THE BLUE AND GOLD - Friday, 20 March 2026

I am pleased to share an update on the continued progress of the School’s Agriculture and Industry Centre (AIC), a key project within our Masterplan that reflects our commitment to providing learning environments that prepare boys for a changing world.

The AIC has been designed to connect our boys more directly with the industries that shape our region and our nation, including agriculture, building and construction, engineering and manufacturing.

Purpose-built agricultural science and food technology laboratories will support integrated indoor and outdoor learning, such as soil analysis, plant trials and food production studies. Alongside this, dedicated metalwork rooms and a large-scale open-plan workshop will allow students to undertake substantial fabrication and construction projects, including working with large items such as trailers. Through these spaces, students will engage in hands-on, industry-aligned learning that develops technical capability, applied problem-solving skills and a strong understanding of how real-world projects are planned, built and evaluated.

Construction of the building continues to progress and remains on schedule. As the facility begins to take shape, we look forward to the many opportunities it will provide our boys to learn through making, designing and creating. These experiences will complement the strong academic foundation that has always defined a TGS education.

As part of the planning associated with the AIC and the continued development of the School’s Margaret Street precinct, the School has been working closely with Toowoomba Regional Council to consider ways to further improve pedestrian safety at the intersection of Suffolk and Herries Streets.

Many members of our community will recall that traffic lights were previously considered as one option to assist students and pedestrians crossing this busy intersection. More recently, and as reported in the media, the concept of a pedestrian footbridge has also been explored as a possible alternative that could further enhance safety and traffic flow in the area.

At this stage, discussions with Council are ongoing and no final decision has been made. Our priority remains ensuring the safest possible crossing for our students, staff and the broader community.

We will continue to keep our community informed as planning progresses.

Dr John C Kinniburgh
Headmaster

Whether creating music alongside the state's finest young performers or standing shoulder‑to‑shoulder on pool deck, our boys embraced challenge, supported each other and represented TGS with distinction.

The opening Term of the GPS calendar have once again highlighted the breadth of opportunity available to Toowoomba Grammar School boys and the character they bring to every endeavour.

Whether performing on stage or racing at Chandler, our students have demonstrated discipline, resilience, fellowship and pride-values that continue to define TGS within the GPS Association.

From exceptional achievements to formative first experiences, these events remind us why co‑curricular participation is such an essential part of Grammar life.

A Celebration of Fellowship Through Music

Early in the term, a select group of boys represented Toowoomba Grammar School alongside peers from other GPS schools in the annual GPS Music Showcase; a unique and non‑competitive event that brings together outstanding young musicians from across the Association to form elite ensembles, including Symphony Orchestra, Concert Band, Big Band and Choir.

True to the GPS motto Spirit of Fellowship, the Showcase celebrated collaboration, mutual respect and shared excellence across the nine member schools. With just two days of intensive rehearsals to prepare a demanding program, students demonstrated exceptional discipline and professionalism as they blended their sound with musicians they had not previously met.

The choral ensemble was privileged to work under renowned clinician Dr Bob Stewart and to collaborate with accompanist and composer Christian Gante on a work written specifically for the event - an inspiring reminder of music as a living, creative art form.

The experience highlighted the depth of talent across the GPS schools and the exciting opportunities available to boys willing to challenge themselves. We look forward to seeing even more TGS students participate in coming years.

John Hodder
Head of Department - Arts

Senior School GPS Swimming Championships

My first GPS Swimming Championships as Head of Swimming at Toowoomba Grammar School was an unforgettable experience. The atmosphere on pool deck, the intensity of the racing and the pride shown by the swimmers created one of the most powerful sporting environments I have been part of.

Watching the team compete together reminded me of the well‑known Spartan story from ancient Greece, a small group standing together with courage and determination despite facing much larger forces. In many ways, it felt similar for our team.

As a regional school, our numbers are naturally smaller compared to some of the larger Brisbane schools, yet what our swimmers may lack in numbers, they more than make up for in toughness, unity and character.

That spirit was present in every race. From the opening events to the final relays, the boys competed with resilience, discipline and tremendous pride in representing the School. Months of preparation were built on teamwork, commitment and the belief that success in a competition like GPS comes from collective effort rather than individual results alone.

There were several outstanding performances, none more impressive than Bryce Krause's GPS record in the 50m Backstroke, a remarkable achievement and a moment of great pride for the team. Many swimmers produced strong swims under pressure and raced with determination across all events.

