Junior School

Welcome to Term 2! I pray that all our Junior School families enjoyed a slower pace over the holiday break and are ready for another busy term. It has been a great start to Term 2, and our Junior School has been a hive of activity over the past two weeks. 

In recognition of ANZAC Day, the Dawn Service allowed students to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy as Australians due to the sacrifice of many during times of war. It was delightful to see our Senior and Junior School students come together as they participated in this remembrance service. The contribution of all students was greatly appreciated. In an Oxley tradition, Prep to Year 6 students placed handcrafted ANZAC wreaths beside Oxley's commemorative ANZAC Poppy Garden. Thank you to all families who attended this memorable ceremony.

Our Year 1 and 2 students have had the opportunity to develop their scientific thinking and understanding with an incursion running across two days. On Wednesday 4 May, all our students participated in the annual Cross Country, and everyone did an outstanding job finishing their events. Students have also had the opportunity to visit the Mother’s Day stall, and I hope all our mums will enjoy being spoilt on Sunday. 

On Tuesday 10 May, students in Years 3 and 5 will commence two weeks of NAPLAN testing in Literacy and Numeracy. These national assessments provide a snapshot of learning and are one example of information teachers access to inform teaching and learning. Information has been sent out to parents, and a timetable is available on the Parent Portal. Please ensure that students in these levels arrive promptly at school on these days.

In preparation for Open Day, students will finish school at 1.00 pm on Friday 13 May. This will enable rooms to be set up for the following day. On Friday, students are permitted to wear their Sport uniform to school. This will allow families to clean uniforms and shoes in readiness for Open Day. We ask that all students attend the day in full Winter uniform. Please ensure that hair is clean, neat, and tidy, noting that exaggerated and fad hairstyles are not permitted. Student Uniform Standards can be found on pages 12 and 13 of the Student Diary.

Over the last few years, life has been challenging with the forced distance that has been placed between everyone. As we come through to the other side, I would like us to work on building a greater sense of community across our Junior School, not only amongst our students but also within our parent body. I read a quote this week which made me think about the importance of working together for the sake of our children. Every successful individual knows that his or her achievement depends on a community of people working together. The education of our students does not solely fall on the parents or the school – it takes all of us working together. Let’s take the opportunity of Open Day to build our community. We look forward to welcoming your family on Saturday 14 May, from 11.00am to 2.30pm to celebrate the diversity of learning at Oxley Christian College. 

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 

Hebrews 10:24-25

Amy Liddle

Head of Junior School

What Did You Do at School Today?

Prep

For the Prep language experience last week, we went on an adventure to the school Barn. We used the Barn environment to extend our vocabulary for writing a memory. We found broccoli, ate strawberries, smelt delicious herbs, rubbed them between our fingers, listened for the singing of frogs, and found ladybirds on leaves.

Year 1 and Year 2

Wow! We have had an incredible fortnight! This term our Integrated Studies Unit is Stimulating Science. It was fun to participate in four different science workshops, focusing on how materials change when they are mixed together. We transformed into marvellous scientists and practised making predictions and careful observations. Did you know that cornflour and water mixed together makes Oobleck, which is both a liquid and a solid? How amazing is that! We also loved mixing vinegar and bicarb soda to create a volcano! It was fascinating to make chemical reactions during our Hands On Science Incursion and learn about magnets. We can’t wait to continue our science learning journey this term.

Year 3

We made an amazing start to Term 2. We have loved learning about our new inquiry topic for Integrated Studies Into the Unknown. This term, we will be exploring changes over time and how those changes affect our lives. We are excited to learn about the changes in our community and the people who shaped our interconnected world. We also get to research the life and legacy of an explorer from the Age of Exploration. We can't wait to see what else Term 2 will hold for us.

Year 4

There are so many exciting things to look forward to, but we think it is safe to say that camp is right at the top of the list! We are going to have so much fun building up our teamwork skills, learning, and exploring out in nature. Speaking of exploring, for Integrated Studies this term, we are sailing into the unknown. Did you know that early explorers used all sorts of different techniques to navigate the ocean? We are looking forward to learning all about the Age of Exploration and the men and women who shaped the world we live in.

Year 5

It’s been a big start to the term in Year 5! We’ve introduced our unit Museums in Motion and begun researching major events that shaped the history of Australia, such as the Eureka Stockade and Batman’s Treaty. This is in preparation for a diorama on our selected topic. We also completed our persuasive writing, publishing in the first week of term. We have been using our powers of persuasion using repetition, hyperbole, statistics and expert opinion to emphasise our point of view. Everyone has settled well after the holidays, and we are looking forward to having another uninterrupted term!

Year 6

We are geared up for a busy term in Year 6 and we have so many things to look forward to! We kicked off the term with a celebration of our MVPs and Community Awards to honour awesome teamwork and sportsmanship in Year 5/6 Interschool Sport. We launched our new Integrated Studies topic, Museums in Motion and cannot wait to learn more about events that shaped our nation. We have begun our Personal Memoirs, where we will be exploring a special moment that stands out to us and describing it in detail. We enjoyed learning about the ANZACs and their incredible contribution to our freedom. A highlight was joining with all the Junior School once again to have our Chapel as we celebrated the goodness of God together. What a fabulous start to Term 2!