4. Co-Curriculum

The essence of our Outdoor Education Program is to offer students unparalleled experiences that integrate education, personal growth, and well-being within the embrace of natural settings. Our aim is to develop resilient, enthusiastic, and conscientious young men who embody confidence, academic success, and engagement.

Throughout the journey from Year 7 to Year 10, our Outdoor Education Program is structured around four fundamental pillars: Self-management, community living, leadership and followership, and connection to place.

Starting with individual development, we prioritise self-management, imparting invaluable skills to students on self-care and accountability. This foundational aspect is crucial for their integration into their wider community, encompassing both their class and the broader school community. Once firmly rooted within their community, students are encouraged to cultivate leadership qualities while appreciating the significance of followership. All these experiences are underpinned by a deepened connection to place, fostering a profound understanding and respect for their environment, its history, and their impact upon it.

Our Outdoor Education journey commences with a dynamic five-day program set against the stunning backdrop of the Mornington Peninsula. This initial phase is comprised of two core components: orientation and expedition. During orientation, students spend two nights at Golden Valleys Adventure camp, engaging in activities such as surfing, rock climbing, giant swing and flying fox just to name a few. These activities are carefully designed to foster camaraderie, teamwork and rapport among peers, teachers and mentors.

The expedition phase extends the themes introduced in orientation while also introducing essential Outdoor Education skills necessary for the journey ahead. Students learn practical skills such as packing hiking packs, setting up campsites, sleeping in a tent, preparing meals, cooking on Trangia stoves and learning about the environment.

View a video of the Year 7 Outdoor Education Experience. 

Playing APS Sport is essential for boys as they learn important life lessons of competition, resilience and teamwork through being physically active with their fellow peers.

There are three seasons of the Sport program at Brighton Grammar: Summer Sport, Winter Sport and Spring Sport (non-compulsory but encouraged). In the Secondary School, these three seasons run separately from each other in the Secondary School (Years 7−12).

Seasons of Sport

In Year 7, all boys will select a Summer Sport and a Winter Sport, with the opportunity to also select a Spring Sport in Semester 2. The seasons run as follows:

• Summer Sport: Term 1 and 6 weeks in Term 4
• Winter Sport: Term 2 and first 2 weeks of Term 3
• Spring Sport: Term 3 (last 5 weeks) and Term 4 (first 2 weeks – Athletics only)

Summer and Winter APS Sport participation is compulsory, and all boys are strongly encouraged to undertake a Spring Sport.

Summer: Badminton, Cricket, Rowing (T4 only), Sailing*, Swimming/Diving, Tennis and Touch Football.
*Highly experienced Year 7 2026 sailors can register their interest in our Senior Sailing team with the Director of Sport

Winter:  Basketball, Cross Country, Dance, Football, Hockey, Rugby and Soccer.

In Spring (mid-August to mid-October), participation in school sport is not compulsory although actively encouraged. Sport options for Spring are Athletics and Water Polo. Boys who are keen on skiing are encouraged to join our Snow Sports team to compete at Mt Buller in August.

Training
Training for Year 7 is weekly throughout the year for Summer and Winter Sports, except for specialised sports,   
e.g. Swimming, Sailing, Rowing (Term 4), Cross Country, Rugby and Athletics. Training in Term 1 for most sports is held from 7.00 – 8.00am every Tuesday. Transport is arranged for sports training offsite, e.g. Dendy Park (Tennis).

Weekend Fixtures
Fixtures to be confirmed and posted on the BGS App, BGS website and Schoolbox every Thursday, leading into weekend sport. Boys will be fixtured either at a home (BGS) or away venue at one of the other 10 APS Schools. Transport is organised for long away trips, e.g. Geelong Grammar, The Geelong College.

If you have any queries about Year 7 Sport in 2026, please contact sport@brightongrammar.vic.edu.au

Weekly sports information, including team selection and fixtures, can be accessed via the BGS app and Schoolbox.

