Weekly eNews
Ross Featherston
Headmaster, Brighton Grammar SchoolLeadership carries responsibility, and our Prefects and Junior School Officers reflect this through their everyday actions. They are role models who set the tone for our school, demonstrating our values of integrity, respect, passion and accountability in all they do.
This year, we made the deliberate decision to announce our 2026 Secondary School leadership group at the end of Term 3 to allow these students a handover period with our current leaders and prepare for the year ahead.
Our Prefects are furthering their leadership skills at a retreat this weekend to empower them with the confidence and vision to lead with integrity and purpose.
Leadership opportunities (both formal and informal) are available to boys across all year levels and in every area of school life, and I encourage students to put themselves forward for roles of service in 2026.
Whether supporting younger boys through our buddy and coaching programs or in the outdoors, helping organise events and activities in our libraries, or upholding the high standards of our school, this helps students of all ages develop lifelong skills such as communication, empathy and teamwork, and form a deep sense of pride and connection to their community.
Two of our signature programs also strengthen this sense of community: the Great South West Journey, from which our Year 9s return tomorrow, and First Horizon for our Year 10 boys and adult mentors, departing later this term.
Drawing on the +M principles of connection, authenticity and motivation, these experiences encourage self-reflection, collaboration and resilience – qualities that matter now and well into the future, and are particularly relevant as we mark International Men’s Day this week.
Finally, a reminder for all parents to please complete the SIT Parent survey to provide us with your valuable feedback.
Simon Angus
Deputy Headmaster, Head of Secondary SchoolThe exam period is well underway, with Year 10 and 11 exams continuing and Year 7 and 8 boys having commenced theirs today.
This period can be challenging, especially for younger students sitting their first set of formal exams. However, it’s important to remember that the focus is on practice and effort – not just the results.
After exams, Monday is a student-free day for marking and report writing, Tuesday is exam hand-back day, and Wednesday is Coaching Day. Promotions Classes begin Thursday 27 November, and all students are expected to attend for the full period.
Secondary School Presentation Evening will take place next Wednesday, 26 November. The event is fully booked, so we kindly ask that anyone unable to attend to please release their tickets for others.
A friendly reminder: all students are required to attend and seating has already been allocated for them, so please refrain from booking a ticket for your son. We look forward to celebrating the achievements of 2025 together.
Meliora Sequamur.
Happenings & Reminders
- Monday 24 November – Report Writing Day (student-free day)
- Tuesday 25 November – Exam Handback Day
- Wednesday 26 November – Coaching Day
- Wednesday 26 November – Secondary School Presentation Evening. Book tickets here.
- Monday 1 December, 7.00pm – Community Carols at St Andrew’s Church
- Tuesday 9 December – Term 4 concludes
- A reminder for all parents to please complete the SIT Parent survey to provide us with your valuable feedback.
Year 9 GSWJ
The Year 9 Great South West Journey has been an incredible adventure and is now nearing its conclusion. Year 9s have excelled, discovering new strengths, forming new bonds, and making new core memories.
The boys have faced challenges, and soon, on returning home, they will be able to enjoy a shared sense of achievement for a hard task that has been overcome.
Cross Country Success
The 2025 APS Cross Country season was one to remember for Brighton Grammar.
Year 8 student Ari Friedrich competed in the Open Age group for most of the season, regularly facing runners up to four years older than him. Read full report.
2026 School Leaders
Our 2026 Captain of School and Vice-Captains of School have been featured in the Herald-Sun alongside school leaders from across the state.
Have a read of what they had to say about leadership and their roles in 2026.
Rowing Update
Over the weekend our Year 10 and Year 11 rowers competed at the first regatta of the season, The Melbourne Head Regatta. The regatta is over 3.5km on the Yarra River, and all three Open boats competed exceptionally throughout the day.
The Third VIII competed well in a field of over 20 boats, ultimately finishing fourth. This is great representation of the hard work these boys have been putting in over the last few months.
