Head of College – Welcome to Term 3.

A video message from Mr Scott Bedingfield.

A warm welcome to Term 3, please click below to find out more about what is occurring at Oxley throughout the Term.

Warm regards

Scott Bedingfield
Head of College

2024 Non-Government Schools Census.

Mrs Em Cassin, Business Manager

Dear Parents and Carers

Please find below a link to an important Data Collection Notice for parents/guardians from the Australian Government Department of Education regarding 2024 Non-Government Schools Census. No action from you is required

Yours sincerely

Em Cassin
Business Manager

Smartphones & Social Media

Mr Mark Case, Deputy Head of College

If there is one major concern that is shared by almost all Oxley parents, it is the impact – or potential impact – of smartphones and social media on their children.

This concern has grown markedly as more evidence has emerged over the past year. The Federal Government has now established a Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society, which is currently conducting an Inquiry into Social Media Impacts on Australian Society; the interim report will be published on 15 August 2024, and a final report in November this year. The Committee Chair, Ms Kate Thwaites MP, said: “‘Australians are concerned about the impact social media is having across many areas of our community. The committee will be hearing about how social media companies operate in Australia, the impact that has, and considering what changes we need to see’. This month, a collaboration between ReachOut, The Black Dog Institute and Beyond Blue has made a submission to the Inquiry; you can view their full report here.

Unfortunately, we cannot wait for the outcome of this or any other Inquiry for potential legislation to protect our children and young people, or for the social media companies to voluntarily implement such measures.

For many years we have seen the correlation between the use of smartphones and social media by young people and increased mental health issues including anxiety, depression and self harm. The evidence that is now emerging is compelling: the relationship is increasingly been shown to be causal, not merely correlative. Social Psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s new book “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” (2024) provides a comprehensive understanding of how modern technology has contributed to the rise of mental health issues in people born after 1995, and offers insights into potential solutions. Haidt provides extensive evidence, across a range of metrics and in multiple countries, about how and why, since 2010, this has taken place, including the transition from the play-based childhood to the phone-based childhood during the years 2010-2015. I strongly recommend this book to parents/carers.

At Oxley we are currently reviewing our mobile phone policy in the Senior School (“See It, Hear It, Lose it” in Years 7-10, and our more nuanced policy for Year 11 and 12 students, who are currently permitted to use them only discreetly, and only outside the classroom). The Head of Senior School, Tristan Bevan, has indicated in his bulletin to parents last week that our current approach will be tightened in Term 3, with a ‘two strike’ policy for students using their phones when they shouldn’t be. Parents/carers can help us by not contacting their children in Years 7-10 on their mobile phone during the school day.

For many, especially those in the Senior School, their child already has a smartphone; the challenge now is managing use of social media and screentime. The Oxley Cyber Safety Hub has a significant array or resources to help parents/carers with this, and indeed all manner of issues around technology use. In the coming weeks, Year 9 students will be conducting a film study of the documentary “The Social Dilemma” (available on Netflix) in Cornerstone, and discussing and writing about it in class. I urge you parents to watch it, too.

Other schools are moving towards a model of no smartphones to be permitted at all below a certain age. For example, from September this year Eton College in the UK is banning smartphones below the age of 15, and issuing students aged 13 and 14 with a Nokia ‘brick’ phone instead.

Whilst the decision of when to get a smartphone for a child is one that is rightly made by families and not the school, this does not mean the school cannot show leadership on this issue – especially in the absence of adequate government regulation of social media companies. Public debate is moving from how to prohibit mobile phones in schools, to whether students below the age of 16 should own a smartphone at all.

The decision of when a child gets a smartphone is often one that parents/carers make reluctantly – the driver to delay getting a smartphone for a child is, entirely understandably, often outweighed by the desire for their child not to be socially excluded; it is very difficult to resist the plea – “but everyone else in getting one!”. In reality this means that the early adopters unwittingly make the decision for the cohort.

However, this dynamic can change if parents/carers collaborate and agree, as a cohort, at what age/year that their children may have a smartphone. The Australian initiative Wait Mate is a great example of how this can be done; the website has some great resources for parents, too.

