The Oxley College Newsletter Term 2, Week 1 2024 - 29 April 2024
Head of College
Welcome back to Term 2. I do hope you were able to have a restful break and are ready for a wonderful term ahead. It was terrific to spend time with Oxley students last Thursday as we marched through Bowral to commemorate ANZAC day. Thank you for your support of this important community activity.
There is much to celebrate at Oxley this term, with many school events and I look forward to sharing these celebrations with you. Please check the school app for times.
Thursday 9 May – P-12 Mother’s Day Breakfast
Tuesday 14 May – P & F Meeting
Wednesday 22 May – Centre for Ethics Lecture – AC Grayling
Thursday 23 May – Foundation Night – Compulsory Event for Years 3 – 12
Saturday 25 May – An Autumn Evening – Foundation Event
Wednesday 12 June – Festival of Light and Learning
Thursday 20 June – Centre for Ethics Lecture – Julia Baird
Staffing I am pleased to inform you that over the break we have recruited some outstanding staff to fill the positions that were vacated at the end of last term. We are very lucky with the calibre of staff we continue to attract to Oxley. Due to requirements for staff to give a notice with their current employers to join us at Oxley some staff will not start until a little later in the term. However, in the meantime our team here at Oxley will ensure that all students are well catered for in the interim.
Year 12 and HSC 2024 We now only have two terms left with our brilliant Year 12 cohort and over this term they will complete their final assessments before their Trial Examinations at the beginning of next term. This year we have developed some new programs to ensure our students can reach their goals for their HSC. Some of these have included
Academic Mentoring with a member of the Executive or Senior Leadership Team
A Senior study centre opening 4 nights a week from 5.30pm – 7.30pm, supervised by teaching staff
A full week study camp which will run in the final week of Term 3, to ensure they are ready for their HSC exams.
We are also continuing to evaluate what is important to our community in regard to academic success and a big part of this evaluation will be the whole school survey that we will conduct early this term. You will receive information about this shortly.
In the meantime, you may be interested in this article by Robyn Nagy entitled League tables are damaging education in NSW (click here). Robyn works with Oxley and several other independent schools evaluating HSC results each year and looks at how students have grown as learners over many years, rather than reducing them to a single number. At Oxley we continue to tell our students that they are more than just a number, we are an inclusive community that cares about them and values their character. We also believe in all students, no matter their ability level, being able to be offered academically rigorous curriculum.
I look forward to analysing the survey later in the term to continue to ensure we offer the best possible education for every child in the College.
Yours sincerely
Mr Scott Bedingfield Head of College
Deputy Head of College
MMG Education Survey
In the next few weeks, all parents/carers (K to Year 12), students (Years 6-12) and staff will be given the opportunity to provide us with feedback relating to their views of the College across a wide range of areas.
This research is being conducted by MMG Education, as specialist education consultancy that works with schools across Australia in the areas of school strategic reviews and stakeholder satisfaction.
This feedback will be invaluable to us when we embark on our new Strategic Plan later in the year. We want to ensure that as many members of our parent/carer body take part in the survey.
Parents/carers will receive a communication later this week with more details about the survey.
Help us to make it safer for students to get to and from school!
Many Oxley families reside “on the other side” of Moss Vale Road; a bustling state-owned arterial road devoid of safe crossing points for our students. Consequently, many of our students are left with no option but to rely on transportation to and from school each day. This reliance not only exacerbates traffic congestion on our local roads but also leads to lengthy queues during peak hours. The situation is mirrored for students attending neighbouring schools who live on this side of Moss Vale Road.
We urgently require a crossing over Moss Vale Road. The proposal from local community groups also includes a kilometre stretch of footpath/cycleway on Charlotte Street, and a crossing of Eridge Park Road from the existing bike path; this would connect the path network in East Bowral with the western side of Moss Vale Road.
We believe the most effective way to make this a reality is for individual members of the community to reach out to the office of Judy Hannan MP, Member for Wollondilly in the NSW State Parliament. We believe requests of this nature are more impactful coming from individual community members than they are from organisations.
Through collective action, I firmly believe we can bring about a significant change that will have benefits for so many in our community.
What do teachers do on “student free days”?