The Second VIII competed in both their division and the U218+ division. The boys came away with a win in the school division and finished second in the U218+ division. An exceptional result for the boys.
The First VIII had a big day, racing in three different events, with some fantastic performances. The boys finished 4th in the school event, 2nd in the U218+ event, and then split up in two fours and raced the 3.5km course again in the medium boats. A big day for these boys with plenty of learning and some genuinely impressive racing.
We now turn our attention to Nagambie for our first 2000m regatta of the year, the APS Schools regatta.
Mitch Nelson
Director of Rowing
Look what’s in the Archive
Recently we received a donation of four medals awarded to Albert Armstrong Campbell Wilson (OB1923) for his athletic and boxing pursuits at Brighton Grammar School in 1922 and 1923. The medals had been looked after for over 100 years before being returned to the School.
One of the medals was for the Open Mile in 1923. We don’t know Wilson’s time, but we know he came 3rd in the race and was chasing down the then School record of 4:56.60 set by A. MacGlashan in 1912.
The Open Mile was replaced by the 1500m. The current School record for the 1500m was set by P. D. Grinsted in 1975 with a time of 3:54.6, which converts to an equivalent mile time of 4:11.7!
If you have anything to contribute to the School’s archive, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us here.
Tennis on the Duigan Centre Rooftop
The Jewel of Bayside Tennis Opens – 28 November
We are delighted to announce the official opening of the new rooftop tennis courts at the Duigan Centre, delivered in partnership with St Andrew’s Tennis Club, Brighton Grammar and Royal South Yarra Lawn Tennis Club.
These exceptional new courts mark a significant step forward for tennis in our community, offering year-round access and a spectacular new home for local players.
To mark the occasion, we invite community members who are interested in becoming Club members to join us for the official opening event on Friday 28 November at 6.30pm. Please RSVP here.
Membership of St Andrew’s Tennis Club is now open for players of all ages and abilities – sign up today and be among the first to play on these fabulous new courts. Membership forms will also be available at the opening.
A range of new coaching programs including personal coaching, squad coaching, beginner programs, cardio tennis, junior coaching, hot shots and pee wees as well as squad coaching will also be on offer. Come along and meet the new coaching team or email coaching@rsyltc.org.au for more details.
Important Update: Student Device Safety and Usage Policy
In line with the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, which restricts social media and YouTube access for children under 16 from 10 December 2025, the School is taking proactive steps to protect our students online.
From 10 December 2025, all BGS student laptops will remain child-safe and learning-ready at all times, extending our current school-hours restrictions to home use.
To support focus and wellbeing, gaming will no longer be permitted on school devices. This aligns with expert recommendations from Headspace and our commitment to a safe, productive learning environment.
From Reverend Waterhouse
Friday this week marks the highly-anticipated beginning of an international contest that defines Summer in Australia and continues a rivalry that has endured for almost 140 years: the Ashes.
The five Cricket tests, being held in Australia this year, provide a very agreeable reason to spend leisurely days in the school holidays on the couch with the television turned on, enjoying the drama that sport so often provides.
Unlike other sports which perhaps are shorter, more immediate with the results and quicker to herald a winner, Cricket is a game which requires both patience and endurance.
In many ways, it mimics the journey of life, with all its natural highs and lows, successes and struggles.
In the last book of the Christian Bible, the book of Revelation, the apostle John is encouraging new Christians who are working out their new faith in the midst of an often-hostile civil culture around them.
In chapter 13, John affirms that what is required is ‘patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.’ [vs.10].
Patient endurance and faithfulness. These are not exactly aspired-to qualities today, where we are so used to life being instantaneous, but they are precisely what is required if we are to navigate the life God wants us to lead in a difficult world.
As we approach the season of Advent, we will soon be reminded again that it is Jesus, God the Son, who promises to walk with us and lead us along the right path, demonstrating precisely what patience and endurance look like.