“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
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…
