In Pursuit of Excellence

For more than 150 years, Brisbane Grammar School has been a model of educational excellence throughout Australia.

Now, the DNA of the School has been captured in a new official tagline: In Pursuit of Excellence. The tagline – endorsed by the Board in 2021 – is the result of an extensive research process and many generations of achievement.

Entrenched as the leading school for boys in Queensland, BGS continues to reinvent itself. Balancing history with innovation, the School has been relentless in its pursuit of excellence at all levels. This pursuit is also embodied in the School’s motto, nil sine labore – nothing without work.

Excellence is apparent in the School’s infrastructure – from the grandeur of the Great Hall, the heritage of the War Memorial Library, the cuttingedge Indoor Sports Centre, and the groundbreaking STEAM Precinct, which will open its doors in mid-2023.

Former School Captain and Old Boy Josh Grice ’17 said he recognised Brisbane Grammar School’s “proud culture of excellence” as soon as he entered the school gates.

“I had become part of a place where learning was valued and celebrated… where every boy was told they had the capacity to lead and was given an opportunity to do so,” he said.

Excellence has always been found in BGS people. The inaugural Chairman of the Board of Trustees was Sir Charles Lilley, a former Chief Justice and Premier of Queensland.

A journalist, politician and judge, Lilley was unwavering in his vision and efforts for a comprehensive system of free education in Queensland.

Trustees and Headmasters who followed have aimed to embody Lilley’s pursuit of excellence, and the highest academic achievers each year are awarded Lilley Medals.

Excellence is evident in the School’s educators and its leading approach to teaching and learning.

Excellence is also apparent in the School’s academic outcomes. The BGS median ATAR of 95.30 in 2021 rivals any boys’ school in Australia.

The BGS environment fostered excellence in academia, culture and sport.

- Ben Tolliday ’96.

The peer atmosphere at BGS was incredible in terms of inspiration, motivation and learning opportunities.

- Professor Michael Milford ’98

Eleven BGS Class of 2021 students earned the highest possible ATAR of 99.95 – more than a third of the 32 possible perfect ATARs awarded across the state. The class created ‘The Grammar Gateway’ – a repository of online resources to support their peers’ learning.

According to robotics expert Professor Michael Milford ’98, this tradition of boys supporting each other goes back a long way at BGS.

“I got to meet, be inspired by and learn from some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met, many of whom are friends today,” he said.

“The peer atmosphere at BGS was incredible in terms of inspiration, motivation and learning opportunities.

“Being around passionate, driven people chasing their dreams and exercising the self discipline and persistence required to compete on a world stage was a fabulous environment for encouraging lifelong adherence to those principles in yourself.”

A BGS education has prepared scores of Old Boys to attend and excel at leading universities around the world.

One recent example is Marcus Ray ’18, who will graduate from the University of Oxford this year before attending Harvard University on a scholarship.

The excellent academic outcomes, together with the development of BGS graduates as outstanding citizens, have seen Old Boys experience success in a growing number of disciplines.

Countless Old Boys liken their education at BGS to a period of enlightenment – a time in their lives when they were challenged by their peers and inspired by their teachers.

Dr James Fielding ’04, founder of hearing health technology company Audeara, said BGS provided him a sense of belonging and the belief to pursue excellence at school and beyond.

“Being at BGS, surrounded by so many people who are so amazing at so many things, you believe you can fit into that space,” he said.

“It was very easy to see what success looked like. It was an achievable goal, and it broke down so many barriers around what life could be like.”

Likewise, endurance athlete and mentor Richard Thompson ’02 said the collective pursuit of excellence at BGS increased his individual potential to succeed.

“It felt like everyone was rowing the boat in the same direction for the benefit of the group,” he said.

“I learned that amazing things happen when you work hard and have people in your team supporting you.”

It was very easy to see what success looked like. It was an achievable goal, and it broke down so many barriers around what life could be like.

- Dr James Fielding ’04

I met some wonderful and inspiring teachers at BGS. The education that you receive at BGS is certainly second to none.

- Raziq Qasimi ’14

Medical entrepreneur and Queensland Rugby Union Chairman Brett Clark ’85 said attending the School helped him “see the world with a different lens” and made him “dare to dream”.

International sound engineer Ben Tolliday ’96 said he was encouraged to participate and achieve across various areas during his time at BGS.

“I’m tremendously grateful for the School’s encouragement to simultaneously study hard, practice music and play sport,” he said.

“We were encouraged to be Renaissance men – an ideal I still endeavour to uphold in my life and career. The BGS environment fostered excellence in academia, culture and sport.”

BGS will release a new video to embody its In Pursuit of Excellence tagline. Watch the video via brisbanegrammar.com. The photos used to accompany this feature story were captured as part of the video shoot.