working together to ensure the success of all students.
Latest Blog
It's a numbers game, making mathematics mainstream
Term 2 has been a busy one in the Mathematics department; from multiple year levels having extended assessment tasks to competitions run inside and outside the School. Using mathematical equations to recreate artwork The Year 11 Mathematical Methods students got a chance to be very creative with their assessment - using numbers to reproduce artwork. The boys visited the 2024 Grammar Art Show in Term 1 and were given the task to reproduce a chosen work using their knowledge of mathematical…
Bucolic beginnings, boarding and becoming a bowel surgeon
Coming from a cattle property near Injune I was in awe of the School’s ovals with lush, green grass and immaculate facilities. I found being able to throw yourself around and not risk skin cuts and grazes quite novel. Sharing the same field where many Old Boys and past heroes trotted was inspirational. I found the comradery among the boarders my most overwhelming memory. It was like having 60 brothers with similar interests all living under the same roof. There was always someone around to kick…
Our Other Mother
Meet Ms Janelle Fletcher, the House Mum of Corfe, whose journey at TGS began back in 1992 as an instrumental music teacher. Her story is one of deep connections, love for the arts and an unshakeable bond with the students of TGS. From the time that Janelle first stepped onto campus and shared her musical talents with young minds to now creating her own “mum moments” in Corfe — she has nurtured a profound sense of community and established connections that have lasted through generations. Her…
Fostering a creative generation and getting exhibited at GoMA
2023 Visual Arts student Ben Rosenberg (TGS 2019-2023) had his film “Mitchell” selected and it's now on display as part of the 2024 Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art at GoMA. For 30 years the Awards have recognised and promoted excellence in senior visual art education throughout Queensland schools. Secondary schools typically enter the work of up to four Senior students. Previous winners from TGS include Sam McCosker (2013) and Austin Reed (2017). Ben is a filmmaker and…
In memory of Light Horse Field Ambulances
Toowoomba Grammar School would like to acknowledge our admiration for the loyalty, service and bravery exhibited by TGS Old Boys who so valiantly served. We are all the beneficiaries of their sacrifice, and their selfless actions continue to inspire a spirit of service amongst our current students. Today we focus on the contribution of one TGS Old Boy who made a significant contribution to World War I. Here is some of the incredible story of Major Avery, DSO and if you visit the School Museum…
New Caledonia, new horizons and travel through an educational lens
The opportunity to travel not only opens doors to new experiences but also fosters an increased intercultural understanding and empathy, both essential qualities for navigating and existing within our diverse world. For a group of language students travelling to New Caledonia, our recent French Language and Cultural Tour was a unique opportunity for such experiential learning, where language acquisition went beyond just learning vocabulary and grammar - and instead became a gateway to connect…
Erik Sheppard - making TGS Army Cadet Unit history
The 2024 Dining in Night was made even more special with the appointment of the first Toowoomba Grammar School Army Cadet Unit (TGS ACU) Regimental Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1) Erik Sheppard who was awarded his rank and pace stick by the 16th Battalion Commanding officer MAJ (AAC) Gary MacLachlan. WO1 Sheppard enlisted in the TGS ACU just before the COVID shutdown in 2020. Although this was not the ideal way to begin a cadet career, he was able to adapt and overcome the virtual…
The Big Six Reading Tips
Unlocking Literacy - The Big Six Elements for Your Child’s Reading Success Literacy skills are a core component of each day for our students, and parents often ask how they can support this from home. I am delighted to share with our parent community the essential components that underpin successful reading development. These elements, known as the Big Six, provide a solid foundation for your son’s literacy journey. These critical building blocks include: Oral Language: Communication skills are…
Boarding - Building Men of Good Character
Over the past five years, we have found one of the most valuable lessons that boarding can teach teenage boys is the ability to self-navigate and overcome challenges. Entering a boarding house is the first time many boarders have stepped away from the comfort and security of their parents and guardians. Although this can be a daunting experience, one of the things that this unfamiliarity creates is the ability to organise yourself. With a larger workload than previous years, a greater number…
