The Oxley Update - Term 4, Week 8B

The recital of a Bible reading and a prayer have been in existence since the first Speech Night at Oxley in 1983; the “Christian principles” upon which the College was founded are not reflective of a denominational doctrine or dogma, but act as an ethical compass for the whole community.

The reading invites us to pause and think deeply about what truly matters as a community —truth, goodness, justice and excellence. The prayer is a moment of gratitude and hope, offered gently and respectfully - both are short, accessible and optional; we invite everyone to engage in the way that feels right for them.

Inclusivity, compassion, universal human dignity, service and hope: Oxley values that originate from the Christian principles upon which the College was founded and which are also consistent with both the great Wisdom traditions of many faiths, as well as humanism—ideas that affirm the intrinsic worth of every person and a call to serve others. As a proudly non‑denominational school, this inclusive approach is part of our identity.

Speech Night is always a celebration of achievement and character, and these reflective moments help set the tone. They stand alongside other long‑standing traditions on the night – including the School Hymn and the School Song —which, year after year, have expressed the heart of Oxley in ways that welcome all.

We look forward to sharing this occasion with you and hope that the reading and prayer are moments in time that offer space for gratitude and perspective for the year past, and encouragement and hope for the year ahead.

Kind regards

Mark Case
Acting Head of College

Our classrooms, playgrounds, creative spaces and sports fields continue to be upgraded and renewed into places where our students can expend their energy and play with curiosity. I would like to particularly thank our wonderful maintenance and cleaning teams for their care of our classrooms, grounds and playgrounds and the way they maintain them. I think you would agree we have the best ovals in the Southern Highlands!

Our dedicated College Services staff have continued to ensure the wheels turn each day, and even though their work is sometimes behind the scenes – their service to the College, students and teachers is evident in everything they do. From the communications you all receive, to the food in the canteen, when you need socks urgently from our uniform shop through to our great accounts team. We thank our wonderful administrators who are usually the first to receive “the call about a missing instrument” and the way they help you and your children in many many ways; we thank and honour them.

This year has also been a significant one for the development and enhancement of our College. We have made strong progress on a number of key projects designed to improve learning spaces, strengthen safety and accessibility, and enrich the day-to-day experience for our students. Highlights include:

Hoskins Hall Redevelopment – The major refurbishment continues to progress well, with demolition and early structural works now complete and the refurbishment phase underway. Once finished, the revitalised Hall will offer a flexible, modernised performance and lecture style spaces for our students and community.

New Signage and Wayfinding – Updated building signage, maps and directional markers have begun rolling out across the College, improving navigation and enhancing the overall appearance of the campus for students, staff and visitors.

PCC Enhancements – The newly installed large-format audiovisual screens in the Peter Craig Centre and on Founders Field are already making a wonderful impact - they were showcased at this morning’s Junior School Final Assembly and will be on full display for all to enjoy at Speech Night.  Thank you to our wonderful project team for problem solving in time for our end of year events.

Junior School Playground – One of our most exciting upgrades this year has been the renewal of the Junior School playground spaces. While recent tree damage temporarily impacted parts of this area, repairs are well underway, and everything will be back up and ready for students to enjoy in Term 1. The playground continues to offer imaginative, active and engaging play opportunities for our youngest learners.

Modular Building additions and Improvements – Pathways, landscaping and access points around our new modular classrooms have been upgraded, creating safer and more inviting connections between learning environments.

As we head into the holiday break, we hope your family finds time to rest, reconnect and enjoy the slower pace. Thank you for being such a vital part of our college community and for journeying with us through a year of growth, progress and shared resilience.

We wish all families a safe, joyful and restorative holiday season.

Kind regards
Em Cassin
Business Manager

Speech Night
A reminder that Speech Night is a compulsory event for students in Years 3 - 12.  Roll call for Senior School students will commence from 6.00pm in the Senior School Courtyard.  All students should be in full summer uniform.

Duke of Edinburgh
Silver/Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Adventurous Journey.  Participants will undertake their Adventurous Journey in Kosciuszko National Park from Wednesday 10 December to Saturday 13 December, in partnership with Optimum Experiences.  Please ensure that permission and payment have been completed. Kindly ensure you email your permission to bridget.tighe@oxley.nsw.edu.au.

Lord of the Flies Rehearsals
Rehearsals will conclude this week and will resume in Week 2 of Term 1 (Monday 2 February) on Monday and Wednesday afternoons for all cast and Assistant Directors. Please stay tuned for news of any adjustments to the rehearsal schedule. Many thanks for a great term of collaboration and creativity from your children.

Important - 2026 Textbook Ordering
Booklists and Stationery Lists for 2026 are now available on the College website: Texts and Stationery | Oxley College.  Instructions for how to order from Box of Books are also available.  Please order by Sunday 7 December 2025.

2026 Box of Books Resources Urgent Reminder To Parents

2026 School Photos
School Photos will take place on Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 February.  Ordering is now open through www.advancedlife.com.au and enter the code 86P AZG PJ9.

