Weekly eNews

Thursday 15 October 2026

As we prepare to farewell the Class of 2026, it is natural to reflect on effort and subsequent achievement. The boys have worked hard over many years to reach this point, and they should take great pride in all they have accomplished.

While academic success remains an important goal, evidence increasingly tells us that student wellbeing and academic performance are not competing priorities. Research continues to show that students who feel connected to their school are more engaged in learning, experience higher levels of wellbeing and are better equipped to navigate challenges. This applies to ELC and Junior School students as well.

As our Year 12 students begin their study leave to prepare for exams, it is worth remembering that success is supported by healthy habits. Our Crowther Centre produces a range of resources that highlight the importance of adequate sleep, regular exercise, meaningful social connection and structured routines in promoting both wellbeing and academic performance. Sleep, in particular, supports concentration, memory and emotional regulation, yet many students underestimate its importance during periods of intense study.

Parents also play a vital role. Young people benefit enormously from knowing that they are valued not simply for their results, but for their character, effort and contribution to others. The conversations around the dinner table, the encouragement offered during moments of uncertainty and the reassurance that wellbeing comes before any mark or ranking remain profoundly important.

The Class of 2026 has demonstrated that they are capable, compassionate and connected young men and I wish them well as they begin their Valedictory celebrations tomorrow.

This week marks the end of academic classes for our Year 12 students, as they now prepare for Valedictory celebrations and a period of continued study and examinations.

Tomorrow, Year 12s will mark Valedictory Day 1, spending the morning in their Houses honouring one another, reflecting on memorable moments and writing letters to next year’s Year 7s.

This will be followed on Monday with the more formal Valedictory Day 2 where Year 12s, alongside their parents, take part in Beating the Bounds; taking a walk down memory lane and visiting all corners of Brighton Grammar. The day concludes with a formal dinner with Year 12 students and their parents at the MCC Dining Room.

At yesterday’s assembly, the long-awaited House Cup results were revealed. A huge congratulations to Melville House for taking out the win, with Rofe House close behind in second, and Fairweather House in third.

This year’s competition was strong throughout the year, with all Houses showing outstanding commitment and spirit across academic, sporting, cultural and community events. We also celebrated students who received Academic Colours, recognising their hard work, commitment and pursuit of excellence throughout the year.

Meliora Sequamur.

Happenings & Reminders

• Thursday 15 October, 4.30pm – Piano Soiree, Ickeringill Centre
• Friday 16 October – Year 12 Valedictory Day 1
• Monday 19 October – Year 12 Valedictory Day 2
• Thursday 22 October, 7.00pm – Year 9-11 play Frankenstein, Rosstrevor Hall
• Monday 2 November – Mid-term break
• Tuesday 3 November – Melbourne Cup public holiday

STEM Racing World Finals

Brighton Grammar’s Ad Astra team has achieved an outstanding result at the 2026 Aramco STEM Racing World Finals in Singapore, finishing seventh in the world and as the highest-ranked Australian team. The result marks BGS’s fourth consecutive World Finals appearance and continues the School’s impressive success on the international STEM Racing stage.

Read more about Ad Astra’s World Finals campaign and achievements here.

Mat Steed
Head of STEM Racing

PNG Martyrs Gift Fundraiser

Following a short informative video presentation and a personal appeal by Service and Environment Prefect Emit at assembly, we proudly report that our school community raised over $4,000 for the Martyrs Gift in aid of adult literacy programs in Papua New Guinea.

This was in honour of the martyrs who died working to support the indigenous people during the Japanese invasion of PNG in World War 2, yet also in honour of a BGS connection that stretches back to the 1960s, when BGS boys first visited PNG to work on projects benefitting Martyrs School.

Focused on our St Andrew’s end House Athletics event in Term 3, Year 9 to 12 students baked and brought baked goods and confectionary to sell at stalls, along with soft drinks and cooked bacon rolls and sausages. This year there was a return of a food stall, after a few years absence, as international parents and students raised money selling their cultural delicacies (including quail eggs, spring rolls and dumplings), which sold very well.

The success of this event was made possible by the many students, teachers and parents who volunteered to staff the stalls and contributed in one way or another. Thank you all for your generosity and support.

Mark Sainsbery
Head of Crowther House

India Expedition

A group of Year 9 and 10 students travelled to India over the September holidays for an unforgettable and immersive experience, trekking through the Indian Himalayas as well as exploring New Delhi, McLeod Ganj, and Agra.  

Our adventure began as we explored the monuments and streets of New Delhi, before travelling north by an overnight train towards landscapes of mountains, rivers and trees. We stopped in at McLeod Ganj and experienced the Tibetan culture, markets and Buddhist monasteries, before heading toward Kareri Lake.