The College’s vision statement deliberately describes us as ‘a learning community’. As teachers, we need to always keep learning in order to provide an education that meets the needs of our students in a rapidly changing world. A phrase I have frequently plagiarised from a former colleague is that “we are too good not to be better”. Schools (and all organisations) that do not change will decline.
Today was all about Technology @ Oxley. Our Keynote Speaker and one of our workshop presenters was Brett Salakas. Brett is a teacher, leader, poet, the founder of #aussieED (the largest online network of teachers in Australia) and the co-founder of both the ED Poets Society and #TheWalkingED. He is also the HP Education Ambassador, where he co-hosts the HP Reinvent the Classroom Podcast. He is also author of A Mammoth Lesson: Teaching in the Digital Age. Brett spoke compellingly about how AI can reduce the administrative burden of teachers, increase productivity and support student learning; in his words, “Generative AI enables us to put the humanity into teaching” through reducing workload, personalising learning and feedback, and enabling teachers to focus on the essential relational work that is key to a successful learning environment. He also spoke about the risks and challenges around data privacy and assessment integrity.
Staff participated in workshops on two of our digital technology platforms – Lumio (Junior School) and Atomi (Senior School), as well as in-house workshop of Canvas. Members of our staff AI Committee also led a workshop on AI tools for the classroom. Our College Services staff also took part in professional learning today, receiving training from Microsoft educators on the use of Microsoft platforms, including Teams and Co-Pilot.
Yours sincerely
Mr Mark Case Deputy Head College
Business Manager
Dear Parents and Carers
I hope this message finds you well as we dive into Term 2 of the 2024 school year. As we move forward, I wanted to extend a warm welcome to our new Finance assistant, Justine Bonkowski, and our new Senior Administrator, Helen McGowan. We welcome their presence and expertise to our team, and we are thrilled to have them on board.
Additionally, I would like to take a moment to express our gratitude to the College Services Team who worked during the school break as well as the Maintenance Team for their exceptional work in revitalising our outdoor facilities. The re-seeding work on Founders Field has been completed, and the revamp of the long jump pit has begun and will be completed by the athletics carnival. We have also created a new seating area which has transformed these spaces into vibrant and inviting areas for our students. Their dedication and hard work are truly commendable and greatly appreciated by all of us.
The refurbishments to The Elvo building have been completed, and the Library toilets have also been refurbished during the break providing some excellent inclusive facilities for the students.
Here’s to a successful and rewarding Term 2 ahead!
Kindest regards
Mrs Em Cassin Business Manager
Head of Senior School
A warm welcome back to the Oxley Community for Term 2. We should all be grateful for the break and the wonderful Autumn weather we had that will help us to return energised for the next nine weeks!
Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher once said, “Change is the only constant in life” and we continue to do our best to manage change as it occurs in our community. The continued infrastructure changes have been highlighted by Em Cassin, our Business Manager, and we had some staffing changes that were outlined in the newsletter last term, leading to the following adjustments:
Mr Andrew Young will return to full time capacity in Performing Arts and Mrs Alison Bunyan will increase her load in the Senior School to cover the departure of Mrs Melissa Lamrock (who has moved to a promotion position at another school).
Ms Sara Aitken has moved into Art to replace Mr Andrew Jones (who has returned to Canberra) and we will welcome Mr Nicholas Elliott in Week 5 into Design and Technology. Mr Elliott is an enthusiastic and dedicated educator who has a real love of Design and Technology, he joins us from the Government sector.
Over the break Mr Miguel Nunes made the decision to resign from the College and, in Week 5, we will welcome Mrs Deanna Bernados. Mrs Bernados is a wonderful Mathematics educator and is currently working at another independent school in the local area.
Having farewelled Mrs Tahren Hicks, we have some wonderful applicants for the Head of English role and interviews are continuing this week, we will be able to announce the appointment of this position shortly.
In the interim we are thankful to have experienced staff assisting in maintaining the quality education for all students.
Senior School: Winter Sport Pick Up – Tuesday & Thursday afternoons
Given the number of students being picked up in the Senior School Pick Up Zone, the Traffic Management Plan will be in operation on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 5.00pm-5.15pm from the start of Term 2. Please do not wait in the pick up bays or attempt to overtake vehicles waiting in the pick up bays. From 5.00pm, drivers who are waiting for students who have not yet arrived will be asked to exit the campus and re-enter.
