Weekly eNews

Junior SchoolSecondary SchoolCrowther Centre

Ross Featherston

Headmaster, Brighton Grammar School

From ELC-VCE, we place a strong emphasis on literacy as a foundation for learning and life, and indeed as part of our +M model with reference to being connected. For our boys, this centres on three key areas: reading, writing and oracy.

While reading and writing are widely understood, oracy may be less familiar to some. It refers to the ability to express ideas clearly through speech, to listen with intent, and to engage thoughtfully in dialogue. It is a fundamental skill, and one we deliberately and consistently develop across the breadth of the curriculum – not only in English classrooms – but in every learning environment.

Research and broader commentary continue to highlight that boys, on average, can lag behind their female peers in aspects of communication and language development.

This makes our focus on oracy both purposeful and important. We are intentional in how we create explicit opportunities for boys to speak, question and articulate their thinking, while also embedding these skills more authentically through everyday interactions and experiences.

Done well, oracy supports not only academic growth, but also confidence, connection and the ability to engage meaningfully: skills that will serve our boys well beyond their time at school.

I encourage you to read further insights from Deputy Headmaster, Head of Crowther, Dr Ray Swann, in this week’s Crowther eNews, who expands on how oracy is developed in practice at BGS.

 

Simon Angus

Deputy Headmaster, Head of Secondary School

Yesterday, we held our Mother’s Day Chapel Service for Years 9–12 students and their mothers and special guests at St Andrew’s Church.

Special thanks to our guest speaker, Sally Yeung, mother of our School Captain Kenneth Yeung, for her touching speech and to everyone who assisted in the success of this event. 

Last night also marked the opening performance of the Year 10–12 production of Rock of Ages. I have heard it was an outstanding show, and I’m very much looking forward to attending this evening. Congratulations to all students involved for their energy, talent and commitment in bringing the production to life.

Lastly, good luck to our 1st Soccer, Rugby and Footy teams, who all remain undefeated after three rounds and will be playing at home this weekend. Kick-off times and locations are as follows:

  • Soccer: Mitchell Oval, 10.00am
  • Rugby: Wilsons Rec, 11.30am
  • Football: Crowther Oval, 2.00pm

Meliora Sequamur.

Happenings & Reminders

Beyond the Baseline

BGS Giving Day is Tuesday 26 May, and this year our goal is to raise $350,000 in support of our new Indoor Sport & Event Complex. This exciting development will be a space where students can push further and achieve more, and a home for more APS opportunities, community access and family conveniences.

Thanks to the generous support of one BGS family, all gifts will be doubled during the 18 hour Giving Day.   

Families can support us on the day through our giving page and help our boys go beyond their baseline.

Secondary students can also get involved by pre-ordering a Daniel’s Donut for lunchtime collection on Tuesday 26 May. If donuts aren’t to their taste, a Shoot for Hoops competition will be held on the Secondary School basketball courts during lunch. For $5 per 5 shots, Secondary students can test their skills with prizes awarded for 1st and 2nd place.

Eden Phillips
Head of Advancement

Semester 1 Concert: Chamber Music

On Tuesday evening, the Music Department presented its Semester 1 Chamber Music Concert — twelve ensembles performing across five centuries of repertoire, from Year 7 through to Year 11.

The Secondary Guitar Ensemble opened with energy and flair in Paul Svoboda’s A Rosa Vermulha, setting a confident tone for the evening. The Year 9 Wind Quintet followed with a polished account of Ibert’s Trois Pièces Brèves, while the Flute Ensemble brought lightness and precision to Haydn’s Allegretto from Divertimento. The Clarinet Choir performed Schumann’s The Happy Farmer with great charm, and the Year 9 Brass Quartet brought real character to Palestrina’s Three Chants.

