Last week, our Deputy Headmaster, John Anderson, had the privilege of attending the International Boys' Schools Coalition (IBSC) Australasian Regional Conference at the Hale School in Perth, Western Australia.
This landmark event - the first of its kind in Australia since 2019 and the first ever in Western Australia - gathered educators passionate about boys' education from across Australia and New Zealand. Here's what we learned about fostering purpose and identity in our young men.
Purpose and Identity: The Heart of Boys' Education
The conference theme, "Purpose and Identity: Leadership and learning for social-emotional and academic wellbeing in boys," resonated deeply with our School's mission. Over two enriching days, we explored strategies to boost boys' resilience, self-esteem and interpersonal relationships—all crucial elements in developing young men who approach life with curiosity, compassion and courage.
Inspirational Leadership Lessons from Shakespeare's Henry V
Keynote speaker Ben Walden, an international speaker with a background in Shakespearean theatre, delivered a compelling presentation drawing leadership lessons from Henry V. His message that "imagination is more important than knowledge" in our rapidly changing world reinforced our commitment to nurturing creativity alongside academic excellence.
Walden introduced four leadership archetypes that we found particularly relevant to both staff development and student leadership programs:
- The visionary innovator (Medicine Woman)
- The emotionally intelligent connector (Great Mother/Father)
- The action-focused achiever (Warrior/Amazon)
- The strategic, grounded leader (Good King/Queen)
What struck us most was Walden's insight that effective leadership requires balance—understanding both our strengths and the "shadow sides" of our leadership styles that emerge when pushed to extremes.
Relationships: The Foundation of Effective Boys' Education
Dr Peter Coutis, Deputy Headmaster at Hale School, crystallised what many educators know intuitively: "Boys learn their teachers before their subjects." His workshop on teaching as a relational craft highlighted how connection forms the very medium through which successful learning occurs—not merely a contributor to it.
This research-backed approach resonates with our School's philosophy of knowing each boy well. Coutis outlined practical "relational gestures" that effective teachers of boys employ:
- Reaching out to meet individual needs
- Demonstrating subject mastery
- Maintaining appropriately high standards
- Responding to boys' personal interests
- Finding common ground
- Managing opposition skillfully
- Revealing appropriate vulnerability
Research-Backed Approaches to Boys' Wellbeing
Professor Andrew Martin from the University of New South Wales presented groundbreaking findings from a major IBSC international research project surveying over 17,000 boys. The research focussed on six educational supports that significantly impact boys' wellbeing, with "positive belief in students" and "relational support" emerging as the most powerful.
This confirms what we strive for daily at our School—creating an environment where boys know they are valued, capable and supported. As one teacher in Martin's study expressed, effective education happens when we get to know students both in and outside the classroom "as a learner, affording educators an opportunity to connect in multi-dimensional ways."
Student Voice and Agency
One of the most inspiring sessions featured students discussing their approaches to empowering student voice. Their student-led committees covering everything from academic wellbeing to service learning demonstrated how authentic student participation can transform school culture.
Initiatives led by students showed particularly impressive results because they were genuinely student-driven. This reinforced our commitment to developing leadership opportunities that give our boys real agency and responsibility.
Practical Classroom Strategies
Dr Mark Dowley's session on classroom management provided practical frameworks for creating orderly learning environments—essential for both teacher retention and student success. His emphasis on teaching behaviour as curriculum, using structured routines and fostering belonging aligns perfectly with our approach to effective classroom management and pastoral care.
We were particularly interested in Dowley's techniques for gaining and maintaining attention in an age where students face unprecedented distractions from technology and reduced sleep.
Innovative Models in Boys' Education
Several workshops showcased cutting-edge approaches to boys' education. Hugh Chilton's presentation on ScotsX—an experimental "school-within-a-school" for Year 8 boys at The Scots College in Sydney—demonstrated how connection, challenge and choice create an environment where boys thrive.
We also gained valuable insights from Hale School's Year 7 Transition Program, which integrates teaching, learning and wellbeing initiatives during this crucial year. Their approach to limiting smart technologies and social media access sparked important discussions about digital wellbeing that we'll be continuing back at our School.
Moving Forward Together
The conference reinforced that effective boys' education isn't about finding a single solution but rather about creating a tapestry of approaches that work together to support the whole boy. As Tom Batty, Executive Director of the IBSC, reminded us, leadership in education is about "bringing to bear all levers of influence to advantage best the desired outcomes in changing times."
Following great conferences and professional development opportunities, we return to our School energised with new ideas, validated in many of our current approaches, and connected to a broader community of educators dedicated to boys' education. Most importantly, we're reminded of education's true purpose - not merely academic achievement but developing young men of character who will make meaningful contributions to society.
