The Importance of Community

From the Head of College, Scott Bedingfield

Welcome back to Term 2. It was wonderful to see our students return yesterday, refreshed and ready for a term full of learning and adventure. Last Friday, we were proud to have Oxley students and staff take part in the ANZAC Day March and Service in Bowral, marking 110 years since Gallipoli. It was a moment of deep reflection and thanksgiving for the men and women who have served this country — many of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today. Thank you for supporting this important community occasion. At school, we also held a moving student-led assembly on Tuesday to commemorate the day with thoughtfulness and respect.

Community has always been central to who we are at Oxley College. It shaped our foundation and remains the heart of our new 2025–2027 Strategic Vision: A positive impact through sharing the values and experience of an Oxley education in communities near and far. We saw this in action during the break where students participated in two different Round Square trips – one on the other side of the country and another on the other side of the world. Students in Years 7 and 8 travelled to Perth and Bunbury to attend the “Footprints of Unity” Global Conference, where they engaged in cultural exploration, outdoor adventure and deep learning on Noongar Boodja country. At the same time, a group of senior students took part in Round Square Inspiring Voices: The Big Baraza at the University of Oxford. In remarkable venues including the Oxford Union and the Sheldonian Theatre, they participated in courageous global conversations, building leadership, listening, and oratory skills with students from all over the world.

Closer to home, the Oxley community continues to flourish. On the last day of Term 1, over 450 grandparents and grandfriends joined us for Grandparents’ Day — a wonderful celebration of connection across generations. This term, I warmly encourage you to join us for several exciting community events, including:

P-12 Mother’s Day Breakfast (8 May)
P&F Meeting (14 May)
Foundation Night (22 May)
Centre for Ethics Lectures with A C Grayling (12 May), Peter Greste (29 May) and Stan Grant (19 June)

Finally, I’m pleased to share that exciting progress has been made on our campus building projects over the break. We remain committed to ensuring the very best learning and working environment for our students and staff. Oxley’s Business Manager, Em Cassin will be sharing more about the new classrooms in her article.

I hope this shorter term brings continued growth for our students and many opportunities for our community to come together. We have much to celebrate.