Our Campuses

Preparatory School (Primary)

Deputy Headmaster's Message

Head of Preparatory School, Mr Jeff Symms

"After nearly 14 years in my role at TSS, I am extremely proud of the successful yet collaborative and supportive culture for which we are known."

The Primary years of schooling set the foundation for a boy’s growth and development and our teachers are enthusiastic in their development of each boy’s potential.

From our Preschool boys to our school leaders in Year 6, we invest in each student as individuals acknowledging their strengths, weaknesses, and passions.

It’s not by chance that TSS Preparatory School has been repeatedly ranked as the number 1 academic primary school on the Gold Coast. Our teaching staff are some of the most dedicated educators I have worked with throughout my 40 year career.

With boys nationally struggling to achieve at high levels in foundational literacy and numeracy skills, our boys continue to defy the trend – working together with their teachers and parents to achieve outstanding NAPLAN results year after year.

Comparatively low student to teacher ratios in our classrooms offer a highly connected learning environment, to which the ‘busy boy’ brain certainly responds. These smaller classes enable the teachers to really get to know each boy, both his strengths and weaknesses. This deep knowledge of each student is a distinguishing point for us as a school and something we pride ourselves on. We know that our best practice approach is preparing the boys well for their journey across the road and into Senior School.

Our Preparatory School classrooms are built upon enjoyment, engagement, discovery and curiosity. We want our students to experience wonder and excitement and we encourage them to take risks. They usually succeed, but sometimes they fail – and that is okay. They can learn from their efforts and succeed next try!

We take considerable time in making our teaching appointments, and the process is much more a recruitment process as opposed to an advertising campaign. We attract passionate teachers to our reputation for excellence and that is something of which I am very proud.

Our exceptional teachers have a deep understanding of how boys learn and what they need to learn. They build genuine relationships based upon mutual respect. Boys are very much relational learners, if they feel connected and heard they will engage and be inspired to learn.

Creating a positive, community environment at a school comes with time and consistent support, for not only the students but also the staff. A collaborative, uplifting school environment means we are privileged to have more than 20 males on our teaching staff here at TSS Preparatory School, despite the national shortage of male primary school teachers. There is no doubt that boys benefit from this male influence and we feel very honoured to have a great balance of excellent female and male teaching staff.

But it is the boys themselves who make our school such a great place to be. They are interested, involved, creative and imaginative. They love their learning, sport, and music. They are passionate about their House and class mates. And their happy faces around campus each morning, get every day off to a great start.

Jeff Symms,
TSS Deputy Headmaster, Head of Preparatory School