“From a boarding perspective, enabling young boys to flourish is only achieved within a community that is safe, welcoming, and joyous. These three aspects are at the core of my boarding philosophy and are closely aligned with my fundamental values as a boarding Head of House – acceptance, resilience, and fun,” explains Mr Henry White, Head of Corfe House.

Corfe House serves as the entry point for Toowoomba Grammar School’s youngest boarders (Years 5 to 7) and the skills, relationships, and perspectives the boys develop during this time will be the bedrock for their following experiences.

TGS’s boarding program has been developed to provide a smooth transition for our boarders from Corfe House to one of the School’s other four boarding houses shared with the older boys in Years 8 to 12.

“In my eyes, a positive experience in Corfe is vital,” states Henry.

He believes that close pastoral support and guidance are the cornerstones of student wellbeing and academic achievement, and the impact of this is most profound within the formative and impressionable middle years for young adolescents.

But Henry is also adamant that a family’s role in the boarding process is incredibly important and equally challenging.

“For boys to flourish in a boarding environment, they need to feel connected and supported from home, and likewise, for parents to gain trust and confidence in the boarding program, connection and support needs to be reciprocated,” said Henry.

Ultimately, this can be funnelled into effective lines of communication between parents and the House. Henry has a mantra of 80/20 communication – put simply, his intention is to establish and initiate 80% of communication via weekly newsletters, regular phone call check-ins, and regular upkeep of House social media platforms. In doing so, he hopes that only 20% of communication is initiated by parents due to inevitable and natural concerns.

“In playing their role in the student’s boarding experience, I encourage parents to trust our processes and judgement and understand that nobody knows their son better than they do, but that we know boys and we know boarding; their son’s best interest is in our safe hands and at the heart of all that we do,” said Henry.