Over the holidays, a number of our students were involved in the Community Cooking School. The students were excellent ambassadors, and all involved enjoyed the experience.
I have a small but important request as we move to the new term. In our Strategic Plan we have a focus on Sustainability. Whilst the Executive and the Environment Group take the lead on this, there are things that we can all do to minimise waste, often in a way that is financially beneficial for parents. Please can you ensure that all uniform, sports bags, Tupperware, drink bottles and other equipment belonging to students is labelled. We have a large amount of lost property collected each term. Whilst the labelled items will find their way back to their owners (unfortunately, often to be lost again) the unlabelled items make their way to landfill only to be replaced at cost to families. This is a win-win in tidying up our College and for families.
Another of the focus areas of the Oxley College Wellbeing Framework is ‘Keep Fit’. I will be running in the City2Surf in August, and we have entered Oxley College as a team. Whilst this is an individual event for students to participate in, they can select Oxley College as their team in the registration section. Students can also log their training hours in Strava and request to be a part of the Oxley College Running and Cycling Club if they are not already signed up. We are excited and looking forward to a constructive term working with students and parents over the next term.
Warm regards
Mr Tristan Bevan Head of Senior School
Head of Junior School
Grandparents’ Day–Term 1 A HUGE thank you to our parents and families for the delicious spread of goodies provided for Grandparents’ Day. We have a number platters and containers, without names left behind. We will set up a table outside Junior Admin with those items on it for you to collect this week please.
House Public Speaking Competition Years 1-6: In Week 2, classroom presentations will occur to select one semi-finalist, per year level, per House to go onto Semi-Finals where one finalist will be selected per Stage, Per House to compete on Tuesday 21 May during the Assembly. Please ensure you have read the letter sent home and your child is prepared.
Kindergarten and Year 1 – Change of Sports Uniform Days: Due to the large number of students playing sport and training on Wednesday afternoons, we have decided to move the wearing of sports uniforms to the following days:
Kindergarten
Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Year 1
Mondays and Wednesdays
Students will no longer wear sports uniform on Fridays
Staffing Update: Due to the growth of our Pre-K program, please join with me in welcoming Mrs Paula Pullen as a learning aide who will assist Mrs Kelly Lees on Wednesday – Friday.
Winter Uniform: A reminder to all families that it is expected students will return to school in Term 2 in winter uniform.
The Oxley Shop is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8.30am -4.00pm.
The Winter Uniform requirements are listed on the school website under Shop and Uniform Booklet. Orders can also be emailed to nicky.moran@oxley.nsw.edu.au
Labelling of Personal Items: As we move into a new term, it is important that all items of clothing and school equipment are clearly labelled. It is very difficult to return lost property if it is unnamed.
Key Dates:
Wednesday 8 May
Year 6 Bradman Museum Excursion
Thursday 9 May
Mother’s Day Breakfast
Friday 17 May
Cake Stall (Provided by Year 5 Families)
Tuesday 21 May
House Public Speaking Final (During Assembly)
Thursday 23 May
Foundation Night (No Co-curricular Clubs)
Monday 9 June
King’s Birthday Public Holiday
Everyone is Talking About Explicit Teaching.
Perhaps the most popular question in Education at the moment is this: “What is the best way to teach students?”
Research tells us that there is no one best way to teach. Instruction should be based on students’ needs and guided by research rather than by a personal philosophy. With that said, the debate about instruction hinges primarily on how students learn and on what degree of structure and support they need to acquire important skills and knowledge.
There is much talk in the media, at the moment, about Explicit Teaching and the implementation of it into Government schools.
What is Explicit teaching?
Explicit teaching is about making learning intentions and success criteria clear, with the teacher using clear examples and demonstrations when working though problems, setting relevant learning tasks and supporting students working through those tasks, checking student understanding and providing timely feedback.
Rosenshine (1987) described this form of instruction as “a systematic method of teaching with emphasis on proceeding in small steps, checking for student understanding, and achieving active and successful participation by all students” (p. 34).
We know that, particularly with new content, this approach is very effective across subjects with a heavy content load such as Mathematics and English.