In light of the above, I will be running a presentation for parents/carers in the Junior School on Smartphones and Social Media on Tuesday 30 July at 5.30pm. I will present evidence and reasons for why we need to act, and propose a call to action for parents/carers. I hope you can be there – please register your attendance using the following link: https://www.trybooking.com/CTVJS

Yours sincerely

Mr Mark Case
Deputy Head of College

Senior School – Term 3 Update

Mr Tristan Bevan, Head of Senior School

Welcome back to Term 3. I hope families all enjoyed the break and I am fully aware of the number of students (particularly in Year 12) who spent time consolidating their schoolwork over the holidays.

A former College Captain once spoke about the importance of students using holidays productively. Rest and recuperation are needed but he spoke of taking opportunities to develop as a person, be it through paid work (especially in a different environment), work experience, trying something new or using time without the regular routine of school to review what has been learned over the last term or semester and to identify gaps in knowledge and skills that require further attention.

As mentioned by Mr Bedingfield, the staff had a wonderful professional learning day with Dr Judith Locke. One of the things that resonated with me was the importance to develop young people with 5 essential skills:

• Resilience
• Self-Regulation
• Resourcefulness
• Respect
• Responsibility

I am going to focus on resilience in this newsletter, but more in terms of academic resilience. Oxley students demonstrate significant resilience through their involvement in sport (including the early mornings associated with travel), OLE/Trips/Outback and the Duke of Edinburgh program. However, several of our students struggle in terms of the academic resilience required when receiving feedback.

On a recent interview on Adam Grant’s podcast ‘Re-thinking’ Mellody Hobson talks about the importance of feedback and how we take it. They discuss how to find the grains of truth in feedback. These ideas are not new to my Year 11 Chemistry class and, whilst all feedback can be useful, it depends on how we receive it. I encourage students to take a more open approach to their feedback to look for areas of strength and areas for improvement.

I will discuss at a later date the importance of understanding what marks mean, particularly in relation to Year 12 and the HSC, where the shortage of information available means that the overall results and performance of students and a cohort may be misunderstood. Students need to understand that no mark earned throughout school-based assessment in Year 12 is fixed at NESA until students have sat the HSC examinations themselves and the marks have been moderated based on their performance there. This process accounts for schools that set easy or hard assessments or have high or low standards in the marking of assessments.

Students in Year 7-11 should be taking on and acting upon all feedback given and, with the help of their teachers if needed, focusing on what they need to do to improve. Regular improvements over Year 7-11 will allow students to maximise their performance in the HSC in Year 12.

We encourage students to develop strong learning habits over Years 7-10. In any goal setting  conversations that I have with students, I mainly focus on the five descriptors in the report, a number of which align with the essential skills mentioned above:

• Respecting the culture of learning
• Using a growth mindset and feedback to improve
• Demonstrating self-directed learning qualities
• Collaborating effectively with peers
• Meeting academic prep expectations

Staff will continue to encourage students to improve in these areas and, whilst we are committed to increasing expectations in all areas of school life, we need the support of parents to work in partnership with the College to reach our common goal.

Mobile Phones

I wrote in the bulletin about our policy regarding mobile phones. All students should be aware of the ‘See it, Hear it, Lose it’ policy for Year 7-10 that is clearly explained the College Diary. Students in Year 7-10 with their phone on at any time in the school day will have it confiscated and handed in to Student Services. We are working on tightening our policy moving forwards and to start with we will be complementing our policy with a two-strike procedure. Parents will need to collect their child’s phone from Student Services on the second confiscation. As a reminder, please use Student Services to contact students during the school day rather than via their mobile phones, which should be turned off, during the school day.

Year 11-12 are allowed their phones at school, but their use should be minimised and phones should not be used in public areas such as the Oval or Canteen. Senior students should only be using phones to make phone calls and not accessing social media during the school day.

Uniform

It is always good to start a semester as we mean to go on. I appreciate your support to ensure our students have the correct uniform, wear it well when they are with you and as they arrive at school and that they have not outgrown it.  As in Semester 1, I will be asking staff to issue uniform violations for students who do not wear their uniform correctly and to confiscate items of jewellery that are not permitted according to the uniform policy.

Students & parents should also take note of the policy with regard to changes to hairstyle or colour. It makes for unnecessary conflict with students who often seem surprised when they are asked to adjust an inappropriate hairstyle.

