Making a decision about our children’s education can be difficult; especially when there are so many options available. Once upon a time parents simply sent their children to the school that was a walkable distance from home. Much research has evolved since the early 1900s about what is best for our children to foster a love of learning and feel confident and safe in the classroom. Here at Toowoomba Grammar School, we take this very seriously. Pastoral care comes before anything else; we see the most academic growth when a child feels safe and engaged in the school environment.
Our Early Years classrooms cater for a variety of different learning styles, and we treat each child as an individual. Our class sizes allow staff to spend time one on one with the boys and engage with them to assist in developing a curriculum that suits their needs. Along with appropriate programs we offer a range of seating options; from rocking chairs, to stools, to tables that allow for standing or sitting on the floor.
During the school day boys are offered many opportunities to run and play free from constraints of the classroom. Our days are planned to incorporate a “brain break” each hour. In the morning, the boys have what we refer to as “Munch and Crunch” because we recognise that a 6:00/7:00am breakfast time means 10:30am morning tea is a long way away for a growing boy who is trying to learn new skills. They are also given the option of running “2 laps” – a course used by all boys in the Junior School, or to participate in fun, physical activities such as skipping. These brain breaks provide the boys with a chance to burn off pent-up energy from sitting after an hour of learning and they then engage better in their academics.
We teach the boys that providing our brains with fuel is as important as putting fuel in the car. To ensure the Prep and Year 1 boys are fuelling their bodies efficiently they are provided an area to sit away from the older boys to eat their lunch with an adult supervising and assisting them with opening their lunches. All boys across the School are provided with 15 minutes to eat and socialise with their friends before playing. Once playing, the boys are offered a range of options from playing on our glorious TGS ovals to their very own sandpit with diggers, spades and buckets and a creek for water play. All these options provide the boys with opportunities to develop their gross motor skills.
Our REACH program builds the character in our boys to become fine young men. Some of the skills they learn in this program are how to celebrate their success in a way that shows they are proud but not being disrespectful to others, how to be active listeners, when it is time to be loud and time to be quiet, demonstrating appropriate manners to our teachers and our friends. These attributes are rewarded and exemplified in many ways throughout the week. Starting in Prep means these behaviours are developed over many years and supported throughout their entire journey at TGS. The boys have role models in the older students and their male and female teachers.
Whilst our School recognises the benefits of single-sex education, we also believe in the need for the boys to socialise with girls on a regular basis. Many of our boys have sisters, however, we provide opportunities throughout the year for our boys to mix with the girls from other single-sex girls’ schools. In Prep and Year 1 the boys participate in picnics and sport days, when they get older the days take on more of a curriculum focus where they can share ideas and learning with the girls. During this time boys and girls are mixed to have an even ratio of boys to girls in small groups to encourage conversations and to work on the skills we have developed in our character development program.
Setting up the foundations for your son in the early years fosters many different elements of learning. We take the development of our young men very seriously. Our objective is to work with parents to ensure the boys grow up to be men of good character who make the most of their strengths and are respectful members of society.
Discover more about the TGS Junior School here https://bit.ly/3Af2Wjz
Jess Galbraith
Prep-3 Coordinator
Year 1 Teacher
Latest Blog
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…
The Learning Pit
Learning is at our core and covers all subject disciplines, co-curricular pursuits, personal development and interest areas. Helping our Toowoomba Grammar School boys view learning as a disposition that goes well beyond the classroom context is incredibly important. Learning has a life-long value in all we do. We also acknowledge that learning can be challenging at times, and it can be uncomfortable, but also wonderfully inspiring and fulfilling. Appreciating the full range of feelings and…
Leap Before You Look
The boarding journey offers students a plethora of opportunities to step outside of their comfort zone and take advantage of new environments, relationships, and opportunities during their time at Toowoomba Grammar School. We often talk about “character education” – a theory that originated in the US and has been increasingly embraced by leading schools globally. It is encouraging all students to develop new approaches to their learning, including aspects of morals and ethics, thinking,…
Literacy at TGS: A research-informed approach
A recent Grattan Institute report has shared that one-third of Australian students are failing to learn to read proficiently, referring to the situation as a ‘preventable tragedy’. In addition, the report identifies evidence-based approaches utilising structured literacy programs with phonics and explicit instruction as the most effective methods of teaching literacy. At Toowoomba Grammar School, we implement a structured synthetic phonics approach to teaching spelling and reading that…
Past Mothers, Present Supporters
Any Old Boy will tell you the Blue and Gold is part of their blood. They love the history, the traditions, the memories, and the lifelong friends they made during their time at Toowoomba Grammar School. Well, it seems the same can be said for many TGS mums. The Past Mothers’ Group was formed in 1979 by Mrs Mary Campbell who contacted as many past mothers as she could and invited them to meet at her home where the Past Mothers’ Group was officially formed with the intention of retaining links…
