Semester 1 reports will be circulated at the end of the term. Please take the time to read and discuss your child’s report with them.

Junior School Parent-Teacher meetings will be held on Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th August from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm . A link to book an appointment will be sent during the last week of the school holidays.

Each student progresses at their own pace, and the grades your child receives in their report reflect their current level of achievement not their effort or potential. If you have any questions about your child’s progress or report, please be sure to book a meeting with your child’s teacher in Week 3.

Learning in our Junior School classrooms is vibrant and active. You will often see students using whiteboards, answering in unison, sharing their thinking with a peer, and answering questions when called on by their teacher.

In our classrooms, we use a set of instructional strategies called Engagement Norms . These structured teaching strategies keep every student actively participating in every lesson, rather than just waiting for their turn to be called upon. These engagement norms are rooted in cognitive science, specifically designed to support a child’s working memory and help new facts successfully transition to their long-term memory.

We can think of working memory as a desk space. It can only hold a few items of information at one time (usually three to five items) and it fades quickly. If a child is passive or distracted, that information can easily drop off the desk and be lost. To get information into our students’ long-term memory (the brain’s filing cabinet), we need them to process, retrieve, and manipulate the information.

By using engagement norms such as pair-share (where students retrieve their learning and share it with a peer), whiteboards to record learning, track/read/gesture with me (working in unison with their teachers and peers), attention signals , and answering in full sentences , students are more successful in building their long-term memory and, therefore, retaining what they have learned.

Alice Glyde

Head of Junior School

Since relocating from the Sunshine Coast a few weeks ago, I have felt incredibly welcomed by this community. It has been an absolute pleasure transitioning into my role and beginning the rewarding journey of getting to know our students, staff, and community.

I believe deeply in the profound value of faith-based education. Christian faith and service are foundational to my approach as an educator and leader. I believe schools grounded in a clear Christian worldview provide a powerful environment for the holistic formation of young people, nurturing not only academic capability but also character, purpose, and compassion.

My personal vision as an educator is to ensure that every single student who walks through our gates knows their inherent value, worth, and God-given purpose. It is my privilege to partner with you to ensure they are equipped with the learning tools, emotional resilience, and moral foundation to confidently face whatever the future holds.

It has been a delight to witness this vibrant community in action over the last few weeks. A particular highlight was the opportunity to meet so many of our Year 8 and Year 10 students and their families at our Subject Selection Night last week. It was wonderful to discuss future pathways and share in the excitement of our students' upcoming academic journeys. A special thank you to Mr Robert Watts (Director of Data and Analytics) for his leadership, and to our Faculty Coordinators for their work behind the scenes. We are truly blessed with an incredible staff team at OAGS, all dedicated to ensuring our students are able to make the most of their education.

As we approach the upcoming holidays, I wish all of you a safe, happy, and restful break. I look forward to returning refreshed for next term and to the many opportunities ahead to connect with the OAGS community.

Sarah-Jane Alley

Head of Senior School

As we look toward the 2027 roll-out of updated Anti-Bullying legislation, our school is committed to implementing a framework that prioritises the safety and emotional wellbeing of every student. We believe that a strong partnership between school and home is the most effective way to support children through these challenges.

Recent research highlighted by experts like Dr Charlotte Keating reminds us that bullying is not just "part of growing up". It can significantly impact a child's physical health (such as sleep and internalised stress), learning (by placing the brain in a "survival mode"), and long-term mental health. Recognising these impacts early is a key protective factor.

Parents are often the first to see an emerging risk. Keep an eye out for changes in:

If your child tells you about a bullying incident, your initial response is vital. Drawing on "First Response Principles," here are some ways you can support your child:

Our school uses a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to ensure every student gets the right level of care:

We understand that hearing your child is upset or distressed can be incredibly difficult as a parent. As a school, our priority is to work alongside you to understand what has happened and focus on practical, supportive steps that will help your child feel safe, supported, and able to move forward.

When we meet to discuss concerns, we are committed to ensuring the process is fair, respectful, and sensitive to the experiences of everyone involved. We aim to provide a calm and predictable environment where students and families feel heard and supported. By maintaining open, honest, and trusting communication, we can work together to ensure our school remains a place where every child feels safe, and valued.

Recording student attendance is a legislative requirement for all schools. We appreciate parents and carers emailing their child’s teacher or mentor to explain longer than usual absences so we can better understand what is going on and support your child. However, we need parents to enter the reason for their child’s absence on Edumate. If you can not access Edumate, please call Student Services or email [email protected] so our School IT supporter, Ben Woodside can get in contact to assist you.

Armand Van Der Merwe, Georgina Willis and Jocelyn Kimmins

Leaders of Pastoral Care

It has been a rewarding term in our Christian Studies classes across the whole school. From our youngest learners to our senior students, we have been digging into the Bible to understand God's big story and how it applies to our lives today. Here is a snapshot of what each regular age group has been exploring:

Infants: Encounters with Jesus

In our Infants classes, the classrooms have been full of wonder as we explore the Gospels. This term, our focus has been on how different people responded to Jesus when they met Him.

From amazed disciples and grateful friends to those who were skeptical, the students have been looking at what it means to encounter Jesus. We’ve been encouraging them to think about their own response to His love and kindness.