We are looking forward to a busy and productive Term 3 including, but not limited to, the following events:

• HSC Trial Examinations
• Submission of remaining HSC Major Works
• Stage 6 Subject Consults for Year 10 students
• Year 7-9 Student Parent Teacher Nights via MS Teams
• Mamma Mia auditions & rehearsals
• Continuation of ISA winter sports
• Year 11 End of Preliminary Examinations
• Year 12 Graduation Assembly & Evening
• Oxley Equestrian Day
• Round Square International & regional conferences
• Year 12 Study Camp
• Year 10 Service-Learning trips
• Year 11 Outback

Warm regards

Mr Tristan Bevan
Head of Senior School

Building Resilience in our Students

Miss Jane Campion, Head of Junior School

I Don’t Want to……I Can’t. Do I Have To……I Am Too Tired…I Don’t Know How To…….Tears and Sad Faces.

Have we all heard these phrases before? Yes, I hear you say. How we as adults react to them will affect the next step a child makes. If we respond too softly, then we are creating a habit and the child will repeat the same behaviour knowing that we will not want to see them out of their comfort zone or indeed, being challenged.

I remember as a child being told “if you eat your brussels sprouts/chokos/vegies, you can have dessert”, so I begrudgingly ate them because I love ice-cream! Hmm, then I reached the ‘fitness phase’ where I was conscious that I needed to be on top of my game and so watched how much ice-cream I ate.

My point is that I had no resilience, my life was a lot of little negotiations to make our family’s world a calmer place. As an adult, I love vegies and they are more often than not my food of choice. Enough about me!

We want our children to be confident and brave and to know that we would never ask them to do things that are unsafe or hurtful.

 All life and work experiences are for personal growth. There will be challenges and things that we initially just don’t want to do but they are part of life and we need to have a go and we are usually surprised to find they are actually quite enjoyable after all.

Some things to consider when we are helping children develop better resilience are the following:

* Skill set – having the ability to know how to handle stressful situations effectively. It requires the skills to face these challenges on occasions, having the opportunity to practise these skills so that the child develops competence. Our teachers immerse our children in our UR Strong and Grow Your Mind programs throughout the year to support students in developing a wide repertoire of coping skills (social skills, stress reduction skills). Children are then able to cope more effectively and are better prepared to overcome life’s challenges.

* Self-confidence – at Oxley, teachers identify each child’s strengths and as they demonstrate their competence in challenging situations, they gain confidence and are self-motivated to overcome their challenges.

* Community identity – children who feel part of a community on top of their close family bond and ties to friends will be more likely to have stronger values and less likely to seek out alternative inappropriate behaviours or develop anxieties. Children need to know that at school, they are part of a ‘big picture’ and their actions can have consequences – they need to think about how their reaction affects others. This ‘connection’ ensures children feel a valued and important community member.

* Connection – children with close ties to friends, family, and community groups are likely to have a stronger sense of security and sense of belonging. These children are more likely to have strong values and are less likely to seek out alternative destructive behaviours. In our groups, we foster a sense of belonging and we discuss ways your children can strengthen their ties by being a good friend, a caring family member, and an important community member.

* Core values – children with “character” enjoy a strong sense of self-worth and confidence. They are in touch with their values and are comfortable sticking to them. They can demonstrate a caring attitude towards others. They have a strong sense of right and wrong and are prepared to make wise choices and contribute to the world.

* Positive choices – when children realise that they have control over their decisions and actions, they are more likely to know how to make choices in a way that they can bounce back from life’s challenges. We provide children a sense that they have choices – on how they wish to think and act, and that they can determine results based on these choices.

As parents, these are all things you can do at home to support your child’s development of resilience. Facing challenges can be difficult but they are an important part of growth and in the moment, it may be difficult but helping your child to understand that there are things they must do as part of life, can really go a long way in developing their confidence and reducing their anxiety.

P.S. Junior School Athletics Carnival was a huge success and a great opportunity for children to build their resilience!

Miss Jane Campion
Head of Junior School

Junior School – Term 3 Academic Initiatives

We are excited to outline two initiatives this term that support our commitment to fostering academic and personal growth: the House Poetry Competition and Student-Led Open Classroom Sessions. Both these initiatives aim to enhance students’ skills, confidence and engagement with their learning. The House Poetry Competition will see students from Kindergarten to Year 6 selecting and memorising poems to recite, progressing from class presentations to an assembly final. Later in the term, we will have scheduled Student-Led Open Classroom Sessions, which are a new and improved variation of previously held Student-Led Conferences. These sessions will provide a more interactive and engaging experience for both students and parents, showcasing students’ work and achievements across various subjects.

