Activities programme
Activities occur throughout the week for Years 10 to 12, mainly after school, and change from term to term.
Examples of the types of activities that students can be involved in are horse polo, Pilates, fencing, table tennis, sculling on the Barwon River, ceramics, clay target shooting, strength and conditioning, swimming lessons, barista and coffee art courses, first aid, lifeguarding and hospitality training.
Committees
Student committees help to foster a sense of belonging and purpose where students with common interests work together towards mutual goals. Equally, student committees are vital in championing student voices to shape change and improve the learning and living community. Examples of student committees include the Wellbeing Committee, the Academic Committee, and the Environment Committee. These are open to any students interested in being involved and coordinated by students with staff support as needed.
Community service
Each house has a community service representative who coordinates various charitable ventures throughout the year, such as the Red Cross Door Knock and the Red Shield Appeal. Service activities also take place during the week outside classroom hours. Service activities are an essential part of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and the Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) component of the IB Diploma Programme.
Debating and public speaking
Debating always attracts many students who participate in the inter-house and regional competitions organised by the Debating Association of Victoria (DAV). Teams are selected on a year level basis. The Geelong Grammar School Public Speaking Team participates in the main public speaking competitions in the Geelong area.
Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme
All students are eligible to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. Most students will have completed their Bronze Award while at Timbertop and have completed the hiking component of the Silver Award during their final term at Timbertop.
Lorne 160
This is the School’s largest fundraising event throughout the year. Students plan events to raise money for a charity nominated by the Lorne 160 team each year. It culminates in the students (approximately 16) running overnight from Geelong to Lorne and back in a relay. Students must apply to be part of this group, and criteria are published. Applications and interviews occur during Term 2. The run occurs on the last full day of Term 3.
Music
Music is an integral and energetic part of our learning community that nurtures engagement, and inspires loyalty, teamwork, and dedication. The School’s broad music programme caters to all students, from the most serious academic to the hobbyist, offering tuition in various instruments from a team of over fifty visiting musicians.
Private instrumental and vocal tuition
Individual and group instrumental and vocal tuition is offered at Corio Campus and does not require students to be enrolled in music as an academic subject to participate. Lesson lengths are generally between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on the student’s level.
Details for the instrumental and private tuition that is available are published in Hive. Students can enrol for instrumental and vocal tuition at the start of the year or preceding each term. Fees are charged to the school account in arrears on a termly basis.
Outdoor education – camps
Camps for Year 10 students are a compulsory component of the Year 10 programme. The Year 10 programme offers a different challenge and can include a variety of experiences for students to choose from.
Performing arts
The School hosts a vibrant and diverse range of dramatic compositions. School productions, which collectively equate to 12 per year at Corio Campus, vary from musicals and classics to the latest in contemporary drama, house plays of all types and small-cast, physical theatre pieces. Each year, our Middle School and Senior School students look forward to the opportunity to perform and be involved in a full-scale production. Past Senior School shows include Chicago, Sense and Sensibility and Beauty and the Beast.
The annual Senior School play takes place in Term 1, and the Senior School musical in Term 3, and are open to all Senior School students by audition. Most rehearsals take place during the week, with some occasional weekend days closer to the performance date.
Excursions are organised during the year to attend professional theatrical productions in Melbourne, and these are open to all interested students.
Sport
Sport is an integral part of a student’s time at Geelong Grammar School. The playing fields offer students opportunities to develop physical skills and nurture their social and emotional skills, especially helping to develop resilience amongst young adults. Training and participating in sport in conjunction with other co-curricular and academic pursuits helps promote a healthy mind, body and spirit.
Sport is a compulsory activity , and it is our hope the habits learned will last a lifetime. All Geelong Grammar School students are required to participate in a summer and winter season of sport and are encouraged to participate in athletics in the spring season.
Sport training for Senior School students is typically scheduled on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. The Saturday morning competition fixture times are updated each week and made available through Hive.