As we implement these insights, we look forward to sharing our journey with our School community and continuing the conversation about how we can best serve the boys in our care.
The International Boys' Schools Coalition connects and equips schools specialising in the education of boys, operating to advance the education of boys worldwide.
Latest News
TGS Graduate Accepted to NIDA
Congratulations TGS Old Boy (2014-21) Hamish Wells, selected for the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) for 2023. Hamish will be studying Musical Theatre. He is the second TGS student in two years to be accepted into NIDA, joining Harrison Mills (2015-21) who commenced his studies there at the start of 2022 for a Bachelor in Performing Arts, Film and Television. TGS was also recognised as Toowoomba's Most Successful Drama school at the Toowoomba Eisteddfod this year.Hamish…
TGS Retains Tom Allen Trophy
A superb effort by the Toowoomba Grammar School 1st XI cricket team has seen them retain the Tom Allen Memorial Trophy on Tuesday, 22 November 2022. This was the 69th match between the two schools, with top players lining up for both 1st XI teams in the 50 over match. The final scoreboard: Downlands was all out for 57, TGS replied with 6 for 246 off 32 overs. TGS currently dominates the scorecard with 46 wins to Downlands 16 and seven draws/wash outs over the years. The Tom Allen Memorial…
New Program Showcases 'Cool' Career Opportunities for TGS students
On Wednesday, 26 October 2022 Toowoomba business NRG Services donated a mobile cold room valued at $17,000, proudly built by Toowoomba Grammar School students under close supervision of NRG tradespeople as part of a newly developed school-based training program. It’s part of a new forward-thinking school-based training program to address a trade skills shortage in the booming refrigeration industry, that also saw two students offered apprenticeships with NRG Services. NRG collaborated with…
Volleyballers Ace the Nationals
Toowoomba Grammar School volleyballers have come away with a swag of medals from the recent Australian Youth Volleyball Championships. Three TGS boys were selected to represent Queensland at the titles Beau Fowler (U18 White), Hussein Yusaf (U17 Maroon - captain) and Rory Webster (U15 Maroon) with Miss Jessica Russell-Croucher (U16 White) and Mr Eric Smith (U14 White) representing as coaching staff. Additionally, Old Boy, Mr Timothy Cottman-Fields was also a part of the 230 strong delegation,…
International Showjumping Champions
Toowoomba Grammar School is celebrating the achievements of Year 8 students Tom Sturgeon and Xavier De Ceuster who won the Royal Pacific Showjumping Challenge, along with their teammates Ellie Michel and Savannah De Ceuster from The Glennie School. The four equestrians, all from the Darling Downs, were selected to represent Australia for the Under 17 international competition held in New Caledonia on October 21, competing against Vanuatu, New Zealand, Tahiti and New Caledonia. Each competitor…
2022 GPS Basketball Premiers - TGS!
The Toowoomba Grammar School community is celebrating following a history-making win on the weekend. Our 1st V Basketball team has taken out the prestigious 2022 GPS Premiership, after a nail-biting victory over Gregory Terrace on Saturday. There are nine GPS Schools involved in the competition, regarded as the highest level high school basketball competition in Queensland, so this victory effectively rates TGS as one of the best basketball-schools in the State! The 2022 1st V is regarded as…
TGS is The School of Rock
Toowoomba Grammar School is proud to play a leading role in the production of Toowoomba Choral Society’s major musical production for 2022 - "School of Rock". TGS has five staff, two students and a TGS Old Boy involved in the Production: TGS Director of Performance, Mr Mark Chalmers is the On-stage Band Mentor and Guitar 1 in the Pit Band which accompanies the show;TGS Teacher-in-Charge of Music Curriculum, Mrs Wendy Evans is the Musical Director;TGS Old Boy (2009-13), Christopher Thomson is…
Chess Success for TGS
How many sporting teams can boast claiming over a quarter of a century of consecutive Championship titles? Well, the Toowoomba Grammar School Chess Team can do exactly that! In an impressive feat for any discipline, TGS has just won its 28th consecutive Toowoomba Secondary Chess Championship title. All secondary schools from Toowoomba were invited to attend the championships which were held over two days 6-7 August. Toowoomba Grammar Schools Open team placed first with 18 points out of 20, our…
Top Volleyball Coach at TGS
Toowoomba Grammar School Director of Volleyball, Mr Eric Smith is one of the highest ranked volleyball coaches in Queensland following a recent accreditation course. Eric attended the first ever Australian-based Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Level 2 Coaching Clinic in July. The five-day course involved both theory and practical work with the 29 participants really put through their paces, led by FIVB Educational Instructor and multi-national coach Mr Peter Nonnenbroich. This…