What impressed me most, however, was their character. Every swimmer supported his teammates, celebrated successes and stood together through the challenges.

The scoreboard never tells the full story. The courage to compete, the pride in wearing the Grammar colours and the unwavering commitment to the team are what truly define success; and in those ways, our boys represented TGS with distinction.

Matteo Melis
Head of Swimming and Head Coach

Leadership in the Lanes

Leading the Toowoomba Grammar School swim team in my final year was about so much more than just a title. It was the early mornings and those mid‑season sessions when everyone was exhausted that really defined the role for me. That's where the culture is actually built, not just on race day, but in the grind leading up to it.

As Captain, my biggest focus was making sure the boys in the younger year levels felt like they belonged. I wanted them to feel just as important to the team as the seniors in the Opens. Standing on the blocks for that final GPS meet, it hit me that I wasn't just swimming for a time; I was representing years of school tradition.

I learned that leadership is found in the small moments - staying back to chat with a teammate who had a rough swim, or making sure our war cries were the loudest in the stands.

Finishing my time at TGS as Swimming Captain was the perfect way to conclude that chapter. It allowed me to help turn a group of individual swimmers into a real team and that's something I will carry with me long after I leave Grammar.

Cooper Healy
Captain of Sport - Swimming

Junior School GPS Swimming Championships

It is always a special moment to compete at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre at Chandler, especially when representing TGS. The annual GPS Junior Swimming Championships is often the first time boys represent the School at a GPS event.

Eyes wide with the atmosphere of the occasion, the boys swam their hearts out, establishing new personal bests and developing a reinvigorated pride for the School and love of swimming.

The noise at Chandler is deafening and the quality of athletes is outstanding. With the smallest Junior School in the GPS and the smallest team overall, our boys were always going to find the event challenging; but they rose to the occasion, personifying TGS courage.

Outstanding results included:

• Fletcher Campbell - 3rd in U10 Div 2 100m Freestyle and 50m Freestyle; 4th in 50m Backstroke
• Hank Lee - 4th in U10 Div 1 50m Breaststroke; 3rd in U10 Div 2 50m Butterfly
• Finlay Kennedy - 4th in U10 Div 3 50m Backstroke
• Under 10 4×50m Freestyle Relay (Hank Lee, Fletcher Campbell, Finlay Kennedy, Henry Wilkie) - 3rd place

It was a successful day for our Junior Swimming team, marked by strong performances, tremendous school spirit and fittingly, a celebratory Maccas ice‑cream on the way home.

Brendan Doherty
Junior School Sport Coordinator

Across music and sport and from our youngest competitors to our senior leaders, the early GPS season showcased the best of Toowoomba Grammar School. Talent, yes - but more importantly, teamwork, humility, courage and pride.

These experiences strengthen the fabric of our School and reinforce the values we are proud to uphold.

With the imminent official opening of the new Design, Engineering and Technology (DET) Centre, Term 1 has offered an exciting glimpse into how these purpose‑built spaces are already transforming learning across the School.

From Junior School exploration of Toowoomba's landmarks to the sophisticated prototyping, engineering and robotics happening in Secondary classrooms, students have embraced hands‑on, future‑focused learning with enthusiasm. The following snapshots highlight the energy, creativity and innovation emerging across the DET curriculum.

A First Look Inside Our New DET Centre

Take a walk through the new Design, Engineering and Technology Centre and you'll see students immersed in the early, critical stages of design thinking. In the Design spaces, learning is focused on prototyping, with students exploring flat‑pack product design through sketching and CAD, alongside laser cutting and 3D printing to test ideas. TGX students are also designing, ideating and prototyping real‑world solutions, guided by staff and industry collaborators.

In Engineering, systems thinking comes to life through a range of prototype builds. Mousetrap race cars with 3D‑modelled gears and wheels, remote‑controlled jousters, and truss bridge models all form part of an iterative process of design, testing and refinement. This is complemented by the Year 12 crane project, where full builds and formal load testing can be observed as you pass through the senior classroom.

In the Robotics area, computational thinking is on display through VEX robotics and microcontroller programming. Upstairs, individual recording booths support students as they produce multimodal presentations. The journey concludes in Furnishing, where students are individually crafting side tables using high‑quality timbers and newly installed machinery.

Across the entire building, the learning taking place highlights the impact of innovative, purpose‑designed environments that elevate creativity, problem‑solving and technical skill.

