Head of Preparatory

JEFF SYMMS

Head of the Preparatory School

There is always a buzz about the school. Busy boys and busy teachers going about all manner of business, and in doing so, creating, learning, collaborating and growing. There is a hum and a vitality to the school that excites me every day, and 2015 had more than its fair share of reasons to remind us of how lucky we are to be a part of this great community and school.

I give particular thanks of course to the incredibly dedicated teaching staff of the Preparatory School. Teaching is a career of exceptional demands, with most parents being unaware of the many, many hours of preparation that underpin each successful day at school. Additionally, the non-teaching staff of the school is extraordinary in the amount of time and effort they give to ensure our school is the special place we know it to be. The administrative staff, co-curricular coaches, ground staff and cleaners all take pride in the job they do as they know it is vital to ensure our school’s continued well-functioning.

I commend all of the boys on their academic progress – both those who achieve at the highest levels and those who find academics challenging. Education is not a race to the finish, but the continual progress towards a goal, and I am proud of the way that all boys engage in this process. As an example, in 2015, the teaching staff determined to target the boys’ reading levels, and after a great deal of professional learning a program was implemented to target comprehension levels and fluency, and across the year the boys’ achievements were monitored. I happily report that in each year level the standards have risen quite considerably. The boys have worked very consistently on improvement and congratulations to them and the teachers on setting a goal and working to achieve it.

NAPLAN 2015 was a great endorsement of our school’s educative program. The boys in Year 3 placed as the secondhighest ranked school on the Gold Coast, pipped at the post only by St Hilda’s, and this in part due to the girls’ higher score in reading. As the Coast’s only boys school and one that is proudly non-selective, this is a tremendous result. Additionally, our Year 5 cohort scored impressively, again scoring higher averages than the State and national scores in all areas tested.

The boys performed exceptionally well across a range of international and national competitions throughout the year, with very high levels of achievement in the ICAS (International Competitions and Assessments for Schools) competitions conducted by the University of NSW. Our boys competed in the Science, English, Mathematics, Computing, Spelling and IT programs and we recorded a very high number of High Distinctions, Distinctions, Merit and Credit awards. The boys also excelled in the Language Perfect international language competition, and we regularly had boys and classes in the top performers worldwide for Mathletics.

We had an excellent year, too, in sport. The tour to New Zealand was certainly a highlight and the boys enjoyed testing themselves against some of the strongest sporting schools of that country. The annual Armidale trip yielded good results and we hosted matches against a number of visiting schools throughout the year. Our swimming team performed very well in the GPS championships, coming away with a nail-biting second-place finish to Churchie. It all came down to the final relay and was a very exciting day. The Athletics team produced some great results and our boys recorded a couple of GPS records and were proud of their sixth placing. The cross country team also ran well and we recorded some outstanding individual results. But ultimately it has been the high participation rate that has been most pleasing. Across the year, and the vast array of sports we offer, most boys have found something to challenge and interest them.

Musically it has been a very strong year at the Preparatory School. Boys have undertaken exams across a range of instruments and their results have been very good. The Instrumental Programs in Years 2 and 4 continue to

encourage boys to commit to an instrument and our bands and ensembles have been really impressive. The Cremona String Ensemble was named as most outstanding ensemble of the Gold Coast Eisteddfod, an incredible achievement given that this award considers all student groups – both primary and secondary school. The choirs were, as always, outstanding and the outback tour to Goondiwindi was a tremendous success, highly valued by the local families who delighted in hosting the boys in their homes and hearing them sing. In 2016, the Band of Brothers tour of London, Paris, Belgium and The Somme will head off to take TSS music to the world.

The Visual Arts department always leads our boys to outstanding achievement and this year produced the stunning Poppy Garden to mark the centenary of Gallipoli. This special memorial garden never fails to impress visitors to the campus and it has become a highly valued addition to our school facilities. The resurrection of the Year 6 art show this year was a wonderful addition to our program and provided an opportunity for the boys to share their talent with the wider community. Space does not permit me to reflect on all departments, year levels or classes – but suffice to say that across the breadth and depth of the curriculum and co-curricular spheres, our teachers have presented the boys with incredible opportunities for learning and the boys have accepted the challenges and achieved magnificently. Importantly, the special spirit that imbues this school was as always on display. The boys, led by their Housemasters and Round Square Co-ordinator, participated in many charitable programs that raised considerable funds for those less fortunate. The Preparatory School’s support of the school and families in Cambodia, plus the many worthy causes with which we engage, help the boys to appreciate the value in service to others.

There are many important skills learnt at School and the life skills of co-operation, collaboration, teamwork, sportsmanship and consideration for others are as important as those in the academic sphere. There is much that is carefully woven through each day’s program that supports the development of these aspects of character, and the staff of the school accepts the responsibility to work with families on the development of the boys into fine young men, readily and with commitment.

This year, in consort with the Friends of Prep group, we added to the pastoral program by engaging Dr Arne Rubenstein to speak with our boys and their parents and provide insights into relationship development. Arne conducted a father and son sleepover on the Prep School oval so that fathers and their boys could explore their relationship and identify areas in which to invest more time. This program adds to the Family Planning and Life Education Centre courses with which our boys engage, all of which supplement the values education taught during our Bounce Back sessions. 2015 has been a great year and I have enjoyed working with your sons and seeing their growth and development. On behalf of the staff of the Preparatory School, I sincerely thank all who have played a role in supporting the boys. Your contributions are many and varied and very much appreciated. Onward to 2016 and the reaching of even higher heights.