Brisbane Grammar School: Difference between revisions

Template:Infobox Aust school The Brisbane Grammar School (BGS) is a non-denominational, independent boys' school located in the suburb of Spring Hill in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is regarded by many to be a breeding ground for homosexuals, and super-academics who don't play any sport. They are the laughing stock of the GPS groups.

Brisbane Grammar School was originally founded in 1868 under the Grammar Schools Act passed by the Queensland Government in 1860. It was the second school established under this act in Queensland, Australia (the first being Ipswich Grammar School).

The original school, designed by Benjamin Backhouse, was on the site of Roma Street in Brisbane City. Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, laid the foundation stone at the site on February 21 1868. In 1881 the school was moved a few hundred metres away to its current site on Gregory Terrace in Spring Hill to make way for the Roma Street Railway Station, which still stands today.

Following the opening of the boarding house in 1886, state-of-the-art science laboratories were constructed in 1912. A new library and assembly hall were constructed in 1969 as a celebration of the school's centenary.

During the mid 1990s, the school commenced work on the off-campus Northgate ovals, which now consist of six fields that are used for cricket, Rugby union and soccer fixtures. A large indoor sports centre was completed in 2000, and the old gymnasium was later renovated to become the new Centre for Art.

In 2002, the school underwent a major redevelopment with the construction of a new Middle School, which had its first intake of grade 6 and 7 students in 2003. This Middle School consists of a large block of multipurpose classrooms which functions as a complete school in itself, with its own teachers and independent timetables. Grade 6 and 7 students spend most of their time in the Middle School, although they do use the facilities of the "Upper School" for physical education, assemblies, etc. There is also some interaction with the Upper School, for example each Year Eight and Nine class is assigned a group of three year 12 students to act as form seniors, who participate in class activities. The form seniors help and nurture the smaller boys with the transition from Middle School to Secondary School.

• Thomas Harlin (1869-1876)
• Reginald Heber Roe (1876-1909)
• F S N Bousfield (1909-1927)
• S Stephenson (1928-1939)
• G Carson Cooling (1940-1947)
• H R Pigott (1948-1952)
• A E McLucas (1953-1956)
• H R Newell (1956 - 1964)
• Dr Max Howell (1965-1989)
• Dr Peter Lennox (1990-2005)
• Brian Short (2006- )

Brisbane Grammar School offers education from years 6 through to 12. Their academic programme is tailored to suit the needs of its students. In recent years, around 95% of graduating students have received a first-round offer to a tertiary institution[1]. The school offers mainstream subjects: English, Mathematics (A, B and C), Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Earth Science), History (Modern and Ancient), Music, Drama and Languages other than English (French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Latin).

The school focuses on a specific academic scope of learning aimed at educating life-skills required in the future. In recent years, the school has introduced updated technology to assist the students learning from school as well as home. The school also has 7 computer rooms equipped with 30 computers each, ^{[citation needed]} with software installed to not only protect against misuse, but to provide for a more modernized education.

In recent years, almost 100% of graduating students have received a first-round offer to a tertiary institution.^[1] In 2006, the school had its second best results since the introduction of the OP system, claiming 49 OP1's. The combined percentage of OP 1-2 was 30.45% of the school population which far execeeded the state's average of 5.2%. 68.31% of the students received between and OP1 and an OP7 (the state percentage being 25.4%). 91.8% of the cohort received an OP between 1 and 13. The median OP score was OP5.[1]

The school focuses on 3 major principles: [2]

• Independent Learning: Instilling values upon students to teach them to take responsibility for their own learning by setting themselves goals and formulating effective study patterns, reflecting on their own experiences and growing from it.
• Collaborative Learning: Demonstrating the importance of the Teacher-Student relationship, as well as the Student-Students relationship. This provides opportunities for developing intellectual skills in an attempt to enhance social competence.
• A challenging, yet supporting learning environment. This principle encourages the student to think and work independently and interdependently, instilling autonomy and emphasizing individual differences. It develops habits of mind, including curiosity, critical thinking and creativity. This, in turn, provides opportunities for the students to extend, refine and apply their knowledge.