House Poetry Competition

Competition Stages

As part of Oxley College’s tradition of drama and oratory, all students from Kindergarten to Year 6 will participate in the House Poetry Competition by selecting and memorising a poem to recite in class. The competition progresses from class presentations in Week 5, where one winner per house per year level is chosen, to house presentations, and finally to an assembly final. Each house winner from K-2, Year 3-4, and Year 5-6 will recite their poem at the assembly, with class finalists earning points towards the House Cup. Students are encouraged to explore projection, diction, pacing, gesture and characterisation. Poem selection involves finding a poem on a theme the student is passionate about, with a three-minute time limit and memorisation strongly encouraged. The schedule includes poem selection as homework in Weeks 1-4, classroom presentations in Week 5, house presentations in Week 6, and the final assembly in Week 7. Parents of the winners will be notified before the assembly, promising an exciting poetry season.

Benefits of Poetry Recitation

Participating in poetry recitation competitions offers numerous benefits for primary school students, fostering both academic and personal growth. Academically, reciting poetry enhances literacy skills by exposing students to rich vocabulary, varied sentence structures and diverse linguistic rhythms. This exposure helps improve reading comprehension, fluency and expressive speaking abilities. Additionally, memorising and reciting poetry can aid in the development of cognitive skills such as concentration, memory retention and critical thinking. According to a study by the US National Endowment for the Arts, engaging with poetry can significantly boost language and communication skills among young learners.

On a personal level, poetry recitation competitions can bolster students’ self-confidence and public speaking skills. Standing before an audience to recite poetry requires courage and poise, and whilst we acknowledge some students may find this challenging, facing this fear builds resilience, helping students overcome stage fright and build self-assurance. Furthermore, the process of interpreting and delivering a poem encourages emotional expression and empathy, as students must connect with the poem’s themes and convey its emotions effectively. These experiences can foster a sense of accomplishment and pride, promoting a positive attitude towards learning and personal challenges. The Poetry Foundation emphasises that engaging with poetry in this way nurtures a lifelong appreciation for literature and the arts.

Student-Led Open Classroom Sessions

We are thrilled to announce a new and exciting initiative that we believe will greatly benefit our students and foster stronger connections between home and school. Instead of our traditional student-led conferences, we will be hosting Student-Led Open Classroom Sessions in Week 8 of this term. These sessions are designed to provide a more interactive and engaging experience for both students and parents.

What to Expect

The Student-Led Open Classroom Sessions will be staggered across an evening, with small groups of 5-8 students in each session. During these sessions, students will have the opportunity to share their work with their parents, reflect on their learning journey and share the goals they have set for the future. Class teachers will be present to support the session and answer any questions parents and carers might have. Additionally, our specialist classrooms will be open, allowing students to showcase their achievements in subjects like Visual Arts, Music and French.

Why This Change?

Research shows that student-led sessions can significantly enhance student engagement and motivation. According to a study by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), student-led learning experiences can improve communication skills and promote a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Another study by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) highlights the importance of student agency in driving educational outcomes, noting that students who take an active role in their learning exhibit higher levels of self-efficacy and academic performance and are more likely to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

The Positivity of Celebrating Hard Work

One of the core principles behind these sessions is the celebration of hard work and achievements. By allowing students to present their work freely, we are fostering a sense of pride and accomplishment. This positive reinforcement is crucial for building confidence and a growth mindset. When students see their efforts recognised and valued, they are more likely to stay motivated and continue striving for excellence. Furthermore, involving parents in this process strengthens the home-school connection. Parents gain a deeper understanding of their child’s learning experiences, challenges and triumphs. This shared celebration of progress helps create a supportive learning environment that extends beyond the classroom.

Join Us in Celebrating Our Students

We invite all parents and carers to join us for these Student-Led Open Classroom Sessions and will communicate closer to Week 8 with information about how to sign up for sessions. Your presence and support are invaluable to your child’s educational journey. Together, we can celebrate their hard work, reflect on their growth, and set new goals for the future. Thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Both these initiatives highlight our dedication to creating a supportive and dynamic learning environment at Oxley College Junior School. The House Poetry Competition develops students’ literacy, public speaking and emotional expression skills, while the Student-Led Open Classroom Sessions enhances student engagement and motivation by celebrating their hard work and achievements. We invite parents to join us in these events, reinforcing the home-school connection and supporting our students’ educational journey. Together, we can celebrate their progress and set new goals for the future, ensuring a holistic and enriching experience for all our students.

