Weekly eNews
Ross Featherston
Headmaster, Brighton Grammar SchoolThis Saturday marks an important milestone for our community with the opening of our new Uniform Shop, a purpose‑built space for students and families located beside the Duigan Centre. Families are welcome to drop in from 8.00am to 12.00pm.
Operated by Noone, the shop will provide both new and second-hand uniforms. Opening times and further details are available on our website. The facility will also house our emerging Heritage Centre, an initiative that will showcase the stories, achievements and traditions that have shaped our school since its earliest days.
Our uniform has long represented a shared identity, with our crest on every boy’s blazer pocket. Placing elements of our history within this new space reinforces that connection between past and present for students and families and the wider community when they visit.
With our Junior School and Secondary School students completing their NAPLAN this week, I want to acknowledge the positive and focused approach our boys have demonstrated.
NAPLAN is just one of many ways we gain insight into learning progress, and we encourage students to see it as an opportunity to show what they know. My thanks to our staff for their steady guidance and to families for their support at home.
Peter Tellefson
Deputy Headmaster, Head of Junior SchoolOur Prep – Year 6 House Swimming Carnival was a great success, congratulations to all boys on their efforts. Our Year 6 boys provided excellent leadership, their House chants, war cries, colour, organisation and assistance they gave was impressive. Thank you to Aaron French for his organisation, to all staff for their assistance to ensure the carnival ran smoothly and to the many parents who supported their sons.
Congratulations to our Year 3 and Year 5 boys who are completing NAPLAN testing this week. For our Year 3 and Year 5 boys, there has certainly been no particular build-up that in turn creates stress or anxiety. The NAPLAN testing is a simple snapshot on a given day in comparison to what I would describe as an ongoing video, the ongoing video is of greater value over the course of the year. Fortunately, our boys are regularly provided with the opportunity to complete work under test conditions which provides them with experiences to complete the NAPLAN with confidence.
Wilson House Happenings & Reminders
- Best wishes to our Year 5 boys and staff who are participating in our Outdoor Education program next week. I look forward to spending time with the boys in the ‘wilds’ of the Briars.
- We welcome our Prep – Year 2 Father’s to our Father’s mornings on Wednesday 25 March (Prep), Thursday 26 March (Year 1) and Friday 27 March (Year 2). See the BGS app for further details.
- Join us for the opening of our brand-new Uniform Shop located next to the Duigan Centre on St Andrews Street. Saturday 14 March at 8.00am.
- 2027 Term Dates are now available.
- Read more about this week’s NAPLAN testing and what it means for our boys in Crowther eNews
Student Achievements
- Congratulations to the following Year 6 boys who will be appointed to leadership positions at tomorrow’s Assembly;
Music Captains
Wilson House String Orchestra – Eric Gong and Jack Moncrieff
Wilson House Concert Band – Joe Hall and Harry Jacka
Borwick House Choir – Noah Kemal and Oscar Xu
House Captains
Armstrong – Oliver Logan
Crowther – Harry Scotis
Dixon – Harry Biggin
Fairweather – Hamish Wilson
Hancock – Lawson Hollow
Melville – Hugo Kvid
Rofe – Alexander Griffiths
School – Harry Hassall
- Congratulations to School House who were awarded the House Spirit award and to Rofe House who were the overall House Champion.
Year 3 Swimming Champion – James Shumsky
Year 3 Encouragement Award – James West
Year 4 Swimming Champions – Nathan Yan & Arthur Wang
Year 4 Encouragement Award – Sebastian Hutchens
Year 5 Swimming Champion – Enzo Zhang
Year 5 Encouragement Award – Harvey Soo
Year 6 Swimming Champion – Leo Suszko
Year 6 Encouragement Award – Alexander Griffiths
- Congratulations to the following boys who have been selected to represent BGS at the Team Vic trials – Harry Scotis (AFL), Lawson Hollow (AFL & Cricket), Jake Sowerby (AFL & Basketball), James Forbes (Cricket), Hugo Kvid (Basketball), Nayer Soliman (Soccer) and Lachlan Grubb (Soccer). Best wishes to Leo Suszko who has been selected to compete at the Regional finals for Tennis.
