“The School is aware of the need to help students and staff teach and develop coping strategies to ensure they flourish in all facets of their lives.”
Benefiting Students and Staff Alike
In 2024, the School re-established the Head of Pastoral Care position. The role will be pivotal in supporting all staff to foster a supportive and nurturing environment at Toowoomba Grammar School.
Integral to the role’s success is the parallel expansion of the Wellbeing and Character Development (WCD) program to yield multifaceted benefits for both staff and students. For staff, the Head of Pastoral Care provides guidance, support and resources, aiding in their efforts to address students’ emotional, social and behavioural needs. This support grows staff morale and job satisfaction, empowering them to perform their duties with confidence and compassion.
Simultaneously, students reap the rewards of a caring and inclusive atmosphere where their holistic development is prioritised as much as their academic needs. The Head of Pastoral Care facilitates belonging and security, encouraging positive relationships and enabling students to thrive academically and emotionally. By nurturing a culture of empathy and understanding, the Head of Pastoral Care creates an environment conducive to learning, personal growth and overall wellbeing for staff and students alike.
This year, we have commenced another phase of evolving the WCD program by utilising the Wellio platform. This platform is adaptable to the School’s needs and is based on well-informed research. It equips staff and students to progress through the stages of personal character development. Moreover, Wellio helps the School update the scope and sequence of lessons in response to relevant topics and live data.
Many guest speakers have been carefully selected to complement the WCD program. It is wonderful to be supported by so many professionals in the adolescent emotional research and wellbeing sector.
The core focus of our program units is relationships. Relationships that enhance trust and foster a sense of belonging are woven into the lessons. It is important for students to trust the staff so that they feel safe to contribute in and out of the classroom. This term has seen the Tomorrow Man service working with Year 10 and 12 students to develop their ability to have sincere and genuine conversations supported by their peers. Our Year 11s have continued their road safety awareness campaign after completing the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness program last year. They also heard presentations from the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland and Mrs Melissa McGuiness of YOU CHOOSE — Youth Road Safety. Later this term, the boys will hear from inspirational speakers such as Mr Lorin Nicholson, Mr Eric Bailey and the Character Builders team. All our guest speakers are selected to complement the WCD Program.
Latest Blog
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REACH - Character Development in the Junior School
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The Grass is Always Greener
It’s time we put this age-old rumour to rest once and for all… The Toowoomba Grammar School ovals are not painted, dyed or manufactured grass; rather, the glorious green that greets passers-by as they drive into the Garden City comes from the sheer hard work and dedication of our TGS grounds team, led by Danny Beresford. Danny has exceptional pride for his grounds and a strong family connection to TGS. He is an Old Boy (2002-04) who played for the 1st XV in 2004 and was in the Track and Field…
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Spielberg in the Making...
I first became aware of film making when my brother showed me the behind-the-scenes featurette on our Lord of the Rings DVD. From then on, the process intrigued me, and I eventually got my hands on my dad’s camera and simple editing software. I made a bunch of little movies with my friends which were all pretty bad but I loved doing them anyway. What I liked most was that it was an easy way to share stories and even when the movies were not good, it was still a way of telling stories in a…
The Best Job in the World
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Inclusive and Exclusive Banter and Behaviour
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