Whether it’s an exam paper, a music performance, or making a clutch play in a big game, none of it comes down to luck. Success is built long before the event - in the hours of practice, the notes scribbled in the margins, and the countless reps on the training field.
Term 3 is always a tough one to navigate for students (and staff, no doubt parents too?!); it’s the time when preparation turns into performance across academics, sport, music, and the arts. And just to keep us honest, it always seems to arrive with a wave of winter viruses that test our stamina and determination as much as any exam or performance. Of course, not everything goes to plan: a tough result in a game, or an exam that felt harder than expected. These moments can sting, but they’re also some of the best lessons we ever get. In these moments, life doesn’t pause to let us feel sorry for ourselves. As soon as one exam is over, the next round of study begins. As soon as one game finishes, the next is already on the horizon. That rhythm can feel relentless, but it also means we always get another chance to improve.
At Ipswich Grammar School, Resilience isn’t just about bouncing back, it’s about stepping forward with purpose; each challenge faced and overcome makes us stronger, sharper, and better prepared for whatever lies ahead.
Setbacks don’t define our story, they refine it. The missed note, the wrong answer, the lost game, or even simply showing up when you’re not at 100%, all become part of the preparation for what’s next. And when success finally comes (and it will), it’s that much sweeter because we know what it cost us to get there.
Dr Adam Forsyth
Headmaster