FAQs

When and where are APS fixtures held?
APS Fixtures are held on Saturday mornings (with the occasional Friday afternoon fixture) at either home (BGS) or away venues – one of the other 10 APS Schools.

Where can I find the weekly sport fixture?
Fixtures are posted on the BGS App, BGS website and Schoolbox every Thursday, leading into weekend sport. Boys will be fixtured either at a home (BGS) or away venue at one of the other 10 APS Schools. A draft fixture is released on the Tuesday prior to the Sport Round via Schoolbox and the BGS website. Final fixtures are uploaded by 1.00pm on Thursday prior to the round; however, we recommend that families regularly check these platforms in case of any late changes or cancellations.

Is APS Sport compulsory?
Yes, like all other APS Schools, APS Sport is a compulsory component of attending Brighton Grammar School.

What do you do if there is a clash between club/community sport and APS Sport?
Communication is crucial. The majority of community sports have identified the APS Sport commitments and in turn schedule their competitions around APS Sport. If a clash arises, please communicate early on with relevant staff, e.g. Year Level Coordinator, Head of Sport (HoS), or Director of Sport.

How are APS teams selected?
APS teams are selected based on training attendance, commitment, attitude and ability. With minimal training sessions leading into the start of the season, our staff do their very best to select teams based on the above criteria. If your son is not selected in a team he believes he should be in, we encourage boys to do their best and seek feedback from coaches/staff. If boys perform to the best of their ability, selection will take care of itself.

How do you sign up for an APS Sport?
Prior to commencing at BGS, families are sent a survey asking for boys’ preferences for Summer and Winter Sport. An expression of interest form for Spring Sport will be sent to boys and families in Term 2, 2026. If you are late to commence at BGS, please contact the Sport Department for assistance with sport selections.

What uniform should your son wear for APS Sport?
The number of individual garments per sport has been significantly reduced with a focus on cross over items that can be used between seasons and during the school week. The BGS Sport and HPE uniform is flexible and comfortable to wear and includes specialty garments across individual sports that complement performance. Uniforms can be purchased from Noone, Hampton Street or www.noone.com.au

What do you do if your son is unavailable to participate in an APS Fixture (injury, illness)?
Contact your Sport Year Level Coordinator via email with ample notice. If the unavailability is last minute (within 12 hours of competition), you should text the Director of Sport with your son’s name, year level, sport and team.   

Is there transport provided for Geelong fixtures?
Yes, transport is provided for fixtures that are of significant distance from BGS. Details will be in the weekly sport fixture and communicated via individual Sport Year Level Coordinators on Schoolbox.

What happens in case of adverse weather?
Weekend Fixtures – All indoor sports will proceed as per the fixture. Outdoor sports affected by adverse weather (extreme heat, wet weather or poor air quality) will be notified via the home school’s Adverse Weather Line.
APS Sport Training – In the instance of adverse weather affecting training, boys and families will be notified via the BGS App (parents) and Schoolbox (boys).

Music is a vibrant part of the fabric of our School. There are two components to Music: Curriculum (Classroom Music) and Co-Curriculum (Instrumental Music and Ensembles). In the Secondary School, these two components work closely together as the curriculum in the Secondary School (7-12) is centred on instrumental studies. The Year 7 course promotes the exploration of music through playing, singing, listening and composing.

In Year 7, all boys have one semester of Classroom Music. There are four classes each fortnight with the following structure:

• 3 classes – class ensembles, improvisation, keyboard lab and composition
• 1 class – choral class

Please note: Class ensembles give all Year 7 boys the opportunity to play their instruments with their peers in class. All boys are strongly encouraged to learn an instrument to enable them to participate in class ensemble and maximise their learning.

