Senior School

It has been a delight to have the Year 12 students back on site again. We have greatly missed students during lockdown and look forward to welcoming each and every student back – return to school has commenced with our most senior students.

The General Achievement Test (GAT) proceeded smoothly on its rescheduled date of Tuesday 5 October, and there was a tangible difference in the air compared to previous years. For approximately 100 students, this was their first time on site for two months and the joy was evident behind the masks. Young adults were happy to see friends again, along with the small number of staff onsite. It was impossible not to have a smile for the entirety of the day.

Thank you parents and attendees who participated in the Year 9 into 10 Q&A Session also on Tuesday 5 October. Over 60 people attended this session via MS Teams and asked the panel some terrific questions. It was a delight to work with the Year 11 Coordinator, Mrs Linda Doblin, and the Careers Coordinator, Ms Jasmine Sien, to provide assistance, clarity and reassurance about the subject offerings in Year 10, and the way they impact future studies. Thank you to all involved on the night.

On the evening of Wednesday 6 October, Year 12 Drama students executed their Solo Performances as essential preparation for their performance examination. A select group of staff were able to provide a very small audience as Nichola Gaiser (12.9), Sophie Gates (11.16), Imogen Gellert (12.7), Hannah Jansen (12.9), Ethan Lantry (12.10), Ruby Peacock (12.7) and Isabella Wildish (11.14), used a single prop each, ranging from a hula hoop to a custom built booth, to present their artistic piece. Each student worked through the period of remote learning to craft highly engaging, sometimes amusing and sometimes sad, professional, quality performances. Well done Drama students! To read more on this performance, go to Performing Arts.

On the following evening of Thursday 7 October, Hannah Jansen (12.9), Marco Ma (12.9), Esther Penman (12.8), Celine Robinson (12.9) and Mattias Talpan (11.15) wowed a different select small group of staff with their musical performances. These were high quality and moving, from I will run to O vertigo. Violin and voice were the instruments chosen by these five performers and their music is a great gift to the College. We trust it will continue to be inspiring and appreciated by those privileged enough to witness this first hand in the future.

As Year 12s edge toward their final days of classes at Oxley, we wish to honour their achievements and their contribution to the College. Senior students may not necessarily sign up to become role models, yet each one is observed by younger students with aspirations to one day be like them. We are anticipating the Year 12 end of year events, including the Final Chapel and Final Day, which will be performed under very different conditions to our experiences before 2020. We want to celebrate the Year 12s and their spirit, and are delighted that a modified format enables these events to proceed.

We are very proud of our students and their extraordinary commitment during remote learning. This is a very trying time and each young person has different challenges to face and overcome. Our encouragement is to be kind to yourself. If you face setbacks, or drop below the high standards you set yourself, please pick yourself up, dust yourself off, forgive yourself and move ahead. Please continue to lean upon God, each other, Oxley staff and your family for support as you need it – we all want to help you to achieve your very best.

Having now had time to process the Roadmap, we are getting very excited about the imminent return of students, with a proposed staggered reintroduction from Tuesday 26 October, with all levels back onsite planned by the end of the first week of November. 

Please note - Monday 1 November is a Student Free Day and Tuesday 2 November is a public holiday.

* VCE external assessments are scheduled for certain subjects on Monday 1 November.

We acknowledge there may be rapidly changing levels of excitement, disappointment, nervousness and other emotions. We encourage students and families to continue to communicate your feelings. We will be upholding the community and our nation in prayer, and clinging to God’s words to Moses in Exodus 33:14 

The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest”.

Greg Barker

Deputy Principal – Head of Senior School