The string ensembles were equally impressive. The Year 7 String Quartet delighted the audience with Hisaishi’s My Neighbour Totoro, and the Year 9 Piano Trio offered a beautiful rendition of Howl’s Moving Castle. The Year 11 String Quartet performed Mozart’s String Quartet No. 1 in G major K80 with maturity and poise, while the Year 8 and Year 10 Piano Quintets — performing Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers and Schumann’s Piano Quintet Op. 44 respectively — demonstrated the strength and depth of our piano programme.

The evening’s standout moment came from Cellobration — ten cellists performing Bach’s Goldberg Variation 22 Alla Breve with a depth and richness that was genuinely striking, and a testament to the growth of our cello programme.

The String Octet brought the night to a thrilling close with Mendelssohn’s String Octet in E♭ major Op. 20 — a work of extraordinary ambition that Mendelssohn wrote at just sixteen, and a fitting finale from eight of the school’s finest string players.

Harry Tsai
Head of Strings

Jam for James Day

In the lead-up to Food Allergy Awareness Week, the School will remember James Tsindos (OB 2021) to celebrate his life, legacy and love of music.

A special assembly and lunchtime jam session in the Tower Forecourt will be held in James’ honour on Wednesday 27 May, with a keynote address from Maria Said AM, Health Strategy and Advocacy Manager at Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia, who will speak about food allergy awareness and advocacy.

All Secondary School students can wear black and white casual clothes on this day for a gold coin donation.

James’ family, friends and peers return to BGS for this special day which has a casual clothes colour theme of black and white, symbolising James’ love of piano and music.

To support James’ legacy and this important cause, please consider making a donation.

Supporting Animals in Need

The Vocational Major Class are supporting the Australian Animal Protection Society this term. They will be delivering pet food donations to the charity on 28 May. Donations can be brought to school and placed in the collection points located in either the SS Quad or the Urwin Centre.

Year 8 Book Club

Reading is good for boys. Reading for pleasure, particularly fiction, is correlated with higher standardised test scores across all academic subjects, including maths (yes!). Reading builds vocabulary, which in turn improves comprehension.

We look forward to seeing parents and boys at our upcoming book club for some great laughs and conversations. Book in for our wonderful Year 8 parent and son book club on May 20.

Community Footy Day

Past and present community members are invited to the mighty Crowther Oval this Saturday for our inaugural Community Footy Day. Enjoy the free Dalziel Club BBQ, and while you’re there, have a complimentary coffee! Make sure you also spare a moment to view the recent instalment celebrating our seven APS Football Premierships that proudly hang from the Annandale balcony.

 

From the Archives

Since BGS opened its doors in 1882, students have engaged in debating. The early Grammarians include reports on debates between BGS students and between schools. While the topics may have changed over the years, the premise has not: Good oracy skills enable students to fluently articulate their ideas, express themselves, and engage with others. It helps them to make friends and build strong connections for life.

From Reverend Waterhouse

I wonder if you have ever considered what Jesus is doing today? As in, right this very moment. Sitting on a cloud? Randomly appearing at sacred sites?

Today in our Christian calendar is a significant, but perhaps underrated day: Ascension Day. Always observed forty days after Easter on a Thursday, Ascension Day commemorates the occasion when Jesus ascended to heaven, in order to take his rightful place on his throne at his Father’s right-hand side.

We can read about this historical event in the very last paragraph of Luke’s gospel, where we observe that, ‘While Jesus was blessing the disciples, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.’ [24:51-52].

Over the years, people have sometimes remarked to me that they would find it easier to believe in the Christian story if they were alive at the time of Jesus and could physically see him or hear him teach. Maybe, but that would also mean missing out on the blessings that Jesus’s ascension brings today; in particular, the giving of the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity), who dwells inside a believer to reassure, guide, sanctify, protect and enrich.

So what is Jesus doing now? He is ruling, gifting the Spirit to every man, woman and child from every race and nation who dares asks for the forgiveness of sins and the receiving of salvation.

This is a good day worth recalling!

Diary Dates

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