Brighton Grammar School is a private Anglican day school for boys, located in Brighton, a south-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Founded in 1882 by George Henry Crowther, Brighton Grammar has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for over 1,500 students from the Early Learning Centre (ELC) to Year 12. The majority of students are drawn from the City of Bayside and surrounding suburbs of Brighton, East Brighton, Elsternwick, Hampton, Sandringham, Highett, Beaumaris and Black Rock.
The school is affiliated with a number of associations including the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA), the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), the Australian Anglican Schools Network, the International Boys' Schools Coalition IBSC, and the Associated Public Schools of Victoria (APS).
Contents
History
Brighton Grammar School was founded on 14 February 1882, with eight male students. By 1890, 160 boys were in attendance. During the depression of the 1890s, students numbers declined rapidly.
Brighton Grammar School's first site was 165 New Street Brighton. It subsequently moved to Temperly Lodge, located on Outer Crescent, north of Allee Street, in which the school's Urwin Centre for Learning currently stands. The School's third site, Pendennis, on New Street, was opened in 1886 when the school boasted near 160 pupils. In 1905, the Headmaster and founder purchased Rosstrevor, a large estate south of Allee St and its surrounding swampland. This land is now known as the Crowther Oval, sitting at the centre of the school. The oval was constructed by the help of “Old Boy engineers” who called upon “4000 loads of filling” to produce the oval.
The school founder, George Henry Crowther was headmaster until his death in 1918. His son, Lieutenant Colonel Harry Arnold A. Crowther, subsequently assumed the role. Crowther retired in 1924, when Herbert E. Dixon took over.
Under Dixon, the school came near to bankruptcy, however was saved by incorporation under the auspices of the Church of England. In February 1927, the Governor-General Lord Stonehaven opened the present site of Brighton Grammar's Quadrangle. Dixon continued in expanding the school until his retirement in 1938.
Geoffrey G. Green was headmaster until sickness resulted in his resignation in 1942. His successor was Reverend Phillip St. John Wilson.
In 1958, Brighton Grammar joined the Associated Public Schools of Victoria (APS), and soon after purchased grounds on the former Brighton Gas Company site, where "Wilson House", now the Junior School, was to be built to accommodate the growing student numbers. This site was "among Victoria’s most toxic sites" after an EPA report found remnants of industrial toxins and chemicals in the soil in 2016. Under Wilson, the school's facilities grew, with the Tower Wing of the Quadrangle expanded, the first Annandale Pavilion constructed, and the Memorial Hall (where BGS’ library now stands) constructed.
Affiliations
Brighton Grammar School has a close sister school relationship with Firbank Girls' Grammar School, an independent Anglican school for girls. Students of the two schools participate in a range of co-educational activities together. The school also maintains a close relationship with St Andrew's Anglican Church, Brighton.
In 2003, the Australian Government created the “Lighthouse Schools” program wherein 226 boys’ schools across Australia were selected as guiding institutions given data that boys were “significantly underperforming in key educational areas.” Brighton Grammar School received a $5,000 grant under the program to become a pivotal boys’ school.
Crowther Centre for Learning and Innovation
The Crowther Centre for Learning and Innovation is an organisation run under the auspices of Brighton Grammar School to provide support services for the educational community.
The Crowther Centre is part think-tank and research arm overseeing the collection and analysis of data to provide improved and informed decision-making processes. The Head of the Crowther Centre is Dr Ray Swann.
House system
Brighton Grammar School currently has eight houses: Armstrong (white), Crowther (yellow), Dixon (blue), Fairweather (orange), Hancock (green), Melville (grey), Rofe (purple) and School (red). Hancock was added in 1986, and Rofe was added in 2005 The newest two houses were added in 2023 (Fairweather and reinstated Melville). In 1923 the original houses were Armstrong, Crowther, Dixon, Melville and School (for boarders).
Armstrong House (1923): Characterised by an albatross, Armstrong is represented by the colour white. It honours Miss Eva Armstrong, a sister-in-law of Dr Crowther, who was for many years the Matron of the school. In her days the School was a boarding school and Miss Armstrong and Mrs Crowther took a great personal interest in the welfare of the boys and were often seen in the kitchen making jams and jellies and ensuring that the boys were well fed.
Crowther House (1923): Represented by a cannon and the colour gold. The name honours Dr Crowther, founder and Headmaster from 1882 until 1918. His second son Henry attended BGS from 1896 to 1905 and was Dux in his final year. He was Second Master to his father from 1913 and enlisted at the outbreak of WWI. He was a distinguished soldier rising to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He took over as Headmaster in 1919 after the death of Dr Crowther in December 1918.
Dixon House (1923): Dixon is symbolised by a Duke and the colour light blue. Herbert E Dixon was the third Headmaster of the School. He first joined the staff in 1903, left in 1912, but returned when Dr Crowther died in 1918, serving as Acting Headmaster and then as Vice Principal until his appointment as Headmaster in 1924. In that year the School was taken over by the Brighton Grammar School Association. Under Mr Dixon's Headmastership, the Tower and Hancock Wings were built in 1927 and the Argyle Building, beside the Crowther Oval at Rosstrevor, was opened in 1932. He retired in 1938.