Advanced Life Flyer - How to Order

From The Oxley Shop
Reminder to Year 10 students to please organise your Senior Uniform prior to the end of the year.  Current Year 9 boys will need long Navy socks for Y10. Please drop in or order them online: Oxley Shop Online Store

Duke of Edinburgh Awards
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, founded in 1956 by Prince Philip, emerged at a time when Britain was grappling with the loss of many young leaders during World War II. Concerned about how to nurture the next generation, program founders examined the qualities that defined strong, resilient and service-minded leaders. From this, the four pillars of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award were established:

Physical Recreation – Great leaders care for their physical wellbeing, enabling them to act with energy, presence and resilience.
Skills – Effective leaders are curious, open-minded and committed to lifelong learning.
Voluntary Service – True leadership is grounded in service; leaders contribute to their communities without seeking personal recognition.
Adventurous Journeys – Leaders embrace challenges, develop resilience and grow through navigating unfamiliar or difficult situations.

What began as a program designed to support young men in developing resilience, skills and community awareness has grown into a global initiative, now empowering millions of young people in more than 130 countries.

At its heart, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a leadership program. Through service, skill development, physical activity and adventurous journeys, participants learn to set goals, collaborate with others, overcome obstacles and contribute meaningfully to their communities. These experiences cultivate confidence, initiative, responsibility and empathy—hallmarks of strong, capable leaders.

This year, we are proud to celebrate a significant number of students who have achieved their Bronze, Silver or Gold Awards. Their dedication and perseverance are truly commendable.

For Year 8 students entering Year 9 who would like to begin the Award, an information session for students and parents will be held early next year.
If you are in a higher year group and interested in joining, please know it is never too late—there are pathways available for you. Simply contact our Duke of Edinburgh coordinators.

For all future Duke of Edinburgh enquiries, please email dukeofed@oxley.nsw.edu.au.

Please note that queries sent directly to Mr Dibdin or Ms Benardos may be missed and therefore not actioned.

This year has been filled with learning, growth, courage and countless moments of curiosity and discovery. We are incredibly proud of the effort each student has shown, the challenges they have embraced and the kindness they have shared with one another.

Thank you to our families for your ongoing support. Your partnership makes such a difference, and we are grateful for all you do to help our students thrive.

We wish every family a joyful, restful break and a very happy Christmas. May the holiday season bring you peace, connection and time to recharge. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in the new year, ready for another exciting chapter of learning.

Kind regards

Heidi Shvetsoff
Head of Junior School

Speech Night - Tuesday 9 December

Students in Years 3-6 as well as Award Winners in K-2 should have their name marked off in their classrooms from 6.00pm on Speech Night.  All students should be in full summer uniform.

Year 6 Excursion Friday 5 December - Jamberoo Action Park

Students are asked to arrive by 7.30am for a 7.40am departure. Please wear a swimming costume ready for the swim test on arrival at Jamberoo, Sports uniform including hat, rash vest.

Packed morning tea, lunch and a water bottle, sunscreen, towel, some spending money is allowed at your discretion (approx. $10)

Stage 1, K-2 Excursion Friday 5 December - Bowral Cinema

 All students to be in full sports uniform.  The return time is approximately 1.00pm (lunch can still be ordered from the canteen).   The excursion will not affect drop off and pick up times.

Junior School Writing Competition

Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Junior School Writing Competition. Keeping in mind the theme ‘Write a Camp Adventure’, every student in Years 3-6 wrote an imaginative story using one given sentence somewhere in their text.

I’m pleased to announce the winners, who will be receiving a voucher kindly donated by The Bookshop Bowral. Here are some snippets of each story:

Year 3

Harper D – “It started when I stumbled into the dining room, underwhelmed by the disappointing sight that lay before me …”

Charlotte L – “The bus arrives. Kids trample over each other, chattering, hand claps, chaos and horseplay.”

Sofia M – “Emily’s shimmering blue eyes turned a dark black, as if she was suddenly turned off.”

Harry P – “As you walk in, you can feel the vibe in the air, you can see the spray paint on the walls and hear that sweet sound of smooth jazz.”

Year 4

Stavros B – “The crisp, fresh air howled at our faces. Then, in a fog, a black figure approached.”

Olivia – “At the bottom of the mountain, they got out the key, but all they saw was a strange hole that didn’t look like a keyhole at all. “No harm in trying.”, thought Joey.”

Max Che – “Someone grabbed me by the arm with tremendous force. It wasn’t Mum. It wasn’t anyone I knew, if fact. I felt a shiver down my spine, and I realised I was being trudged into the forest.”

Evan C – “Harry spent the whole time staring at Eleanor. He was perplexed how one mortal being could be so elegant … Her smile radiated joy.”

Year 5

Aurie A – “As the embers of the fire licked the midnight sky, something felt off, like a thick tension in the air.”

Veryan B – “The murky river clapped against our canoe as Amelia and I paddled out onto the sun-speckled river. Our camp instructor, Ben, paddled beside us, barking instructions to the group.”