Primary: The Big Picture of the Old Testament

Our Primary students have been stepping back in time to explore the rich history of the Old Testament. Rather than just looking at these as isolated stories, we are discovering how these foundational stories demonstrate God's faithful character.

Most importantly, the students are learning to see how the whole Bible fits together - how the promises, heroes, and deliverance in the Old Testament ultimately point forward to Jesus.

Secondary: Big Questions and Community Action

In Secondary School, Christian Studies has focused on helping students build a strong foundation for their faith while navigating a complex world. Depending on their year group, students have been unpacking some of the following topics: Worldviews under the microscope: Students have been considering different worldviews and comparing them alongside a Christian worldview, asking big questions about truth, purpose, and hope.

In Week 10, three of our talented footballers; Beau P, Gilbert C, and George A travelled to Lake Macquarie to compete in the CIS Primary Boys Football Championship . The boys earned their selection into the HICES team all the way back in Term 1.

It was a fantastic day of high level competition, giving Beau, Gilbert, and George the opportunity to test their skills against the top players of primary school football talent in the state.

Seeing the depth of talent in their age group has fuelled their ambition to keep working hard on their skills, with all three aiming to trial again next year and push themselves even further in the tournament.

Congratulations to Beau, Gilbert, and George on representing HICES and OAGS with such great sportsmanship and pride. We look forward to watching you continue to grow.

Mrs Dominique Hutchinson

Leader of Sport

In Week 9, Hannah S proudly represented OAGS at the CSSA State Gymnastics Competition, competing in the Level 4 Division 2 category. Hannah achieved a brilliant 4th place finish in the All-Around standings with a total score of 34.650.

Congratulations to Hannah on an exceptional effort representing our school at the state level!

Our cross country athletes recently headed to the Sydney International Equestrian Centre to compete in the CIS Cross Country Championships. The weather made for a day of contrasting conditions, providing a relatively dry track for our senior competitors before opening up into a heavy downpour and a very wet, muddy course for our Junior School runners.

We saw some spectacular individual results on the day, headlined by an incredible performance from Lucy J, who claimed 1st place in the 16 Years Girls division to become a CIS Champion. Isobel C also ran a superb race to finish 10th overall in her category. Thanks to their brilliant top 10 finishes, both Lucy and Isobel have successfully secured their spots to compete at the NSW All Schools Championship this July.

Nick I fought hard and narrowly missed out on a qualification spot with a fantastic 12th place finish, while Milla J and Genevieve W both pushed through their competitive fields to finish strongly in the 20s.

A huge congratulations to all of our runners who braved the challenging conditions and represented OAGS with such grit and determination. We wish Lucy and Isobel the very best of luck at the state level next month!

It is nearly time for our Dohnes team to hit the show ring! This week, our biggest lambs are off to the carcass competition, alongside a representative animal from each of our competitor schools.

Excitingly, OAGS ACE will be one of the collection hubs for the regional sheep before they make their way to Gundagai. Once there, an expert panel will judge them on meat quality looking closely at flavour, fat content, and texture as well as overall meat yield. We will find out who takes home the crown during the Show in Week 2!

Mark your calendars: the live judging will take place at the Orange Showgrounds on Tuesday, 29th July . Parents, families, and friends are most welcome to come along, cheer our team on, and watch the action unfold!

Food is well and truly our key focus right now as our meat chickens head away to the abattoirs this week. It’s hard to believe that these little guys arrived flying in all the way from Queensland (to be clear on a plane not under chook power) weighing a tiny 50 grams, and have packed on the weight to average a whopping 2.6 kgs in just six short weeks!

While the birds serve as an essential trial for our Senior Agriculture syllabus, they also come with a delicious added bonus: once they return, Mrs Mutegi will be utilising them in the food technology rooms, where they will become the star ingredient in a wide range of tasty dishes.

Our Stage 5 Agriculture students have been absolute powerhouses lately, keeping incredibly busy managing our prime lambs. They have gained valuable, hands-on experience with regular weight-tracking and the essential operations associated with marking, including vaccinations, tail-docking, ear-tagging, and castration.

As a school, we strictly adhere to best-practice animal welfare mandates by utilizing approved pain relief for all procedures. For these lambs, our students used the Nunuts castrator, which applies a local anesthetic to significantly minimize discomfort and ensure the highest standard of animal care.

We are incredibly proud to report that every single one of our Year 9 and 10 Agriculture students has now successfully administered a vaccination or carried out a marking operation under close guidance. Brilliant job, everyone! Your dedication to ethical livestock management is commendable.

Our ‘Company’ dance groups travelled to Dubbo to represent our school at the Dubbo Dance Eisteddfod, and they absolutely shone. Both groups placed second with original, high-energy routines that completely captivated and enthralled the audience. We are exceptionally proud of the dedication and spirit shown by all of our dancers from Year 3 through to Year 11.

Thank you to Mrs Sinclair and Reynee for all the organisation and development of the dances. Thanks also to Ellie and Mrs Pietsch for accompanying the dance team on the trip to Dubbo.

Orange Dance Eisteddfod is just around the corner with all groups putting their final touches on their routines.

More information will be sent shortly to families in preparation.