Weekly eNews
Ross Featherston
Headmaster, Brighton Grammar SchoolThis Saturday marks the 144th anniversary of Brighton Grammar’s founding by Dr Crowther at 163 New Street, Brighton.
We recognised the occasion this week with our Founder’s Day Chapel Service, attended by Old Boys of the Pendennis Chapter – 60 Years On and our longest standing staff members of 40 years or more. Prefects and House Captains also enthusiastically participated in the Beat the Buzzer quiz, demonstrating their knowledge of the School’s history.
This annual event honours our heritage and reminds us of the enduring legacy we each contribute to at BGS. Although the School in 1882 would look very different from BGS today, with simpler classrooms, limited resources and fewer students, the fundamental values remain unchanged.
Commitment to learning, respect for others, and a shared sense of belonging continue to shape our school, and the core purpose of nurturing young people remains just as vital today as it was at the time BGS was founded.
Finally, our Junior and Secondary School student leadership teams have started the term with great energy and purpose. The Class of 2026 has chosen Face the Fire as their Legacy Project, inspiring all students to approach this year with courage and intention and I look forward to seeing their progress.
Peter Tellefson
Deputy Headmaster, Head of Junior SchoolWe regularly make reference to the BGS Way, encouraging our boys to try their best, work hard, be kind and look after each other. A consistent message we give our boys is to give of your best to all learning experiences and opportunities and at no stage do we expect our boys to be the best.
As we settle into routines, establish friendships and adjust to the pace of life at Wilson House, it is also essential we remind the boys to be kind and look after each other. We will provide many varied learning opportunities and experiences for the boys and continue to encourage them to have a go. In the first few weeks of school, teachers place an emphasis on developing social, emotional and organisational skills and assisting boys into the routine of the school year.
I am most appreciative to those parents who have made the commitment to support the JPG directly by assisting as Year Level Representatives. This is not an onerous task; the main role of a Year Level Representative is to assist the JPG with the organisation of functions throughout the year and to seek support from parents at various year levels.
Support is still required from ELC3 and Year 5. The Junior School, Staff and JPG need your support, the greater parent involvement we have the richer the school experience is for your son.
Wilson House Happenings & Reminders
- Our Year 4 – 6 Parent Information Evening was most successful last Thursday, and I thank all parents from Prep to Year 6 and classroom teachers for their commitment to our Parent Teacher Interviews on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Our final Parent Information Evening for our ELC parents will be held 26 February from 7.00pm. It is important we continue to build strong and open relationships between School and home.
- I encourage parents to attend the various Crowther Centre presentations, available both in person and online. This term, there is an Early Years Literacy – Learning to Read presentation for Prep – Year 2 parents on Wednesday 18 February at 9.00am in the GBR Hall. A short Harmony Project webinar for our Year 3-6 parents will be held on Wednesday 4 March at 7.00pm. The webinar will share research on the effects of social media, gaming and screen use on children, and provide practical strategies for parents. Please save the date, further details will be provided on the BGS app.
- A number of activities and clubs for the boys are available throughout the week. This provides the students with opportunities to socialise with others, share their talents or find a quiet space to read and play. Please see the details of the Lunchtime clubs here.
Liz Dendrinos
Director of the Early Learning CentreWhat a delight it was to watch the boys this week enter their Early Learning environment with more confidence and eagerness to see their new friends. Our teachers have worked very hard at settling the boys into their classrooms and supporting them to build connections with each other. Games, books, mindfulness and a variety of engaging activities have all contributed towards the wellbeing of the boys.
The outdoor space has also played a pivotal role in keeping our boys active and engaged. It is integral in our ELC programs, and we love coming up with new ways to get the boys moving and physically challenged. As adults we plan our own level of activity such as organised sport or going for a walk; however, physical activity for our young boys means a focus on movement and active play. It also becomes a circuit breaker for the boys who may be struggling emotionally and need a short reset, so that they can tackle the busy day ahead with more confidence.
A friendly reminder Parent Teacher Interviews will be held in the Junior School Prep and Year 1 classrooms, next Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 February.
Early Years Literacy Parent Workshop
Supporting your child to read
Learning to read is one of the most important things your son will learn at school. It is also one of the most complex. Reading is a multifaceted skill, gradually acquired over years of instruction and practice. It requires two overarching abilities – correctly identifying words (decoding) and understanding their meaning (comprehension). An extensive body of research on reading instruction shows that there are five essential skills for reading:
- Phonemic Awareness: The ability to identify and manipulate the distinct individual sounds in spoken words
- Phonics: The ability to decode words using knowledge of letter-sound relationships
- Fluency: Reading with accuracy, speed and expression.
- Vocabulary: Knowing the meaning of a wide variety of words and the structure of written language
- Comprehension: Understanding the meaning and intent of the text
At BGS, we provide a high-quality literacy program that includes all five components. We place an emphasis in Prep to Year 2 on phonemic awareness and phonics in order to build foundational word reading skills. Our explicit, systematic phonics approach teaches boys how to “crack the code”. They learn that words are made up of sounds which are represented by written symbols and that there are rules which help us to read or write words correctly.
If you would like to find out more about how children learn to read and how you can support your son in his reading journey at BGS, Zoe Picton, Literacy Leader, will be presenting an Early Years (P-2) Literacy Parent Workshop in the GBR Hall on Wednesday 18 February, 9.00-10.00am. Please click the link to book.
Kristen Molloy
Associate Head of the Crowther Centre, Literacy and Engagement
Parenting Tip
The three Ds every parent should know
As parents, we worry about our kids. It’s part of the job. But where is the line between a normal parenting concern and something more serious; something that requires additional help? There’s a simple framework that can guide you when you’re not sure whether it’s time to seek support or not. Psychology researchers call it the Three Ds.
Good news… this simple checklist doesn’t require a psychology degree. It’s a practical, simple-to-understand tool to help you notice when things might not be quite right—and when your child might need some extra support. Read more below.
Olivia Tims
Junior School Psychologist
JPG News
Year Level Representatives and Volunteers
The JPG are looking for Year Level Representatives. For Year Level Reps, it is preferable we have one volunteer from each class, but 2 – 4 people per Year Level is great. Representatives work as a team to co-ordinate social events within their year level and arrange volunteers for one event per year within their Year Level (i.e. organising 4 volunteers for end of term lunches or gift wrapping as required). Tasks are neither onerous nor time-consuming, and it is an opportunity to facilitate communication, connectedness and contribution within the school community.
Please email Junior Parents Group if you are interested in being involved, either representing your Year Level or any form of volunteering. The more the merrier.
Child Safety and Wellbeing policy updates
We have recently updated our suite of Child Safety and Wellbeing policies in line with regulatory standards and industry best practice. These are available on our website. If you have any questions, concerns or feedback, please email the risk and compliance team.
Please stay tuned for a Schoolbox update, where we will be making available a comprehensive list of Brighton Grammar School policies for parents and families. In the meantime, publicly accessible policies are available on our polices page.