Dear Parents and Guardians

It is hard to believe that already Week 3 of Term 3 is upon us. All terms are incredibly busy at Brisbane State High School, but Term 3 is an absolutely crucial term for students.

There is a constant focus on assessment preparation and completion across all year groups. GPS and QGSSSA competitions are fully committed to their competitions and there is a myriad of other co-curricular and extra-curricular activities occurring.

Next week also includes our annual ‘Athletics Carnival’ followed by ‘State High Day’ on Saturday 2 August, which promises to be bigger and better than ever! This event will showcase the unique current context at BSHS, while also acknowledging the achievements of the past. On this day, BSHS is hosting BBC, culminating in the First XV match on the oval in the afternoon. There really will be something for everyone on this special day and your support and presence will be much appreciated.

BSHS is keen to continue to develop its reputation as a leading light in state school education and in mid-term we are hosting an AI forum, which will be attended by Senior Leaders representing the largest schools in the greater Brisbane area. This particular area remains an exciting ongoing challenge for schools, as does inclusive curriculum delivery strategies, holistic development of students, and timetable and weekly structure effectiveness.

With regards to the recent consultation that occurred for the preferred timetable model for 2026, I am pleased to advise that this was overall very positive and the model will now be forwarded to the Department of Education for approval to implement from the start of the 2026 school year. You will be kept fully updated regarding this process.

ATAR tracking is remaining on course to produce academic results of a very high standard, which are consistent with recent years. NAPLAN results significantly exceed state averages in all categories, with spelling in Years 7 and 9 showing some more work and focus is required here. On average in Year 7, 89% of students are ‘exceeding’ or ‘strong’ across all 5 categories, while in Year 9 the average percentage is 84%.

On Wednesday, the school celebrated ‘Foundation Day’, the original 1921 date, when the school was officially established. The theme of Past, Present and Future was reflected by speeches from a current Year 11 student Jocelyn Cosentino, alumna Dr Ann Bennett, and myself.

The day was capped off by the appearance of the legendary alumni Wally Lewis, who was interviewed appropriately on our sports oval.

See you at State High Day!