Brophy and Good summarized their conclusions about effective teacher behaviours by stating: Students learn more efficiently when their teachers first structure new information for them and help them relate it to what they already know, and then monitor their performance and provide corrective feedback during recitation, drill, practice, or application activities. (1986, p. 366). The diagram below shows the sequence of an Explicitly taught lesson.
Here at Oxley College, we use a combination of strategies within our Visible Learning philosophy that combines Explicit teaching that includes the gradual release of support until mastery is achieved working alongside the more student-led approach of Inquiry-based learning which responds to student wonderment and respects what knowledge the student already has.
In a classroom what might that look like?
At the beginning of the lesson teacher explanations are clear; learning intentions for the lesson are shared; pace is engaging (not too much talking); teacher monitoring is continuous; teacher/peer feedback is positive, corrective, and immediate. Throughout the lesson, the teacher constantly elicits responses: students say answers together, share answers with their partners, solve problems on whiteboards and paper, use concrete materials, and draw diagrams to illustrate concepts and strategies. As students write responses or share with their partners, the teacher moves around the room examining written responses, listening to explanations, and otherwise connecting with the students. Most importantly, an examination of student responses indicates that learning, not just teaching, is occurring in this classroom. The feedback collected by the teacher can then be used to plan the next lesson and for the teacher, they have the evidence they need to support the ‘how’ and ‘what’.
Explicit teaching has been around since I began teaching over 30+ years ago – it has been called many different names – Drill and Practice, Teacher-directed to name but two.
What works for one student may not work as effectively for another. However, a combination of strategies ensure that teachers have an effective toolkit that they can use to connect with and engage their students in learning each and every day. Our students deserve to be given every opportunity to learn, in a safe and encouraging environment.
Explicit teaching is the current ‘buzz’ word in Education but here at Oxley the buzz word is ‘connection’ where students and teachers work alongside one another to navigate the learning journey.
I hope all our families had a lovely break and made some wonderful memories together. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new families to Oxley Junior School in our Year 3 and Pre-K classes.
Miss Jane Campion Head of Junior School
Senior School Sport
ISA Winter Sport 2024
Winter Sport teams, coach allocations and training schedules have now been finalised and sent to all students via email. All training sessions are from 3.45pm – 5.00pm. A reminder that training starts Week 1 and that games begin on Saturday 4 May. The weekly draw will be sent to you via the portal/app and will be posted on the noticeboards outside the PCC and outside Mr Gauchat’s office each Tuesday.
Shortly, detailed information regarding the specifics of each sport will be sent to students. This will include the season draw to assist with family planning over the winter. You can also access information about the upcoming season, competition ladders and season draws on the ISA Website (www.isa.nsw.edu.au). They also have a handy mobile app which can be found in the Apple/Android app store. The updated Winter Sports Booklet can be found here.
REMINDER: Sport Uniforms
If your child does not yet have the uniform for their sport, they will need to purchase this before the 1st game. The uniform shop is only open on Tuesday and Wednesday in Week 1. (Rugby players must have the Rugby shorts and Training shirt and must not wear their PE uniform at training).
A reminder that students must travel to and from games in Oxley College Sport Uniform and are not permitted to wear ‘non-Oxley’ clothing at Sport fixtures or training. This includes Slides, Ugg Boots or Crocs.
Female Football Players required
If your child is interested in playing Girls Football this season, we currently have low numbers in our teams across all age groups and we are looking to recruit anyone interested in playing this season. Please contact sport.admin@oxley.nsw.edu.au if your daughter is interested in signing up!
ISA Strategic Review Reminder
As mentioned in the previous newsletter, The Independent Sporting Association (ISA) is conducting a strategic review of their competition. Please see the letter below from the ISA Director of Sport, Mr Stuart Newman.
Dear Parents/ Carers,
Last term we shared a survey with you, and we are already receiving valuable feedback, so thank you if you have participated already. This is just a friendly reminder, if you haven’t been able to complete the survey yet, the survey can be accessed HERE and will be open until Sunday 5th May.
The survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete and will cover themes such as your satisfaction, expectations, and sentiment toward various elements of ISA, including key demographic questions.
Your feedback is valuable to us, and we look forward to using it to guide ISA into the future.