As of 1997, Brisbane Grammar School has been introducing a learning framework throughout the academic curriculum. The framework is titled ‘Dimensions of Learning’ (DOL) [3]and was established in the United States with positive results. Its intention is to assist the teaching and learning process by basing both teaching and learning on 5 particular concepts.

• (a) Dimension 1: Positive attitudes and perceptions about learning.
• (b) Dimension 2: The acquisition and integration of knowledge.
• (c) Dimension 3: The extension and refinement of knowledge.
• (d) Dimension 4: The meaningful use of knowledge.
• (e) Dimension 5: Productive habits of mind.

The concepts were developed on the basis of cognition, adopting a learning approach focused on the student. The framework emphasises the use of Complex Reasoning Processes and metacognition (thinking about thinking).

Grammar’s extracurricular activities provide primary arenas for boys to investigate and extent their talents, while developing the skills of leadership and teamwork. The school offers various activities. These include Water polo, Rugby Union, Soccer, Tennis, Cricket, Basketball, Volleyball, Rowing, Sailing, Swimming, Track and Field, Cross Country, Fencing, Gymnastics and many more. Grammar also offers a range of cultural activities, including Drama, Music, Chess, and Debating.

Students may participate in an Orchestra, Concert Band, Stage Band or individual ensembles for an extensive range of instruments in the Brass, Woodwinds, Strings and Percussion categories. While it is not compulsory for the students to involve themselves in an extracurricular activity, it is encouraged in keeping with the School’s education philosophies. Breadth and balance is encouraged at the school, therefore all students are encouraged to not only participate in extracurricular activities, but to value and support the multitude of available activities.

The school carries proud traditions in cultural activities such as music, theatre, chess, debating and public speaking. The school employs specialist music teachers for training and performance in Singing, Strings, Woodwind, Percussion and Brass. The boys may attend individual private lessons as well as weekly lessons in a small group (free of separate charge). Several long-standing clubs and societies (such as the Astronomy Club, the Service Committee or the Old-Boys association) also operate amongst the school society.

The school is a member of the Great Public Schools Association of Queensland Inc. (GPS), this membership provides the competitions in sports and several other endeavors. Most competitions are played out on Saturdays at any of the schools' sporting facilities. On the main campus four playing fields and six tennis courts [9] are on site for sporting activities, whilst cricket, rugby and soccer fixtures are conducted at the Northgate campus. Sailing is conducted on Sundays at RQYS, Manly, and the GPS championship is held at the end of the season. The school also competes in some non-GPS sports, such as Fencing and Water Polo. The school has had long standing success in water polo, winning the competition for 12 of the last 13 years. Current Australian players include Toby Jenkins (Athens Olympics), Jordan Votan and Ashley Burgess (U20 Australian Team)and Mitch McCann (U18 Australian Team). ^{[citation needed]}

In 2006 BGS's Senior A debating team achieved 2nd in the GPS competition after losing only one debate in the last round to GPS champions St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace. 2 of the 5 team members achieved selection in the QLD team along with 2 other boys from St. Joseph's College^{[citation needed]}. The Queensland debating team went on to win the National Title. Also worthy of special note is Patrick Begley, who was selected to represent Australia in the world championship winning team in Wales in mid 2006.

Also in 2006, the School won six GPS titles, which was four more than any other school in the competition.