Warm regards

Alison Rasheed
Director of Curriculum P-6

Performing Arts

Matilda JR is nearly here!!

We are thrilled to announce that our production of Matilda JR is almost ready to hit the stage! Months of hard work from our talented students and dedicated staff have gone into creating a dynamic and professional show that we cannot wait to share with you.

The sets are nearing completion, and the costumes have transformed our actors into characters that truly bring the story to life. With a cast of over 100 students, this promises to be a musical extravaganza that you won’t want to miss.

Performances will run from Wednesday 7 August to Saturday 10 August. Tickets are selling fast, so be sure to secure yours soon to avoid disappointment. Whether you’re a fan of the story or simply looking for an entertaining evening out, we promise an unforgettable experience.

I would also like take this opportunity to thank our Matilda JR Gold Sponsor – Elite Pool Servicing. Your support of our production is very much appreciated.

Join us in celebrating the talent and dedication of our students. We look forward to seeing you at the show!

https://www.trybooking.com/CRXKU

Warm regards

Andrew Young
Head of Performing Arts P-12

Senior School Sport

ISA Winter Season 2024

The ISA season returns with Round 8 on Saturday 27 July with the last round of the regular season taking place on Saturday 10 August. Semi-Finals and Finals will take place on Saturday 17 August and Saturday 24 August respectively.

Reminder! ISA Summer Sport Selections

ISA Summer Sport selections are now open! Sports on offer in the summer season include Cricket, Basketball, Touch Football and Softball. Parents, carers and students have all now received a copy of the Summer Sports Booklet as well as the link to the selection form. We ask that students and families take the time to consider their sport selections carefully as we rely on these submissions to determine our team numbers, grading and coaching staff. These decisions are made well before each season starts, and late withdrawals or additions are difficult to accommodate.

All students, regardless of whether they are selecting a sport or not, must complete the form by Friday 2 August (Term 3, Week 2).

Summer Sport Selections: https://forms.office.com/r/yyPjvBg972

Mountain Biking

Oxley Mountain Biking is currently looking for new members!

Mountain Biking is held at the Welby Mountain Bike Trails on Friday afternoons from 4.00pm to 5.30pm and is run by National Masters Champion and Oxley staff member, Ms Meaghan Stanton. Students need to supply their own bike helmet and mountain bike and make their own way to and from the trails. Registration costs will be charged to the student’s school account. Please contact: meaghan.stanton@oxley.nsw.edu.au for more information.

Mr Josh Hurkett
Head of Senior School Sport

Junior School Sport

Sporting Achievements

Congratulations to Charlotte B (Year 6), for her impressive performance at the NSW State Dressage Youth Championships during the holidays.

Further congratulations to our Oxley Junior School students who participated in the Northern NSW Interschools Snowsport Championships over the holidays. We are proud to announce that Harper A, Alexander W, Euan S, Cora B, Esther S, Piper W, Lucy B, Claudia S, and Harry S have qualified for the NSW State Championships, either as individuals or as part of a team, in one or more events.

Well done to all Junior School students for their dedication and success!

Junior School Summer Sports Selections

Parents and carers will soon receive information regarding Junior School summer sports selections. The Summer Sports Competition will take place during Term 4 and Term 1, 2025. Students can choose from a variety of summer sports, including cricket, basketball, and softball. We encourage families to thoughtfully consider their sport selections, as these decisions are crucial for organising team numbers and coaching staff.

Summer Sports Coaches Needed

We are currently looking for coaches for our Junior School summer sports teams, especially for basketball and cricket. Coaches will be needed for training sessions on Wednesday afternoons from 3.30pm to 4.30pm, with games scheduled either mid-week or on Saturday mornings, depending on the sport. Please note, this is a paid position. If you are interested in coaching a team during Term 4, 2024 and Term 1, 2025, please contact the Oxley Coaching Coordinator, Brooke Devlin, brooke.devlin@oxley.nsw.edu.au.

Warm regards

Fran Dorczak
Head of Junior School Sport

The Oxley College Centre for Ethics

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

This term we are proud to be featuring Leigh Sales AM, and Baroness Susan Greenfield CBE, FRCP (Hon). You can find out more about both speakers below:

Life lessons learned from 30 years at the media frontline

Leigh Sales AM

One of Australia’s most loved and respected journalists, Leigh Sales will talk about what she has learned regarding human nature, life and leadership in her thirty years at the frontline of journalism.  From ordinary people in extraordinary situations to the world-famous celebrities Leigh has met, her reflections on resilience, self-doubt and transformation will spellbind and entertain any audience.

