Weekly eNews

Thursday 27 November 2025

In these final weeks of term, our staff are focused on providing meaningful feedback to all students and families, reflecting on each boy’s progress in 2025 and identifying clear next steps for 2026.

Self-reflection and critical thinking are key elements of our Effective Learner Model and coaching programs. Through our Parent Teacher Student discussions, exam handbacks, reports, and ongoing conversations with Homeroom Teachers and House Tutors, boys are encouraged to engage with feedback, reflect on their learning, and set purposeful goals. I encourage you to continue these conversations at home with your son(s), as they help reinforce the importance of taking ownership of their learning, recognising progress, and setting clear achievable goals for the year ahead.

In much the same way, I encourage parents to complete the brief School Improvement Tool Survey, which provides valuable insights into our strengths and highlights opportunities for growth. Your input plays an important role in helping us continually improve as a school.

Finally, this time of year marks a time of celebration. The Secondary School Presentation Evening last night was a fitting culmination of 2025, showcasing students’ achievements through music, dance video highlights, and the recognition of academic success. I look forward to the Junior School’s Presentation Evening tonight, another special opportunity to celebrate learning and growth.

Have a great week.

Last night was a fantastic evening of celebration and recognition. 

Thank you to all who came along to our Presentation Evening. I would particularly like to acknowledge our incoming School Captain, Kenneth Yeung, for his inaugural speech as leader of the School. We know the boys of 2026 are in good hands. 

My thanks also to the staff who put so much hard work and effort into making the evening such a success. 

It has been another big week with coaching, exam handback and promotions taking place. Well done to all the boys for their hard work leading up to the exam period.  

Finally, I look forward to seeing many of you at our Community Carols service on Monday night. 

Meliora Sequamur.

Happenings & Reminders

• 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.

Street Crossings and Road Safety

A reminder to all in our community to be vigilant at designated pedestrian crossings near our school, particularly during drop-off and pick-up times. Crossings available include Allee Street, Outer Crescent, St Andrews Street, and New Street.

The safety of our students is paramount, and we thank you for your cooperation.

Revamping PE Testing to Stimulate Progress

At Brighton Grammar, our goal is to help every boy build a strong foundation of physical literacy, wellbeing and athletic development. As part of this commitment, the Strength & Conditioning staff, in collaboration with our Physical Education teachers, conduct biannual Physical Performance Testing at the start of Terms 1 and 3.

These sessions provide boys with a fun and competitive opportunity to challenge themselves, see where they sit amongst their peers and previous cohorts, and track their improvement over time. As students progress through the school, this testing provides valuable longitudinal insight into their physical growth and athletic development.

This enhanced testing battery is far more than a performance benchmark. It is a scientifically informed, monitoring system designed to support healthy development, enhance safety, identify athletic potential and ensure our programs remain world-class.

During adolescence, boys experience rapid changes in height, limb length and body mass. By measuring standing height, seated height and body weight, we can estimate each student’s state of biological maturity and identify periods of accelerated growth. These periods are associated with a higher risk of overload-related injuries. Tracking these changes helps us adjust expectations, manage training stress and support long-term athletic development in a safe and informed way.

Our testing battery also measures key physical qualities that contribute to performance across all sports:

• Strength is assessed through the Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull (IMTP), which is a safe and reliable measure of whole-body force production.
• Lower-body power is evaluated through the Countermovement Jump, Drop Jump, Broad Jump and Lateral Bound, providing insight into vertical, horizontal power, reactive strength, change-of-direction ability and left-right asymmetry.
• Speed is measured with electronic timing gates over a 50-meter sprint, giving us accurate information about acceleration and maximum velocity.
• Aerobic capacity and Vo2 max estimation are assessed through the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level1.
• Upper-body strength capacity is measured through maximum push-ups and pull-ups.

Together, these assessments provide a clear, repeatable snapshot of each student’s physical qualities.

The data collected helps us guide boys towards sports where they may excel, strengthen talent pathways and ensure the effectiveness of our PE and S&C programs. It also helps us identify students who may need additional support and allows boys to see the reward for the hard work they put into training in the gym, in PE and out on the field. Most importantly, this information supports safer training by helping us identify students who may be at greater risk of injury during periods of rapid growth.

Ultimately, our updated PE Fitness Testing Protocol is designed to help every boy understand his physical development, build confidence through measurable improvement, train safely and intelligently and develop a lifelong connection to physical activity. We are proud of the progress this program is making and excited for the opportunities it will continue to create for our students.

Rob Cooper
Director of Sport

GSWJ Reflection

As we edge towards the end of Term 4, we again pause and take stock of the many achievements the boys have made throughout the year. For our Year 9s, the Great South West Journey (GSWJ) will still loom large in their consciousness.

While each student individually accepts to undertake the GSWJ, it is with the support of their fellow students that they are able to face and overcome the challenges that they encounter. These challenges come in many forms, and while they may seem similar from one student to the next, they are in fact unique. That is because we all face difficulties and hardships differently. How we approach them can change day to day, as does the support that we have access to.

The GSWJ is designed to provide an opportunity for our students to grow. To learn that in difficult times problems need to be assessed, a plan of action determined and then with an application of perseverance, determination and resilience, overcome.

Not all problems are complex. Some problems can be solved by oneself, packing a sleeping bag, or easily with others, like folding a wet tarp. But other programs are complex and require the group to band together and work through in stages. As adults we do this daily, if not hourly.

Our Year 9s now have a reference point for the rest of their time at BGS, and beyond. An experience they can look back on that was difficult and reflect on how they were able to successfully overcome it. They can now apply this confidence in themselves to successfully negotiate what awaits them next.

Rob Ogilvie
Head of Outdoor Education

Tennis on the Duigan Centre Rooftop

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.  

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

This Sunday (30 November) marks a significant day in the year: the beginning of the Christian calendar, which always starts with the first Sunday of the season of Advent.

Advent, meaning “arrival”, is the name for the four Sundays leading up to the celebration of Christmas, which commemorates the birth of the Christ-child, Jesus: both the Son of God and God the Son.

Traditionally during Advent, a different candle representing a different godly virtue is lit each Sunday: Hope, Love, Joy and Peace.

The Incarnation (God taking on flesh) is a uniquely Christian concept and is a wonderful fulfilment of many promises made in the Old Testament. For example, the prophet Isaiah, writing in the eight century BC, affirmed: ‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’ [9:6].

Does this promised person sound familiar?

When we finally get around to again seeing Nativity scenes in the shopping centres and singing the carol Hark the Hearld Angels Sing, I hope that we can be stirred in our hearts by the wonder of the truth contained in the line: “Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel.”

Christ is hope personified and what the world needs today more than ever.

Let’s have a wonderful Advent season!

Diary Dates

• Monday 1 December, 7.00pm Community Carols at St Andrew's Church
• Tuesday 9 December Term 4 concludes