Archie T – “Excitement filled the air as eager pupils sang, chattered and laughed… the arrival time was late, but the students’ eagerness had not diminished.”

Ariana S – “Each one felt the same unease. There was no bird song, no wind sound, just silence. It was as if the forest was listening to us.”

Year 6

Zoe C – “An eerie mist blanketed the eucalyptus-filled forest that surrounded the campsite. Chilling gusts of air streamed through the set-up, weaving in and out of the uncertain campers’ fingers like a coiling serpent.”

Clara H-J – “That night, she lay awake once more. The wind carried the echo, faint, but insistent. She knew the forest would not stop. It had marked them all.”

Lily B – “We are walking slowly; the kind of slow where you need to run to catch up. I am tired, with gradient circles under my eyes. Shadows are coming out of nowhere.”

Elliot – “Then all there was was the pain as my body hit bough after bough, my limbs and face torn by the spiky leaves and harsh-barked vines. The pain stopped, but so did everything else.”

Sports Draw 6 December 2025.xlsx

Oxley Twenty20 Cricket – Thursday 4 December

The Oxley College 1sts Cricket team will be hosting a Twenty20 Cricket fixture against Moss Vale tomorrow (Thursday 4 December) on Founders Field. We invite you to come along and support the team and enjoy what is sure to be a fun and exciting end to the year. There will be a Sausage Sizzle, cold drinks and ice creams available. See you there!

A Wonderful Year of Junior School Sport – Thank You and Happy Holidays

As we wrap up an exciting year of Junior School sport, I’d like to congratulate all our students on their fantastic achievements throughout 2025. Your hard work, teamwork, sportsmanship and outstanding results have been a true highlight of the year. A warm thank you to our coaches and parents for your ongoing support, encouragement and commitment to our programs. Wishing all families a wonderful school holiday break and a joyful festive season. We can’t wait to see what 2026 brings. See below for key information about 2025/2026 summer sport training and match dates, important Term 1 2026 dates, and registration opportunities for our Year 1 and Year 2 students.

Final Week of Training and Games – 2025

This week marks the final training sessions and games for our Junior School basketball teams (U10s, U12s and U14s), Junior School cricket teams (U10s and U12s) and the K–1 Cricket Blasters program.

The U12 cricket teams will conclude their season with a final match against each other on Wednesday 3 December at Governors Field. This fixture will replace their usual training session, with the game commencing at approximately 3.00pm and concluding between 6.00pm and 6.30pm.

Key Junior School Sports Dates for Term 1, 2026

Saturday 31 January: Cricket matches recommence for U10 and U12 teams

Monday 2 February: Basketball matches resume for U10s

Wednesday 4 February: Basketball matches resume for U12s, and training recommences for all Junior School sports teams and programs

Friday 6 February: Basketball matches resume for U14s

Tuesday 10 February: Junior School Swimming Carnival

Tuesday 3 March: IPSHA Swimming Carnival

Monday 23 February: K–2 Learn to Swim Program commences

Friday 6 March: Junior School Cross Country Carnival

Term 1 2026 Sports Development Program (Basketball) – Registrations Now Open

Registrations are now open for the Term 1 2026 Sports Development Program (Basketball skills), available to all students who will be in Year 1 and Year 2 in 2026.

Register your child here – Term 1 Sport Development Program: Basketball Skills 

Please note that this program is not available to students commencing Kindergarten in 2026. Kindergarten students will be able to register for the Sports Development Program from Term 2 onwards.

Places in the Term 1 basketball program are limited. Students who miss out will be added to a waitlist and contacted if a place becomes available.

Program Details

Dates: Wednesday 4 February – Wednesday 11 March 2026 (6 weeks)

Time: 3:30–4:30pm

Location: Oxley Kettle Courts

Further information will be provided to families upon registration.
If you have any questions, please contact the Sports Department sport.admin@oxley.nsw.edu.au.

Attention Speech Night Performers
All students who are performing in Speech Night are kindly asked to be at the PCC between 5:30 pm and 5:45 pm to ensure we are ready and organised for the evening.

Musical Instruments
If you have a hired musical instrument at home, we kindly request that you return it to the Music Department office before the end of term.   Your assistance in ensuring all instruments are accounted for is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your support.

Year 5 Instrument Return
Please ensure Year 5 students bring their instruments to class on Friday so they can be handed back. This includes percussion students bringing their sticks and drum pads.

Participants who log at least 5 days reading or five book titles have the chance to win prizes from the NSW Public Libraries Association and our yearly prizes supported by Friends of Wingecarribee Libraries, $200 and $40 Bookshop vouchers.

Age groups will be broken down into 0-4yrs, 5-8yrs, 9-12yrs and 13-18yrs.

Participants can read any type of book, including audiobooks, picture books, graphic novels… They all count, as does listening to a book read by someone else, and reading the same book multiple times.

Paper-based records must be returned to their Wingecarribee Public Library by Monday 9 February2026.

Big Summer Read

For all the information go to https://www.aquathon.com.au/