From the Principal

Dear BMGS Families,

The Key to Success? Grit – and the Importance of Showing Up

In a recent newsletter, I shared a surprising statistic: even a 90% attendance rate – which sounds pretty good – actually means a student misses about one day of school every two weeks. That adds up to around four weeks of learning lost in a year. Over the course of the entire school journey, 90% attendance equates to almost an entire year of missed learning. 

I am not sharing this to alarm anyone. I know life happens - children get sick, family events occur, and sometimes, a slow morning just wins. But it’s a good reminder that attendance matters more than we often think, not just because of the academic content missed (though that’s important) but because of what regular attendance quietly builds over time: resilience, consistency, a sense of routine, and the deep message that being part of something matters.

We know from research – and from our own experience here at Blue Mountains Grammar School – that consistent attendance is tied to achievement and this sense of well-being and social connection. When students miss school regularly, it creates learning gaps and can subtly erode their sense of belonging. So the question becomes: beyond the academic cost, what life habits are we helping our young people develop by encouraging them to show up, day after day?

One powerful answer comes from psychologist Angela Duckworth, whose TED Talk on grit has resonated with educators and parents worldwide. Her message is clear: perseverance and passion for long-term goals can matter as much as academic smarts – and often, even more. You can watch the 6-minute talk here 

Grit: Sticking with It When It’s Tough

Duckworth defines grit as “passion and perseverance for very long-term goals.” It’s the determination to continue – not for days or weeks, but for years – to pursue something meaningful. In her research across everything from military academies to spelling bees, she found the same pattern: the strongest predictor of success wasn’t IQ, social skills or physical talent. It was grit.

We see examples of this kind of perseverance all the time at BMGS. A student who works steadily to improve in a challenging subject or commits to a team or a musical ensemble for the whole season, even when it gets tough, is grit. It’s a quality that underpins academic success and carries over into careers, relationships, and adult life.

Crucially, grit isn’t something you either have or don’t – it can be grown. And one of the simplest places to start is with showing up.

Attendance: A Daily Practice of Grit

Coming to school each day might not seem like an act of perseverance, but it is, especially when a student is tired, nervous about a test, or just not feeling it. Choosing to show up despite those feelings builds the muscles of responsibility and commitment.

This is why I’ve been focusing strongly on attendance in our communications. Of course, we understand that students get sick or emergencies happen – but when school attendance becomes optional for reasons like a birthday treat, a late night, or “just a mental health day,” the cumulative impact is real. One day missed here and there might seem harmless, but it adds up quickly. Research shows that students with higher attendance perform better academically and are more likely to feel connected and confident.

Conversely, chronic absence - defined as missing 10% or more of school - is linked to reduced engagement and lower achievement. It’s also associated with social-emotional challenges: Children who are frequently absent often report feeling disconnected from peers or overwhelmed about catching up.

As a community, we need to think of attendance not as a checkbox but as a daily opportunity to practise grit.

Growth Mindset: It’s Not About Being the Smartest

Closely linked to grit is a growth mindset, a term coined by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck. A growth mindset is the belief that intelligence and ability can develop with effort and learning. It’s a mindset that says, “I can get better with practice,” rather than “I’m just not good at this.”

Angela Duckworth’s research supports this idea: it’s not necessarily the brightest students who succeed, but those who persist—those who see failure as a challenge to grow rather than a dead end. “The ability to learn is not fixed,” Duckworth reminds us. “It can change with your effort.”

I encourage us all to model this at home. When your child faces a setback, help them see it as part of the learning process. Praise their effort, not just their outcomes. Talk about your challenges and how you overcome them. Let them see that persistence is a family value.

So, What Can We Do?

At BMGS, we’re deeply committed to nurturing students who don’t just perform well in the short term but who build the skills and character to flourish for life. That means developing resilience, self-discipline, and a genuine love of learning.

The good news is that this work begins at home – in your words, your routines, and the expectations you set. When school is prioritised, it sends a message: learning matters, and so does perseverance. Celebrating your child for sticking with something hard – not just for winning or acing the test – reinforces the deeper values that lead to long-term success.

A Community Effort

My hope is that our community can continue working together to help our students grow up resilient, passionate, and purposeful. Please reach out if you’re finding it hard to keep attendance consistent or notice your child is struggling with motivation. We are here to help. And if you’ve found a great way to encourage grit at home, we would love to hear about that as well. 

Thank you for being our partners in your children’s lives at school. By focusing on effort, presence, and perseverance, we hope to help them develop the habits and mindsets that will serve them throughout life.

Warm regards,

Steven Coote 

Principal