“You get to cheer on your mates, which is really good, especially those who struggle with athletics. It gives them that encouragement.”Hugo Seaby, 2024 Junior School Leader
At Toowoomba Grammar School, we believe in nurturing not just academic excellence but the holistic development of our students.
This philosophy is vividly demonstrated through our Junior School MATES program, an initiative designed to equip boys from Prep to Year 6 with the skills they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom.
Year 6 leader Hugo Seaby epitomises what the program is all about. As a leader in Stephens House, he explains its importance: “It’s about spending time with the younger boys and learning about honesty, respect, kindness and other attributes like that.”
He said that it’s helpful for the youngest students at the School: “For our Preps, it helps them get used to going to School and feel a bit more at home.”
“We are doing a lot of scenarios that could happen at School any day, so it’s good to learn what we should do.”
Thursday afternoons at the Junior School are often punctuated with the trill of one of the House war cries. It’s that camaraderie and enthusiasm that Hugo says can help build them as a team.
Each fortnight on a Thursday afternoon, boys gather in their respective Houses to partake in a variety of engaging and educational exercises from the Character Education program. Led by our Year 6 House Captains and Heads of House, the MATES program delivers core messages highlighting aspects of our School Creed:
Our School Creed
• Be honest.
• Be respectful.
• Be kind.
• Be courageous.
• Always give my best effort.
The Junior School MATES program is more than just a series of weekly activities; it is a connection point for every boy to our School Creed and core values that we believe will support them in developing as young people as they progress through the Junior School.
By fostering teamwork and a sense of community, the program equips boys with the tools they need to navigate the complexities of life with confidence.
We are proud of the progress our students are making and look forward to the continued impact of the MATES program on their personal growth.
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