Throughout the trek we were immersed in the nature and animals of the Himalayas and met many incredible people along the way. Read full report from Augie, Year 10.

Chess Finals

BGS was proud to host the 2026 Victorian Secondary Schools Chess Finals on Monday, organised and officiated by Chess Victoria. Approximately 250 students and staff from schools across Victoria attended, providing a wonderful opportunity for the school chess community to connect with one another and enjoy a day of competition.

BGS was represented by two teams of five students, led by Chess Captain Kevin Z (Year 11). Although we finished outside the podium places, our boys represented the School well against strong opposition. Congratulations to Haileybury, who claimed first place and will represent Victoria at the National Championships.

With players spanning Years 7–11, including three Year 7 students, our teams reflect the promising future of chess at BGS. The experience gained at this level will be valuable as our younger players continue to develop. Hosting the finals was a fitting celebration of the continued growth of chess at BGS.

Ashhad Ibrahim
Head of Chess

Creative Arts Showcase Opening Event

Geography Field Trip 

On Monday, the Unit 2 Geography class visited Melbourne Zoo to investigate whether the Zoo’s conservation efforts influence visitor behaviour. For example, at the orangutan enclosure, do visitors send an email to a government minister advocating for improved labelling of products containing palm oil – a key driver of deforestation and the loss of orangutan habitat – or do they simply view the orangutans?

Students heard from a Melbourne Zoo Education Officer and were able to observe and collect data at various enclosures. These findings will help to answer each student’s hypothesis in a report but most excitedly have real-world application as the data collected informs the zoo on how they could improve their conservation efforts.

Christian Machar
Head of Geography

Year 12 Keynote Speeches

As our Year 12 Prefects prepare to finish their time at BGS, we thank them for their leadership and contribution to our School community. We invite you to revisit their Prefect Keynote speeches and the insights, experiences and advice they shared with our students throughout the year.

Five Years On

The OBGS was delighted to welcome the Class of 2021 back to school for their five-year reunion last Friday night. After the disruption of lockdowns during their final two years at BGS, it was especially meaningful to bring the cohort together again and see such a strong turnout.

We loved hearing where life has taken them since Year 12, from study and work to travel and new experiences. As they find their feet and explore what comes next, the OBGS is proud to support them through the many programs we offer. We look forward to doing the same for the Class of 2026 as they begin their journey beyond the school gates, knowing they will always be part of the OBGS community.

Meliora Sequamur

Kate Speirs
Alumni and Community Manager

Street Crossings & Road Safety

A reminder to parents and students that students must use the designated crossings when crossing the streets outside our school, particularly (but not limited to) the Urwin Centre.

Crossings available include:
(a) crossing on Allee Street
(b) crossing on Outer Crescent
(c) crossing on St Andrews Street
(d) traffic lights on New Street

The safety of our students is paramount, and we thank you for your co-operation.

From the Archive

Exam season is upon us, the time when students have the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned over the previous years.

Recently we have cleaned and treated some 100-year-old cash books in the School Archive. One book in particular stands out, not just for the immaculate rows of neatly penned entries, but for the number of old examination papers tipped in or nestled between pages. The book had prudently been repurposed after its life as a cash book to a repository for examination records.

Good luck to all the students sitting exams over the next few weeks. I wonder where copies of their examination papers will appear 100 years from now?

From Reverend Waterhouse

At our final Secondary School Assembly this week, after the announcement of our House Cup winner (well done, Melville!), I made the point that socially, sporting-wise, we are in the midst of what always feels like a strange season, in between the end of the AFL season and the beginning of the Cricket season.

While there are admittedly test matches being played in South Africa involving the Australian squad, the time zone difference and the relatively small crowd at the ground makes it difficult to feel truly engaged in the contests.

In a similar manner, our Year 12 students are now undertaking a unique season, where they stand in between the time of regular lessons concluding and VCE examinations commencing. This season, of course, anticipates the later time of examinations concluding and life after school commencing.

While new seasons are exciting, they can also be disorientating or unnerving, as we find ourselves stepping out of our comfort zones, often into unfamiliar territory.

A great encouragement is to be found in the Jewish Old Testament book of Daniel, where the prophet exclaims: ‘Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever. He changes times and seasons. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.’ [2:20-21].

I’m reminded of the sense of stability found in our Oak, in the middle of the Quad. It is firm and secure, despite the changing seasons around it.

Ultimately, it is our prayer that the boys come to trust in the permanency of Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today and forever [c.f. Hebrews 13:8].  

Diary Dates

• Thursday 15 October, 4.30pm Piano Soiree in the Ickeringill Centre
• Thursday 22 October, 7.00pm Year 9-11 Play, Frankenstein, at Rosstrevor Hall
• Monday 2 November Mid-term break