Over the last few weeks, we have come together as the Grammar family to celebrate the achievements and conclusion of a highly successful year for our students.
The music and drama performances, the Grade 7 and 9 Outdoor Education camps, completion of exams and final assessments, class picnic celebrations, Carols at St John’s, two wonderful Presentation events, the inevitable farewells and student graduations each create an opportunity for us to come together as community. These events are more than rites of passage that we expect at this time of year, they highlight the tremendous effort, skills, talents, and success of our students.
Underpinning the culmination of each event has been the day-to-day lessons, rehearsals, practices, failed attempts, perseverance, effort and energy. It is the immersive, experiential, and engaging learning experiences that lay the foundations of success. That is what we really celebrate.
The first year of our Wellbeing Strategic Intent has seen the school go from strength to strength. Junior School enrolment is strong with two additional classes in Grades Prep and 4 for 2025. We have a reputation for meeting our students where they are at and ensuring that their academic growth values their talents, nurtures their skills and challenges them to succeed. We are “small by design” for good reason.
Our expert educators on the Junior Campus use data strategically to continue to deliver a world class education. Our focus on literacy, numeracy and enrichment has seen strong improvement in academic results be it in national testing or national competitions such as ICAS and Tournament of Minds. Our well-rounded education has seen our junior students thrive on the stage, the sporting courts and fields. They have experienced great success in visual arts exhibitions and had opportunities to compete in a range of STEAM programs. There is strong participation in at least 12 dynamic “Little Extra” programs.
The children are engaged, supported and have agency to actively pursue learning. They can only do this in an environment where each child is known, where failure is a learning tool and success in learning is an opportunity to identify what next. This is the power of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP). Our Early learning opens at near capacity with 6 groups. We look forward to the opening of the Patricia Roberts Early Learning Precinct in March next year (subject to the weather of course). We will have a staged opening as different elements of the building program are completed. A well-resourced learning environment and dedicated expertly trained staff will see our Early Years program continue to underpin an Excellence rating against the national quality framework and standard.
Last week we farewelled the Grade 12 class of 2024 at the Senior School Presentation Evening. This week we celebrate their success on the release of their TCE results.
We are enormously proud of their academic achievement as a cohort, with tremendous individual performances that rank amongst the best nationally.
- Our Dux of the Year is Madeleine Fletcher who achieved an ATAR of 99.35 and our Proxime Accessit are Zara Brown and Adelaide Siu who achieved an ATAR of 99
- 20 TCE students achieved qualifications in Vocational Education & Training (VET) courses this year in courses including Automotive, Carpentry, Commercial Cookery, Fitness, Screen & Media, and Visual Arts.
- The Median ATAR was 89.05 which is an outstanding result compared to like schools both in Tasmania and Australia
- 100 Grade 10 – 12 Students undertook short VET courses, earning valuable micro-credentials and life skills
The fruits of their work over their learning journey opens doors for life and I encourage our leavers to think beyond the result and what it means for their immediate next steps. At Grammar we have asked our Grade 12 students to consider more broadly what opportunities they may open to themselves into the future and what a fulfilling life looks like. Now is the time to enact the plans they have nurtured. Social media and traditional media focusses on ATAR as the measure of success but we know our students will pursue diverse pathways. We are especially proud of our students who graduate with Certificate II and III qualifications from VET programs, giving them a head start into apprenticeships and traineeships. We are proud of those students taking an intentional gap year and including an element of service during this time to further grow themselves. We are proud of students who have mapped a pathway that includes future study. We are proud that even when they may have doubted themselves, that today signifies another step into their brilliant lives post school.
Thank you to the staff that have supported our students on their journey and shaped our Grammar Graduates to be humble and ready to make a positive impact in their own lives and the lives of others.
Senior School students have finished the year well. There have been numerous opportunities to come together in various groupings over the year to strengthen the bonds of community. House is the backbone of our success as students and staff support each other to create a culture of friendship, respect and trust.
Each year level has had at least one Outdoor Education opportunity which enables individual strength and resilience in pursuit of personal achievement to be put to the test. But this is only made possible by a team commitment to support each other.
Co-curricular activities have been many and varied. In our sports, supportive and focussed approach to competition has seen our teams often walking from the field with pride and smiles even without victory. Our Girls First Soccer team and Boys First VIII Rowing crew captivated us with displays of athleticism. The Performing Arts students are tireless in their delivery of amazing experiences which lift us all because we see the hard work and camaraderie that drives success. “Strictly Ballroom” was a crowd favourite. The enrichment offering, be it public speaking, debating, chess, writing workshops, entrepreneurship and STEAM competitions bring together likeminded students who generate a culture of inclusion, courage and risk taking.
Opportunity knows no bounds in the Senior School, and it is the power of inspiration and connection that enables students to thrive. 2024 has been a stellar year for our students, made possible by the staff who mentor, coach, support and lead them through our unique program offering.
As a community we have come together to celebrate, to volunteer, to work together and support our students. Be it through the giving of time, treasure or talent, our students flourish because of the efforts of many. Thank you for your impactful contribution to making the magic work at Launceston Grammar.
I wish all families a holy and peaceful Christmas. May the summer break be an opportunity to reconnect and reenergise. I look forward to seeing you in 2025 which, on paper, is shaping up to be a brilliant year for our School.
With regards
Dale Bennett
Principal