Category: Wellbeing

Boys’ relationships with teachers are key to their education. When boys have good relationships with their teachers, they are more likely to feel positive about school, enjoy their years there and make the most of the opportunities available. Education researcher Professor John Hattie (2003) found that students personally account for 50% of the variance in […]

Last week, 35 Year 10 boys and their fathers/male mentors were at the inaugural BGS Year 10 ‘Making of Men’ camp with Arne Rubinstein. For a flavour of the four-day camp, which took place in the Byron Bay hinterland, click here. We asked some participants for their thoughts on the camp. Dr Ray Swann (teacher): […]

This piece by reporter Melissa Heagney appeared in the magazine on (DATE): Adolescent boys growing up in today’s world face many challenges. Stress from study, worries over friendships and concerns about their future can all take their toll. It’s something Brighton Grammar School’s Ray Swann knows well. As head of the senior, all-boys ELC–VCE school, […]

Throughout the year, all of the Middle School boys participate in PROSPER classes. The goal is to explore a range of themes that boys can employ to promote personal growth and wellbeing, and allow them to flourish. All of the concepts introduced are grounded in evidence-based research, so we know they can have impact for […]

Aussie Rules legend Wayne Schwass played 282 games at the elite level over more than 14 years. For more than 200 of those games and 10 years, he was suffering – silently – from depression and anxiety. He would find himself overcome by overwhelming sadness for no apparent reason, or crying in the car when […]

Friendships are a central part of our daily lives and I am always delighted to observe the connections that form as boys progress through the Middle School together. These associations may be the result of common interests or classes held together; sometimes one student introduces his friends and they hit it off, or friendships are […]

Last week, two reports were released that underline the importance and seriousness of mental health for young people today. Mission Australia and the Black Dog Institute released their Youth Survey (2012-2016) Report and the OECD released its 2015 PISA Report, which contains findings on wellbeing. The Mission Australia/Black Dog Institute report contains the most telling […]

Language teaching is as much about introducing students to different cultures as it is about learning the language itself. The more engaged students are with realistic and meaningful activities in the targeted language, the better they understand it. To give students an authentic and age-appropriate understanding of Chinese culture, we invited a professional martial arts […]

The buddy program (based on the Better Buddies program) is an integral part of the Junior School Student Wellbeing program, reinforcing the friendly and caring environment and culture that is inherent at BGS. In the program, older boys are paired with younger boys from ELC 3 to Year 6 (with the exception of the Year […]

ClarkeHopkinsClarke has designed a Wellbeing Centre to help young boys develop emotional intelligence and positive masculinity. In speaking to Ross Featherston, the headmaster of Brighton Grammar School, ADR discovers the role of design in promoting wellbeing in the school’s newly-opened Wellbeing Centre. The concept Funded through the generosity of donors, Brighton Grammar has officially opened […]