The School encourages all students to learn an instrument to make the most of their curriculum and co-curriculum experiences as boys will play their instruments in class and also in ensembles. There are four options for instrumental learning in Year 7. In Term 4 you will receive an online form in which you can inform us of your choices. Please see information below:

Group Music Lessons 1

• Only New Year 7 students eligible, must be beginner level
• Semester 1 only (ie 14 lessons)
• 45 minute FREE lesson each week
• All lessons from 8.00-8.45am Thursday mornings
• Move to Private Individual or Paired Lessons (where possible) in Semester 2 (see information below)
• Preferences taken on the following instruments: flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola and cello
• School chooses an instrument based on preferences and availability

Group Music Lessons 2

• Only Year 6 group lesson students continuing the same instrument from Brighton Grammar Junior School are eligible
• Boys who were in their first year of the Junior School Band Program in Year 6 are eligible for group lessons for Semester 1 only
• No cost to parents in Semester 1, then move to Private Individual or Paired Lessons (where possible) in Semester 2 (see information below)

Individual Music Lessons

• All students at any ability level are eligible for ongoing lessons
• Choice of the following instruments: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, violin, viola, cello, double bass, percussion, singing, guitar or piano
• At a cost to parents. Rates are competitive with other schools and local music studios.

Paired Music Lessons

• All students are eligible for ongoing lessons if a suitable lesson partner can be determined
• Not appropriate for students at/above AMEB Grade 3 or equivalent
• Choice of the following instruments: clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, violin and cello
• At a cost to parents. Rates are competitive with other schools and local music studios

Music Bursaries

Year 7 boys are encouraged to apply and audition for a limited number of Music bursaries. These bursaries cover 50% of the cost of weekly 30-minute instrumental lessons and instrument hire from Year 7 to Year 10.

In 2026, bursaries are available for the following instruments:

Bassoon, Trombone, Double bass, Trumpet, Euphonium, Tuba, Flute, Viola, French horn, Clarinet, Oboe, Electric bass – limited to 1 position, Cello, Jazz piano – limited to 1 position  (must have experience). 

New students who already play – or are interested in playing – one of these instruments should express their interest by completing the bursary form.
Please note: The Music Department will award some bursaries to current Year 6 students in Term 4 2025. 

For further queries, contact the Music Department at music@brightongrammar.vic.edu.au.

All Year 7 boys study Drama as part of the curriculum and are encouraged to become involved in the annual School Production with our sister school Firbank Grammar.

Boys involved as cast members develop self-confidence, group cooperation, problem solving and social skills. Boys who do not want to act can become members of the production crew and learn about set construction, lighting, sound, props, costumes and make up. These stagecraft areas allow students to develop responsibility, group cooperation, initiative and the understanding of theatre technologies and craft. 

Stay tuned early in 2026 for the big announcement of what show we will be doing and how you can get involved, either by auditioning or signing up for backstage.

Our Debating program offers interested boys in Year 7 the opportunity to participate in our Interschool Debating program with Firbank Grammar, once a term. The Debating coaching program usually runs before school and is supported by Senior Debaters and Past Student coaches.

The Debaters Association of Victoria (DAV) runs a Junior Secondary Program which begins in Term 3. Keen debaters from Year 7 and 8 are encouraged to nominate for a place in our teams. The DAV Junior Secondary Program is held after school and involves travelling. In addition to this, a select group of students participate in the DAV regional Public Speaking training program and competition.

At BGS we know boys have unique learning needs and recognise part of a rounded education is the ability to work collaboratively and build social connections with girls.

One of the special components of the BGS Year 7 program is the experience of combined days and events with Year 7 Firbank Grammar girls. The program includes academic experiences and social events planned and supervised by staff from both schools.

Our staff organise clubs and activities throughout the school year. These include: Book Club, Chess Club, Art Club, Improv Club, Media Club, Service Committee, Library Committee and STEM Racing.

A Philosophy Colloquium is held three times a year as an important part of academic enrichment for students and is aimed to enhance the development of metacognitive skills. The kinds of subjects considered in the Colloquium may range from abstract conceptual questions – such as, ‘What is Truth?’ or ‘How Do We Know?’ – to questions about the philosophy underpinning the development of individual human rights laws, as embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.