Senior School

I wrote last week regarding some of the impacts of COVID, specifically focusing on the impact it has had on students’ involvement in co-curricular programs. I hope your conversations with Tutors have been fruitful in helping to re-engage your children in Music, Art, Sporting and other co-curricular activities, and I look forward to seeing students re-engage with the full life of the School. 

At Blue Mountains Grammar School we give a great deal of thought to the things that contribute to making young people successful in their education. Most people can name the kind of core, academic skills successful students hold – literacy and numeracy, essay-writing, logical argument etc., and our teachers are very good at helping our young people learn these things. I wonder how many people, however, would also consider the many skills involved in self-regulation, relationships and negotiating conflict, many of which we know contribute to our young people’s overall success at School. Unfortunately, the development of these skills have also been impacted by COVID. 

As a School we have noticed a distinct increase in students presenting with emotional distress, and our Tutors, Heads of House and Counsellors have never been busier. We also notice that after years of disruption to our students’ social lives, school attendance and other activities that normally mark their lives, students are experiencing broken relationships and conflict as never before. This should not be surprising, as it is through the rough and tumble of these normal events that our students practice the skills they need to manage both themselves and their relationships. 

As a School we are speaking into our students’ social and emotional learning more intentionally this year, with a series of programs focused on developing a clear, positive and resilient sense of self, relational skills and understanding, and conflict-resolution abilities. For these programs to be impactful, however, in addressing the missed learning opportunities of recent years we need to partner with parents. 

So, what are we asking of you? 

Firstly, we invite you to ensure that your own support networks are firmly in place and that you are in the right headspace to support your children. Those who work in the “caring professions” know how important this can be, as sitting alongside those you care for in their distress can be draining. Parents love their kids and it is normal to feel their distress keenly, but as the adults in the lives of children and young people we must have sufficient emotional resources to guide them through life’s challenges without becoming stuck in them as well! 

Secondly, should you become aware that your child is experiencing relational difficulties with peers, please let their Tutor know. Our Tutors are each student’s “parent on campus”, and are deeply invested in helping your children navigate life here at BMGS. Our Tutors also often have unique perspectives on the broader social context within which children and young people are operating at School, hearing from multiple children and families along with our broader Pastoral Team who are busy doing the same. So, we ask that you listen carefully to your child and support them in their distress, but also that you hear the perspectives offered by Tutors and where necessary, more senior pastoral staff.   

As a community we have been through an unusual season for which we do not have recent historical parallels. It is a season, however, that we have navigated successfully so far and we will continue to do so – for the sake of the children and young people we care for.

Mr Owen Laffin

Deputy Head - Head of Senior School