Liz Dendrinos
Director of the Early Learning CentreIt was delightful to welcome the boys back after the long weekend on Tuesday. We were thrilled to hear about their adventures and the activities they enjoyed with their families.
Invicta is now fully operational, and under Mr Hayes’ guidance, the boys are already progressing towards improved physical health. The ELC3 boys have commenced these classes in the GBR Hall, concentrating on enhancing balance, coordination, and core muscle strength. This focus will aid in developing the skills necessary for the boys to confidently navigate the Invicta course when they transition there in Term 2.
The highlight of the week undoubtedly was the Pre-Preps’ visit to Firbank Grammar, while our ELC3 boys remained at Brighton Grammar to host the younger Firbank girls. Experiences like these enable the boys to engage with the broader community, fostering connections and nurturing healthy relationships with individuals outside their typical environment. It encouraged the boys to share resources and playground equipment, further practicing their social skills.
Next term, the ELC3 boys will visit the girls, while the Pre-Prep boys will host at Brighton Grammar.
Holi, the well-known Hindu festival recognised as the Festival of Colours, offered a wonderful opportunity for our ELC3 boys to engage in the making of rainbow rice.
The rice provided the boys with numerous hours of sensory enjoyment; it has been remarkable to witness the boys measuring, pouring, and sorting the rice into various containers. Sensory play is an important aspect of a child’s daily activities, as it allows the boys to utilise different senses and enhance their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, while also supporting their social and emotional well-being.
Our Harmony Day discussions and experiences have begun with each class focusing on celebrating the cultures within their group. All boys are invited to dress up in their own cultural background or a culture of interest on Thursday 19 March to help recognise the important message that everyone belongs.
Parenting Tip
Resilience is Relational
What if everything you thought you knew about resilience was… wrong? Or at least incomplete?
Resilience, to many, means when the going gets tough, the tough get going. If you’re resilient, you go solo with that individual grittiness, push through the pain, and get it done. It’s perseverance.
Perhaps this is true – sometimes. But experience and research point profoundly towards a different story: resilience is relational. Read Dr Justin Coulson’s information below on what this means,
Olivia Tims
Junior School Psychologist
Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge 2026
The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge is now open and Brighton Grammar Junior School is excited to be participating. The VPRC application offers a range of exciting features including:
- access to a library catalogue (including book images and blurbs)
- a modern user-friendly interface
- rewarding students with badges as challenge milestones are achieved
- the option for students to mark books as a favourite, give them a star rating or complete a book review.
The Challenge is open to all Victorian children from birth to Year 10 in recognition of the importance of reading for literacy development. It is not a competition, but a personal challenge for children to read a set number of books by 6 September 2026. Further details are available via the BGS app.
JPG News
JPG Easter Collection & Raffle
JPG Easter Raffle & Donations – Each boy is asked to contribute an Easter egg for the raffle. Other donations of any type of Easter items (bunnies, chickens, fluffy toys, baskets etc.) are most welcome. Donations can be left in the tubs provided in Junior School Reception and the ELC.
Raffle ticket sales are available from Thursday 19 March. Prep – Year 6 will be able to purchase from the playground before school or by placing tickets in an envelope in the box at Reception. A ticket collection box is also available in the ELC. Please see the BGS app for further details.
End of Term Lunch
The JPG will again be offering an end of term lunch for the ELC and Junior School boys on Thursday 2 April 2026. Lunch will include a burger, juice and treat. The cost is $10.00 (extra burger $4). Online ordering is available through Flexischools online ordering system. Orders must be placed by no later than Friday 27 March 2026 by 5.00pm – no late orders will be accepted. Please note that normal canteen ordering will not be available on this day.