Kind regards,
Mr Stuart Newman
ISA Director of Sport
Refereeing & Umpiring
We are always on the lookout for experienced referees and umpires for our Saturday sports fixtures. If you are interested or know someone who may be interested in assisting with Hockey, Netball, Football or Rugby officiating, please contact sport.admin@oxley.nsw.edu.au
We are particularly looking for Football referees for the upcoming season!
These are paid positions and opportunities exist across both the junior and senior school. Senior School students with relevant experience or qualifications may apply.
Mr Josh Hurkett Head of Senior School Sport
Foundation Night
We are so looking forward to celebrating our 2024 Foundation Night with Oxley College families.
The Oxley College Centre for Ethics is the home of ethical inquiry and critical thinking at Oxley.
In its inaugural year, it will be delivering an ambitious program of events for both our students and the local community in the Southern Highlands. These events will feature distinguished speakers and leaders from diverse fields, including philanthropy, higher education, non-governmental organisations and industry. You can find out more here: Oxley College Centre for Ethics – Oxley College
Our next esteemed guest is Professor AC Grayling.
Philosophy and Life
There is a question everyone has to ask and answer – in fact, has to keep on asking and keep on answering. It is ‘How should I live my life?’, meaning ‘What sort of person should I be? What values shall I live by? What shall I aim for?’ The great majority of people do not ask this question, they merely answer it unthinkingly in conventional ways.
This is the ‘Socratic Question’, challenging us to examine the philosophy of life we live by. Everyone has a philosophy of life, but most people do not know that they have one, because they imbibed it unconsciously from society, parents, schools, friends. What are the assumptions of that unconscious philosophy, and the reasons for living according to it? Do these assumptions and reasons survive scrutiny? If one really thought about one’s life and the philosophy that underlies it, what changes would one make?
In this talk, Professor Grayling traverses love, death, grief, ageing, friendship, and art in the quest to understand what matters.
“… I believe as strongly now as I ever did that Socrates’ question is the most important anyone can be asked to answer” (A.C. Grayling)
Professor A.C. Grayling CBE MA DPhil (Oxon) FRSA FRSL is the Principal of Northeastern University London, and its Professor of Philosophy. He is also a Supernumerary Fellow of St Anne’s College, Oxford. He is the author of over thirty books of philosophy, biography, history of ideas, and essays. He was for several years a columnist on the Guardian, the Times, and Prospect magazine. He has contributed to many leading newspapers in the UK, US and Australia, and to BBC radios 4, 3 and the World Service, for which he did the annual ‘Exchanges at the Frontier’ series; and he has often appeared on television. He has twice been a judge on the Booker Prize, in 2014 serving as the Chair of the judging panel. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, a Vice President of Humanists UK, Patron of the Defence Humanists, Honorary Associate of the Secular Society, and a Patron of Dignity in Dying.
On behalf of Oxley College, I am writing to request your support as a member of the Oxley community for our upcoming Festival of Lights and Learning.
This night time festival is all about illuminating all things Oxley. The aim is to celebrate and showcase all the amazing things students do each day with a touch of light.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday 12 June 2024
Time: 5.00 – 7.30pm
Venue: Oxley College
Target Audience: Families, students and greater community members of all ages
The Oxley College Festival of Light and Learning promises to be an unforgettable experience, featuring:
Live Performances: Dance and music
Art Exhibitions: A gallery of student artwork
Food Stalls: A delightful array of winter-themed flavours
Interactive Workshops: Engaging activities for all ages
Community Bonding: A chance to connect, share stories, and build lasting relationships
Why Sponsorship Matters: By becoming a sponsor, you will:
Promote Your Brand: Gain exposure to a diverse audience.
Demonstrate Community Support: Show your commitment to our shared values.
Make a Difference: Contribute to the success of a community-driven event.
Sponsorship Opportunities: We offer customisable sponsorship packages to suit your preferences. Whether you’re a local business, a parent, or an individual passionate about community growth, there’s a sponsorship level for you.
How to Get Involved: Please reach out to Amberley Guilly, Marketing and Community (amberley.guilly@oxley.nsw.edu.au) we would love to discuss how your support can make a meaningful impact.
Let’s come together to celebrate our community spirit! Your sponsorship will help us create an unforgettable event that brings joy, connection, and pride to everyone involved.
Thank you for considering this opportunity.
Warm regards
Jonathan Adams
Head of Learning Technologies / Festival of Light and Learning Event Leader