Leigh Sales is a multi-award-winning author and journalist at the ABC and anchors the much-loved Australian Story program. Before that, she presented the network’s prime-time current affairs program, 7.30, for 12 years. She has been the face of the ABC’s major events coverage, including federal election and budget nights. She has interviewed every living Australian Prime Minister and innumerable world leaders and celebrities from Hillary Clinton and Tony Blair to Paul McCartney and Elton John.

Leigh is the author of five books, including the national bestseller Any Ordinary Day, Well Hello, and her latest Storytellers – a fascinating insight into the vital and much-misunderstood profession of Journalism. She also co-hosts a wildly popular podcast with Annabel Crabb called Chat 10 Looks 3.

Leigh has held numerous roles at the ABC, including as Washington Correspondent, and is a three-time winner of Australia’s highest journalist prize, the Walkley Award. In 2018, she was awarded the Order of Australia for her services to Journalism. She has a Bachelor of Journalism and a Master of International Relations and was awarded Deakin University’s 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase Leigh’s books and personally meet her for a signed copy. Our sincere appreciation to The Bookshop Bowral for their support.

WHEN: Thursday 1 August, 6.30pm
WHERE: Oxley College, Burradoo

COST: $15 (free admission for students)

BOOKINGS: https://www.trybooking.com/CQSPX

The Future of the Brain, The Brain of the Future

Baroness Susan Greenfield CBE, FCRP (Hon)

The wonderful thing about being a human being is that although we are born with a full complement of brain cells, it is the growth of connections between the cells that accounts for the growth of the brain after birth. These connections reflect the unique sequence, – a life-story, of individual experiences and interactions with the outside world: a phenomenon known as ‘plasticity’ that leads to the personalisation of the physical brain, amounting to a ‘mind’. Given the unprecedented challenges posed by the digital world to thinking, emotions and well-being, we need to devise the best ways for optimising fulfilment of each individual’s potential. The biggest shift in the 21^st Century mind-set is towards one trapped as never before in the present, needing constant stimulation from the immediate, external world. This transformational change is already having deep implications in the workplace for interpersonal relations, notions of identity, and even the thought process itself. Given the unprecedented challenges posed by the digital world, we need to devise the best ways for optimising fulfilment of each individual’s potential.

Baroness Greenfield, Founder and CEO of Neuro-Bio Ltd (www.neuro-bio.com) is a neuroscientist, writer and broadcaster. She has published over 220 papers in peer-reviewed journals, based mainly at Oxford University but has held research fellowships at the College de France Paris, NYU Medical Centre New York and Melbourne University. She holds 32 honorary degrees from UK and foreign universities, has received numerous honours including the Legion d’Honneur from the French Government, an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Physicians, The American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award, and The Australian Medical Research Society Medal. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

WHEN: Wednesday 28 August, 6.30pm

WHERE: Oxley College, Burradoo

COST: $15 (free admission for students)

BOOKINGS: https://www.trybooking.com/CTPNY 

2024 Trivia Night

Dear Parents and Carers,

Get ready for a night of fun, frivolity and fierce competition. Tickets for Oxley’s annual P & F Trivia Night on Saturday 14 September are now on sale. Tickets are $30 per person or $300 for a table of ten.

The theme for this year is the letter ‘O’. So let your imagination run overboard!

BYO food, drinks (no bar) and table decorations. Do not BYO kids – this event is for adults only!

As well as trivia there will be games, raffles and prizes including for the best dressed individual and best dressed table.

We can’t wait to see you there and find out who will take out the title of Trivia Champions 2024.

Book now at https://www.trybooking.com/CTWTH

Kind regards

Emma Lawford, Emily Kindred and Amelia Morgan-Hunn – your Trivia Organising Team

Upcoming Events

Head of College Breakfast – Term 3

You are warmly invited to join Scott Bedingfield for this term’s Head of College Breakfast, to be held on Tuesday 6 August 2024 from 7.45am – 8.30am.

Please register via this link: Head of College Breakfast

We look forward to seeing you there.

Pre-K Program Update

Dear Parents and Carers

We are pleased to be able to take expressions of interest in a possible 4-day program for Pre-K from 2025. If you are interested, or would like to find out more please contact enrol@oxley.nsw.edu.au.

