Tensions between Queensland’s top boys’ schools escalate over GPS ban

Tensions over a ban of Queensland’s top private boys’ schools attending their rivals’ games have escalated, amid a stern warning from a college Rector.

Parents of star student athletes have been warned to “read the fine print” if lured with sport scholarships from rival schools, as tensions between Queensland’s top boys’ colleges over poaching allegations escalate.

Earlier this week the heads of the Associated Independent Colleges made the astonishing announcement that GPS member schools would be banned from their sport games, with all trial games suspended.

AIC member schools have said they hold sincere concerns about the practice of GPS member schools approaching athletes and their families, and offering them free or reduced fee places at their schools.

On Friday Iona College Rector Fr Michael Twigg told families the principals of the AIC – of which the College is one of eight members – had made a genuine attempt to resolve the issue with “collegiality and fairness”.

“The further escalation indicates the type of response that was received,” he said.

“On this issue of enrolments, it is clear that we do not share the same values as the GPS.”

Iona College Rector Fr Michael Twigg issued a warning to family’s tempted by GPS scholarship offers. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

Fr Twigg said AIC schools took pride in not “luring students of talent to the school through the use of scholarships”.

“My advice to any such family tempted to go in this direction, is to read the fine print very carefully, especially relating to whether your son wants to continue with the sport he was chosen for, or even in certain circumstances, what happens when injuries occur.

“If you do happen to be approached by these ‘recruiters’, my advice is to carefully consider what is actually being offered.”

On Friday the GPS Association issued a short statement, which said “GPS member schools have a proud tradition of creating education and co-curricular opportunities for their students.”

“GPS member schools are recognised throughout Australian and internationally for the quality of the programs they offer for all students.

“We understand it is the prerogative of parents to select schools which are the best fit for their child, based on the student’s needs.”

Insiders said the move by the AIC was an indication years of tensions between non-GPS and GPS schools over the poaching of athletes had escalated.

“There’s a joke line in school sports that the parents at GPS schools who actually pay the fees – and there are some – are paying for their own child’s education and for the sporting career of the kids who turn up because they’re good at sport,” one said.

“It’s been getting out of hand in recent years and it’s just become an arms race between these GPS schools.

“They don’t even try to hide it anymore.”

But it was not just AIC schools which were being targeted for potential athletes.

“There was a ... (recent school championship) where the scouts were even wearing their school shirts and openly coming up to kids who had raced well. They weren’t even going to their parents first,” one insider said.

“And, if the kid has siblings, they’ll give the siblings a discount (on fees) to make sure they get the talented kid to the school.

“It’s hard to know how it’s going to stop because it just seems the (GPS) schools are all scared about other (GPS) schools getting better than them so they keep trying to out-do each other.

“In the end, the (GPS) parents are the ones that make it possible because they’re paying the fees that subsidise these kids who turn up for free.”

A number of questions to the GPS Association chair, Toowoomba Grammar School headmaster John Kinniburgh, including whether it intended to engage with the AIC to address the latter’s grievances went unanswered.

Toowoomba Grammar School new headmaster, Dr John Kinniburgh.

The private GPS Member schools – Nudgee College, Brisbane Boys’ College, The Southport School, Brisbane Grammar School, St Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace, Anglican Church Grammar School and Ipswich Grammar School – were also contacted for comment, but all declined or did respond.

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Originally published as Tensions between Queensland’s top boys’ schools escalate over GPS ban