AROUND THE GROUNDS
And as our school does so well, the wider Scotch Family is getting involved too.
“ We are building up a skilled set of Young Old Boys who are assisting with the program, are familiar with Scotch College and have a willingness to give back to a wider Scotch community,” Karen says.“ This relationship building has allowed for the growth of the skills in the Young Old Boys, helped them form relationships with younger students, allowed them to develop as leaders and given them confidence as they move into other roles, like as sports coaches.”
While the program is still evolving, early tweaks, like rotating boys through popular activities and embedding study options for Year 10 boys, are already proving effective. Karen is looking forward to what lies ahead, too.“ I’ d love to see even more flexibility and more staff sharing their own passions and curiosities with the boys. I’ m keen to expand the program to offer more flexible choice for the boys.”
A sense of wonder
Over in the Junior School, the spirit of curiosity is alive and well. Huw Jones, who coordinates the program for our younger boys, describes Scotch Explore as“ a tremendous success,” with Thursdays quickly becoming a highlight of the week for students and staff alike.
“ The level of engagement is high, and the sense of fun and awe is unmistakable,” he said.“ There’ s camaraderie in pushing their friends one last rep in Boxfit or supporting a first forward roll in Gymnastics. We have Year 2s challenging Year 6s in chess, and boys making meaningful decisions about spending and savings in their fictional portfolios for Banqer, our financial literacy program. The level of engagement across the Junior School is so pleasing to see.”
A few favourites have become clear over the past few months. Coding, Chess, Cinematics, and Construction Club have all seen high demand, and Huw is already thinking ahead.
Great Scot | Issue 173 | 2025
“ I’ m keen to build on the excitement of our most popular choices and look at ways to bring them into the broader co-curricular landscape,” he said.“ If Coding or Banqer are sparking genuine interest, why not deepen those experiences through incursions or term-long extensions?”
Huw has also encouraged boys to take the“ explore” aspect seriously, pushing them to try new things each term.
“ For an hour each week, they get the chance to engage with something new, and we’ re focused on creating a space where they feel safe and excited to do just that.”
“ Watching the Hip Hop Dance
Club grooving and break dancing and moving about the room with hilarious swagger— so delightful! They were totally immersed, I hope it leads to a lifetime of dance floor escapades for them”.
Huw Jones Program Coordinator
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