I look forward to speaking with you.

Kind regards

Lucy Welsh
Registrar

Group Training @ The Gym

Welcome to Term 3 at Oxley Gym! This term, we’re excited to introduce Group Training Sessions for all students from Years 6 -12. These sessions will run from 7:30am to 8:15am and are designed to accommodate all students, regardless of their experience or fitness level. Oxley Gym is an inclusive space where everyone, regardless of experience can focus on their health and well-being. I have arrived at Oxley after 20+ years as a Personal Training and Strength and Rehabilitation Coach and am dedicated to guiding and supporting each student’s journey to a healthier, happier and stronger body.

Students do not need to worry about knowing what to do or how to train as I will give them all the help they need. The Group Training Sessions are a fantastic option for those who may feel not feel comfortable in the gym but still want to stay active in a fun and supportive environment.

Each student is entitled to a Personal Training Program, giving them a guide of exercises to practice during their gym visits, dependant on their own fitness goals. This is a great way to improve confidence in the gym atmosphere.

I look forward to the term ahead continuing to work with the students. More information about the gym and its timetable will be sent to parents and carers in the coming days. Please encourage your children to take advantage of this wonderful space that we are so fortunate to have on site.

Warm regards

Brooke Devlin
Gym and Coaching Co-ordinator

Green & Gold Day P-12

Friday 2 August

To show our support for the Australian Olympic Team, all Oxley students from P-12 can wear Green & Gold to school on Friday 2 August. There will be games at lunchtime and the chance to show off your Olympic spirit.

In lieu of a gold coin donation, we are asking each student to bring in a supermarket item to donate to Oz Harvest, for local families in need.

Senior School students will have the opportunity to buy a sausage sizzle at lunchtime – these funds will be going towards the schools we are due to visit in Nepal in October.

Teach Your Child Gratitude

Dr Judith Locke

Having gratitude for the good things in your life is a cornerstone of satisfaction and wellbeing. But in the age of excess, how do parents ensure their child is broadly appreciative of their pretty good life?

A few years ago, a lovely couple told me about their very difficult teenager who had made the family’s life very challenging. ‘He’s so demanding and complaining about what he doesn’t have’, they said, ‘He completely ruined our Christmas trip to Switzerland.’

Sorry, what? Your child got to be a pain in the neck last year and he got rewarded with a trip to Switzerland? And yet he still thought his life was hard done by?

I’d like to say that this story is unusual but increasingly I am hearing parents complain about their child’s lack of gratitude. And the terribly ironic thing is that often these children appear to have everything going for them and the sorts of childhoods that many would only dream of.

In some ways, it is the very fact that they get everything that makes them even more demanding. I call these kids ‘the 99ers’. 99% of their life is going well, but often they are livid about the 1% that is not exactly to their demands. This minor inconvenience often makes them angrier than the children who have got far less.

In some ways, the more you give your child the more you teach them to always expect things from you. If they typically receive everything they ask for, why wouldn’t they ask for more?

So, how do you turn it around?

We can’t underestimate the positive impact of a child being proud of something they feel their efforts have earned them. If they have worked hard to do extra chores to earn their spending money at a theme park or their candy purchasing power at the movies, then they are probably going to spend the money more wisely. But also, they are going to be more appreciative of the moment their hard work paid off, than the child who has been handed the money via request or demand only.

Think about the thing that you are proudest of. It is typically not something that came easily to you, but something that you worked hard for – the car you saved for, the business you put in hours to build, the long-term relationship you put your best into every day.

So, next time your child asks, give them two for the price of one, an opportunity to earn the item and the pride and satisfaction that come with their achievement.

Takeaway for parents

Start giving your child the chance to earn the good things in their life – doing chores to get screen time, taking in the washing to get a lift to their mate’s place. This will go a long way to making them more grateful for all you do for them and their many blessings in life.

© Judith Locke

Dr Judith Locke is a Clinical Psychologist and child wellbeing specialist who presents sessions for parents and teachers at schools around Australia and internationally. For more of Judith’s work read her parenting books, The Bonsai Child or The Bonsai Student. The Bonsai Child is also available in Mandarin. You can also follow her Facebook page Confident and Capable.

Unfortunately, Judith had to cancel her sessions for Oxley parents due to illness. She will now be speaking to parents on Wednesday 23 October (Junior School) and Thursday 24 October (Senior School).  The link for tickets will be sent out closer to the time.