Clinton Owen
Head of Department - Technologies

Exploring Landmarks Through Engineering

In Year 2 this term, students have been exploring Design, Engineering and Technology through an authentic investigation of local landmarks. As part of their HASS unit on past and present places, boys visited and learned from experts at a range of significant Toowoomba sites, including the Empire Theatre, St Patrick's Cathedral, the Repertory Theatre, Picnic Point, the Puppy Memorial and the Mothers Memorial.

Through these experiences, students examined how landmarks are designed, built and adapted over time to meet community needs. Back in the classroom, they applied the engineering design process to plan and create a simple recreation of a chosen landmark. Students investigated structure and materials, generated and tested ideas, and refined their designs as challenges arose.

This hands‑on learning strengthened students' understanding of engineering as purposeful problem‑solving while developing skills in planning, perseverance and evaluation. Their final models reflect thoughtful design choices and a growing appreciation for Toowoomba's built environment.

Chantelle Bauer
Deputy Head of Junior School (Teaching and Learning)

Stay up-to-date with all upcoming TGS events via the Events Calendar.

This year, schools across Queensland are required to implement the Child Safe Standards under the Child Safe Organisations Act 2024 (Qld). These Standards strengthen how organisations prevent harm, respond to concerns, and create cultures where children are safe, respected and heard.

Why the Child Safe Standards have been introduced

The Child Safe Standards respond to recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. They form part of a nationally consistent approach to child safety and apply to all organisations that work with children, including schools.

In Queensland, education services are required to comply with the Child Safe Standards from 1 January 2026, with further reporting requirements to be phased in from 1 July 2026.

Our Child Safe policies

As part of implementing the Child Safe Standards, the School has strengthened and updated its child safety framework.

• Student Safety and Wellbeing Policy

This is our overarching policy that explains how the School creates and maintains a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for students. It outlines how we implement the Child Safe Standards across leadership, student voice, family engagement, staff practices, complaints handling, training, physical and online environments and continuous improvement.

• Reporting Concerns of Harm and Abuse Policy

This policy explains how concerns about a student’s safety or wellbeing can be raised and how the School responds. It sets out clear processes for reporting harm, abuse or inappropriate behaviour, including mandatory reporting obligations and reporting to external authorities where required.

In addition, the School has in place the following important documents:

• Statement of Commitment to Student Safety and Wellbeing

This statement sets out our clear commitment to student safety, wellbeing and cultural safety, and underpins all related policies and practices.

• Staff Code of Conduct

This has been updated to clearly outline expected standards of behaviour for staff and volunteers when working with students, with a strong focus on professional boundaries and student wellbeing.

• Complaints Handling Policy

This has been updated to ensure concerns and complaints, including those related to child safety, are managed in a clear, fair and child‑focused way.

The Parent Code of Conduct and Volunteers Code of Conduct are currently under review. Parents will be advised once these documents have been finalised and approved.

All child safety policies are publicly available on the School website and form part of our ongoing commitment to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement in child safety.

The role of parents and carers

Parents and carers play an important role in keeping children safe. Under the Child Safe Standards, families are entitled to be informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.

We ask parents to:

• Familiarise themselves with our child safety policies.
• Talk with their children about feeling safe and speaking up if something is not right.
• Raise concerns or questions promptly if they become aware of a child safety issue.
• Report serious concerns about a child’s safety to the appropriate authorities when required.

Any person can make a report to the School or Child Safety if they reasonably suspect a child is being harmed or is at risk of significant harm. A reporting form is available on the website for parents and members of the public.

Obligations of teachers and staff

Teachers and certain other professionals are mandatory reporters under the Child Protection Act 1999 (Qld). This means they must report to Child Safety if they form a reasonable suspicion that a child has suffered, is suffering, or is at unacceptable risk of significant harm due to abuse or neglect, and may not have a parent able and willing to protect them.

In addition, all staff and volunteers are required to:

• Follow the School’s child safety policies and code of conduct.
• Act in the best interests of students at all times.
• Report concerns or allegations in line with School procedures and legal requirements.
• Participate in ongoing child safety training.

These obligations support a culture where child safety is a shared responsibility and concerns are taken seriously.

Your feedback matters

We are committed to continuous improvement in child safety. Parents and carers are encouraged to provide feedback on our child safety policies or practices. Feedback, questions or concerns can be directed to Communications email.

Working together, we can ensure our School remains a safe, respectful and supportive environment for every child.

John Anderson
Deputy Headmaster