Grammar News

Middle School

Welcome back to a new school year and a warm welcome to our new families! It has been a pleasing start to the year, with many students settled and having a productive start to 2025. 

 

Thank you to those who were able to attend the Information Evening, and we trust that you found this beneficial in helping to navigate daily life in the Middle School. Please keep an eye out for the Parent Handbook that will be emailed to all families. This is a beneficial booklet that provides information on both academic and pastoral matters, along with the relevant staff to contact for various matters. 

 

As we begin the new year, we encourage our students to have a focus on organisational habits that will set them up for success. Building these habits early on will ensure efficiency, less stress and develop skills in managing their time. 

 

Ways to support your children can be:

  • Encourage daily routines – consistent times to complete homework, bedtimes and leisure time
  • Use of diaries/calendars – using their school diary or digital calendar will assist in ensuring due dates are met, knowledge of upcoming events and responsibilities, and knowing which classes they have for the following day
  • Create a dedicated workspace – having an assigned workspace, which is clutter free, can improve focus and productivity
  • Time management – have small breaks between long periods of homework and study, break tasks into smaller steps and prioritise tasks.

Middle School is a time where children begin to push the boundaries as they figure out who they are in the world, navigate friendships and start to explore the world of social media and technology. Having strong boundaries and open conversations go a long way in supporting our young people as they mature and grow into adults. 

 

As Australia’s new under-16 social media ban comes into effect this year, it is important to be aware of what your children are accessing and the platforms they are on. Along with education through our Pastoral Program, we encourage parents to have conversations at home around the positives and negatives of social media, and how to be a responsible digital citizen. 

 

Misuse of technology such as using photos of others without consent and hurtful comments can have a big impact on others and their wellbeing. Following accounts which demonstrate this behaviour only goes to encourage and support these negative interactions. Students have recently been spoken to about unfollowing and reporting accounts which display this. We encourage students to be upstanders to call out such behaviour and interactions. 

 

As a whole community of staff, students and families, we can work together to provide the tools and skills necessary to support our young people to be empathetic, kind and well-rounded individuals that continue to ‘Aim High, Achieve More’. 

 

I look forward to a successful 2025 for our Middle School. 

 

Ashlee Scott

Middle School Pastoral Coordinator

Year Level Leader (Years 6 & 7)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enrichment Opportunities in Mathematics

At Oakleigh Grammar, we are committed to providing students with a wide range of opportunities to extend their mathematical thinking beyond the classroom. Recently, we invited students to express their interest in two prestigious competitions:

While the registration for these competitions may have already closed and only selected students will participate, we encourage all students to explore upcoming maths enrichment opportunities, including:

  • Maths Olympiad
  • The Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC)
  • ICAS Mathematics

Participation in these competitions fosters critical thinking, resilience, and teamwork—skills that benefit students well beyond their maths classes. If you have any questions about upcoming opportunities, please feel free to reach out.

 

Guang Wu

IB MYP Coordinator

Learning Leader Mathematics