In the 2007 GPS season, Brisbane Grammar currently stands undefeated in the Volleyball tournament, as well as securing a 4th Place at the GPS Swimming. ^{[citation needed]}

The M A Howell Indoor Sports Centre was officially opened by the then Governor of Queensland, Major General Peter Arnison on March 3 2000. The centre, which is on the main campus, is home to a multi-purpose double basketball court sports hall (which can also accommodate 3 vollevball courts, 6 badmington courts, 12 fencing pistes as well as indoor soccer), an aquatic centre with a 10-lane, 25m heated swimming pool, a gymnasium featuring a deep foam pit, parallel bars and rings and a spectator area with seating for 150 people during sporting events, as well as a weights room and theory rooms and amenities. This sports centre has hosted local and international sporting teams, such as the Queensland Reds, Brisbane Broncos, New Zealand rugby union team, Australian cricket team, United States Swimming squad and the English Rugby team.

Work commenced on the Northgate Playing Fields in the mid 1990s which now have six ovals which accommodate Cricket, Rugby and Football fixtures. The fields are also used during the school week in for training in winter activities. Canteen facilities are provided on game days. Adjacent to the main oval is a small stadium which caters for seating for one half of the field, which also contains a dining area. The playing fields were used by the Australian Cricket Team prior to the 2006/2007 Ashes campaign, where they trained with the school's First XI.

The school has 4 major function halls: The Centenary Hall, the Great Hall, the theatre and the music auditorium.

Centenary Hall accommodates the entire 1400 student body for weekly assemblies. The hall is also used for other events such as breakfasts, music concerts, debates, theatrical productions and year-level tests. The gallery above the hall can accommodate a year group for lectures. The gallery is equipped with a data-show projector, linked up with a computer, DVD and VCR players, and a speaker-system.

The Great Hall is one of the school’s most historical and prestigious buildings. The walls have various honour-boards commemorating academic, sporting and cultural achievements, as well as honouring the names of those who have served in wars. The stage is overlooked by a 10*3 metre stain-glass window. The hall provides venue for Public speaking, debating and vocal performances. It is also used for dinner parties (such as the ‘Old-boys Association’s’ reunions or the ‘Mothers of Past Students’ gatherings) and weddings for old-boys.

The Drama theatre can seat approximately 300 and provides excellent acoustics for Theatrical productions. Its lighting system and storage room makes it an ideal location for rehearsing and performing drama productions. The school holds a Junior School Play and a Senior School Play once a year and a musical every 2 years.

The School has adopted two sets of colours. The first was introduced by Thomas Harlin, Headmaster 1869 - 1876. They are red and gold and are now associated with academia. Reginald Heber Roe, Headmaster 1876 - 1909, introduced the sporting colours of Oxford and Cambridge Blue which are now seen as the main representative colours of the school. They still hold a particularly special relationship with sporting activities, represented by various school chants and war cries that mention the Light Dark Blue.

Students are required to wear full school uniform at all times. Two school uniforms exist - one for the Middle and the other for the Upper School. The Middle School Uniform (Yrs 6 - 8) consists of a blue, short-sleeved shirt with the School Crest embroidered on the pocket, short grey trousers with long socks and the wide-brimmed School Hat. In winter, the boys also a wear a grey pullover. Upper School boys (Yrs 9 - 12) wear, in summer, a blue, short-sleeved shirt (with no crest), a school tie (Seniors and Prefects wear a different tie) and long grey trousers. In winter, a white shirt, navy blue pullover and school blazer replace the blue shirt.

[7]

In 2003, the school was the subject of scandal when students claimed that they had been sexually abused and, in some cases tortured with needles, by Kevin Lynch, when he was employed as school counsellor during the 1970s and 1980s at Brisbane Grammar School and St Paul's School.^{[2][3] [4]} Two former students stated that at that time they had lodged complaints about this abuse to then headmaster Maxwell Howell, but the issue was not persued.^[2][5] 34 of the former Brisbane Grammar School students rejected out-of-court settlement, and claimed compensation in the Supreme Court of Queensland. As it had failed to notify its insurer of the complaints made to Maxwell Howell, the school became liable for the $AUD1.17 million in legal fees and compensation.^[3] Lynch had been charged in 1997 over the abuse, but committed suicide shortly afterwards.^[2]

• Brisbane Grammar School website