Message from the Headmaster – September 2024

Dear Parents / Guardians,

Following my recent comments on radio on how important it is that students attend daily and present themselves ready to learn, I wanted to share with you three thoughts about the reasons why schools exist.

These thoughts come from Gert Biesta, Professor of Educational Theory and Pedagogy at the University of Edinburgh, and they align with our educational philosophy, which has stood the test of time, and is intended to develop anti-fragility in your sons. As Biesta argues, Schools should exist for three main reasons:

1. Qualification
2. Socialisation
3. Subjectification

In our context, these three reasons help build anti-fragility in our students and are critical in helping us to achieve our aim of better preparing them to be contributing members of our society.

1. Qualification
   I am sure you are aware we take our primary responsibility to educate your sons seriously. This includes teaching in a manner that helps them to acquire new knowledge across a well-defined curriculum. The Term 3 internal examination series that seniors are about to begin is a timely example of the School’s examination-based approach from Form 3, which prepares students to understand that their acquisition of knowledge will be regularly assessed, so that we can provide them with the support to consolidate their learning and experience success in internal and external assessments.
2. Socialisation
   In our context, socialisation is most tangible in how we teach The Grammar Way, including what it means to be a Grammar boy. We aim to initiate our young men in ways of being and doing. That includes, but is not limited to: how they interact with their peers and teachers, understanding how to listen, when to speak, how to act in a formal setting such as assembly, how to be an effective spectator, and even the art of a handshake.
3. Subjectification
   Subjectification refers to education impacting positively on students. That is, we want young men to show initiative, accept responsibility and be masters of their own destiny, rather than solely respond to the actions of others.

This is perhaps more important than ever before in our 155-year history. We aim to help young men understand they are part of something bigger than themselves, and to show them how this feeling of belonging can aid their personal development. In our environment we want students to accept responsibility readily and use their initiative in a variety of ways, knowing that the structure surrounding them will be a constant they can rely on. We would rather this, than young men following what they observe as seemingly acceptable behaviours and language in wider society, or on social media platforms.

I raise these few points with you because it is through being present, in person, on a daily basis that some of the finer points of your son’s education can be learned. These things are much harder to learn in an online context. Through regular attendance students develop relationships with specialist teachers in our classrooms and this extends to your son’s interactions as a member of sports teams, clubs, or one of the many groups they can join.

It is important that young men believe in themselves and the work they have done to date, have faith in their teachers and continue surrounding themselves with good people for support. As seniors begin the Term 3 Examination series they should remind themselves that the anti-fragility or resilience they have learnt through their time at Grammar will aid their performances, and it will continue to help them become the person they want to be after their examinations.

Those who make sacrifices to prepare thoroughly for assessments – whether in the pending senior examination series or with Form 3-5 assessments – and those with self-belief and ready access to support, have every opportunity to achieve a personal best and their potential.

We thank parents who continue to work with us, across a myriad of contexts, including curricular and extracurricular areas, to grow your sons’ anti-fragility and independence. Through your support and ours, they will reap the short and long-term personal benefits.

Tim O’Connor
Headmaster