Fairweather House (2024): Characterised by a fox and the colour orange. Mabel Fairweather was the longest-serving senior female BGS staff member and Head of the Junior School for 24 years (from 1939 to 1962). Under her stewardship, enrolments in the Junior School grew from 30 to 300 students. She was also a significant benefactor to BGS leaving a large portion of her estate to the School.
Curriculum
Brighton Grammar offers its senior students the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE).
In 2025, two boys had achieved a full ATAR of 99.95.
Extracurricular activities
Sport
Brighton Grammar is a member of the Associated Public Schools of Victoria (APS), and partakes in various sporting competitions against its other members. Students from year 7–12 participate in sports on Saturday with training during the week. These sports include rowing, sailing, basketball, AFL, rugby, touch rugby, diving, cricket, soccer, hockey and swimming.
Brighton Grammar has won the following APS premierships:
Badminton (1) – 2002
Cricket (6) – 1977, 1980, 1983, 1984, 2000, 2005 and the Lord's Taverners Cup 2005
Cross Country (2) – 1996, 1997
Football (8) – 1975, 1992, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2022, 2024,2026
Hockey (4) – 1976, 1980, 1983, 1998
Rowing (3) – 1983, 2021, 2024
Rugby (4) – 1969, 1981, 2024, 2026
Sailing (5) – 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024
Soccer (5) – 1999, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2025
Tennis (7) – 1977, 1978, 1982, 2000, 2001, 2024, 2026
Touch Football (1) - 2023
Water Polo (1) - 1990
STEM
Brighton Grammar participates in the STEM Racing challenge annually. They have advanced to the National Final for this competition ten times, with the following teams:
2017: Blue Tongue Racing (Development Class)
2020: Tasman 6 (the first F1 in Schools collaboration team between Australia and New Zealand) (Professional Class)
2020(21): Constellation Racing (Professional Class)
2022: Constellation (Professional Class)
2022: Livewire (Development Class)
2023: Phantom Racing (Professional Class)
2023: Lunar (Development Class)
2024: Lunar (Professional Class)
2025: Ad Astra (Professional Class)
2025: Lunar (Professional Class)
In 2022, Brighton Grammar School's F1 in Schools team, Constellation advanced to the 2023 Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals.
The team recorded a 17th-place finish at the school's first outing at the World Finals, with the 8th quickest car of 68 competitors. This presents a stable platform for BGS F1 to build upon.
In 2024, Brighton Grammar School's F1 in Schools team Lunar advanced to the 2024 Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals. Here they recorded a 3rd-place finish at the school's second World Finals outing, a record for BGS at the time.
In 2025, Brighton Grammar sent two professional class teams, Lunar and Ad Astra to the World Finals. This was the first occasion within Australia that one school sent two teams to the World Finals.
Music
Brighton Grammar has a rich music program, with several orchestras, ensembles, and choirs, including:
For Strings:
Secondary Strings Orchestra
Corelli Symphony Orchestra (formerly known as Corelli String Orchestra till 2025)
Cellobration (formerly known as Cello Choir till 2023)
Many Smaller Ensembles like Year 8 Piano Quintet, Year 10 String Quintet, etc.
For Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion
Senior Big Band
Intermediate Big Band
Senior Concert Band
Meliora Concert Band (formerly known as Intermediate Concert Band till 2025)
Flute Ensemble
Percussion Ensemble
For Voice:
Meliora Voices (Years 7–8)
Senior Choir (Years 9–12)
Ten Tonners
For Guitar:
Guitar Ensemble
Senior Guitar Orchestra
Other:
Carols Symphony Orchestra (For Christmas)
Historical Allegations and Cases
Brighton Grammar School has been referenced in historical allegations of student abuse, with reports spanning from 1965 to 2024. The school was included in an inquiry examining incidents across more than 180 Victorian schools.
Former staff member C. Smith was convicted in 2010 for offences committed between 2003 and 2008.
In separate cases, teachers J. Hewitt and G. Iliakis were charged during their employment in relation to the possession of inappropriate material.
Notable alumni
Alumni of Brighton Grammar School are commonly referred to as Old Boys or Old Grammarians and may elect to join the schools' alumni association, the Old Brighton Grammarians' Society (OBGS). Some notable Old Brighton Grammarians include:
Architecture, engineering and technology
John Leopold Denman – member of dynasty of architects
John Robertson Duigan and Reginald Duigan – Australian pioneer aviators who built and flew the first Australian-made aircraft.
Sir Lionel Hooke – Pioneer in radio; Wireless operator in Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Antarctic Expedition; Engineer
Business
Doug Warbrick – co-founder of Rip Curl.
Andrew Bassat – co-founder of SEEK.
Paul Bassat – co-founder of SEEK.
Entertainment, media and the arts
Roger Davies (talent manager) – Artist manager; Business manager; and Music producer
Neil Douglas MBE – Environmental artist; Conservationist; Author
Rennie Ellis – Social documentary photographer
Leslie John Heil AM – Radio Broadcaster
Peter Mattessi – Screenwriter, Executive Producer, Silver Logie winner, President of the Australian Writers' Guild.
Marcus Morelli – Principal Artist, The Australian Ballet