Library

The Library has had a vibrant start to the year. Our refurbishment is underway, with new lounge chairs, tables, and a refreshed layout in the Junior Section. We have also introduced a new program for Year 7 and 8 students, bringing each class into the library fortnightly. As a result, borrowing has increased significantly. Junior School students have resumed their library lessons, creating a lively atmosphere as they revisit favourite books and discover new titles.

Popular Junior reads include The Dead Sea Squirrels series by Mike Nawrocki, Thea and Geronimo Stilton, Zac Power, and the works of Anh Do. In the Senior section, the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz, Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series (available in both novel and graphic formats), classic literature, and Dominic Sandbrook’s Adventures in Time series continue to be in high demand. 

Our new Quick Picks display has been very well received, and the adjusted shelving in the Junior area has improved student access. 

This year, we are pleased to introduce our library monitor program. Our inaugural monitors are: 

• Lucinda J (10.1) 
• Emma S (10.1) 
• Iseabail K (8.2) 
• Georgia S (8.8) 
• Mohi H (7.4) 

• Richard L (7.2) 

   

We thank them for volunteering and look forward to their contributions and ideas!

Mrs Jenelle Coote

Library Manager

General Reminders

To reflect its purpose more clearly, the name has now shifted from Resource Centre to Library. Students here engage in quiet study, reading, gentle collaboration, or calm games like chess or sudoku. As a shared environment, students are asked to be mindful of others and to maintain a calm atmosphere so everyone can benefit.

The College has also been investing in renewing the Library environment. Families will notice several improvements over the coming months as the space continues to evolve into an even more supportive hub for learning and wellbeing.

Library Opening Hours:

Monday to Thursday: 8.00am – 4.30pm, Friday: 8.00am – 4.00pm

Students who arrive before the Library opens, or who remain after it closes, are welcome to wait in the administration foyer outside the Library. Please note that student supervision is not available outside official Library hours.

Year 7-8 Book Club Program

Psalm 119:105 declares Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. The psalmist uses the imagery of light to communicate how direction and clarity can be achieved through reading the Word. Yet, in our fast-paced digital world, deep, sustained reading has become a rarity. More than ever, we engage in ‘scatter-gun reading,’ that is, reading snippets of headlines, captions or fragments of text in the online space. Deep, sustained reading is becoming a rarity in our modern world. Against this cultural backdrop, how do we ensure our children maintain a love for reading?

Many students express a love for reading early on in their education, yet, national and international testing suggests students from Grade 4 onwards tend to slowly disengage from frequent reading as the demands of homework and extracurriculars grow. 

Percentage of children who are frequent book readers (reading at least five time per week) by age group. (Data from Scholastic Australia)

Merga (2018) stated that young people "reported changes in levels of encouragement received from their parents and teachers over time, with more support received in the earlier years of schooling than the later years." Once children achieve reading independence, parents may no longer feel the need to discuss reading with their child, assuming this will be covered in the classroom. Yet, research by Merga (2024) revealed that parental interest in reading habits had a significant impact on the child’s attitude towards reading. Similarly, Secondary School teachers must continue to emphasise the value of reading to students, encouraging them to pursue sustained, deep reading experiences. If we want our students to make strong reading gains in the Middle Years, reading must be encouraged by both home and school environments.

Term 1 2026 marked the launch of the Year 7-8 Book Club Program at Oxley Christian College. Once a fortnight, students spend one period in the library working on sharpening and extending their reading skills. All students have a fictional book they are required to read at home and discuss during their library sessions. Students have set personal reading goals outlining how many fictional books they aim to read by the end of Semester 1. 

The Book Club program is based on two core components of effective reading instruction; the socialisation of reading and the importance of reading for pleasure. The former refers to the importance of students discussing their reading with their peers—forming opinions, building off the ideas of others and investigating textual meaning. The latter builds on the very simple idea that students need to find the right book, one that grabs their interest and keeps them engaged. The more they enjoy reading, the more likely they are to do it.

So, how can parents and guardians support their child’s reading development in Secondary School? Firstly, provide a quiet space at home that is conducive to reading. When reading, ensure your child’s electronic devices are moved into another room to avoid distraction. Try to engage your child in conversation about the books they are reading; whether that be questions about the key characters or themes, or encouraging them to form opinions about what they liked or disliked about the text. Students have sectioned their novels into weekly chunks to help pace their reading—consider asking your child how they are tracking with their weekly reading. Share your own recommendations of books you enjoyed reading at their age. While these strategies may seem simple, they convey an important message to your child; you care about their reading habits.

By encouraging our children to engage in deep, sustained reading in the Middle Years, we are setting them up for success in VCE. More importantly, we are equipping them with the tools they need to grow their faith by reading God’s Word. 

Mrs Becky Paul

Literacy Coordinator