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Welcome back to a new school year! It has been wonderful to see our students back and welcome a number of new families to the Middle School!
Students have settled in well and are quickly building positive routines that will support their learning. The beginning of the year is an important time to establish strong organisational habits. We encourage students to ensure they bring all required resources to class, arrive on time, use locks on their lockers, and wear the correct school uniform each day. These simple routines help create a calm, focused environment where everyone can learn effectively.
Developing good habits early sets the tone for the rest of the year. Organisation, punctuality, and preparedness are key skills that support both academic success and personal responsibility. We appreciate the support of families in reinforcing these expectations at home.
We would also like to remind families about the acceptable use of technology. All students have been introduced to the school’s ICT Acceptable Use Policy and are expected to follow it at all times. This applies to laptops, mobile phones and other devices, both during school hours and outside of school when using school platforms or communicating with members of the school community. Respectful, safe, and responsible online behaviour is essential for maintaining a positive digital environment.
In addition, families should be aware of Australia’s social media restrictions for young people. As a result, all Middle School students should not be accessing the platforms included under this ban. This includes, but no limited to, Instagram, Snapchat and Tik Tok. We encourage parents and carers to monitor and guide their child’s technology use at home, supporting healthy digital habits and age-appropriate online activity. Our Pastoral Program will also continue to provide skills and encourage appropriate behaviour when navigating the online world.
We look forward to a productive and rewarding term ahead.
Ashlee Scott
Middle School Pastoral Coordinator
As the MYP Coordinator at Oakleigh Grammar, I would like to warmly welcome all new families to our Middle School community. My name is Guang Wu, and I oversee the implementation of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) in Years 6–9.
At the heart of an IB education is the IB Learner Profile. These ten attributes — Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced, and Reflective — describe the type of young person we are striving to develop. In practical terms, this means our academic program goes beyond content delivery. When students design experiments in Science or debate ethical issues in Individuals and Societies, they are developing as Thinkers and Communicators. When they reflect on feedback and set goals for improvement, they are becoming Reflective learners. When they acknowledge sources correctly and act with honesty, they demonstrate what it means to be Principled.
These attributes are not posters on a wall; they shape our daily interactions, procedures and policies.
Our updated MYP Assessment Policy, now available on the school website, reflects this philosophy clearly. Assessment at Oakleigh Grammar is educative — it exists to support growth. Students are assessed against subject-specific criteria (A–D) using the MYP 1–8 achievement levels. This criterion-related model ensures fairness and clarity, helping students understand what success looks like and how they can improve. Through continuous reporting on Compass, families can see learning tasks, rubrics, and feedback throughout the semester.
Being Reflective and Balanced also means helping students manage responsibility. Clear processes are in place regarding late submissions and absences.
Absent from Assessment
Students are expected to communicate proactively with their teachers and provide appropriate documentation where necessary. These structures teach organisation, accountability, and self-management — essential Approaches to Learning skills within the MYP framework.
To further strengthen accountability, we have introduced Academic Detentions in the Middle School. These supervised sessions are designed not as punishment, but as structured support, an opportunity for students to demonstrate resilience and take ownership of incomplete or unsatisfactory work. In this way, we are intentionally developing Risk-takers who learn from setbacks and grow through challenge.
Alongside accountability, we provide support. Homework Club, free Mathematics tutoring, and the use of Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) help us identify where students need extension or additional guidance. Our goal is always to ensure that each child is appropriately challenged and supported.
As a Christian school, our HARK values, Humility, Aspiration, Respect, and Kindness, sit naturally alongside the IB Learner Profile. We want our students to aspire to excellence, to act with integrity, and to treat others with care. Personally, I see my role as ensuring that our academic systems are clear, consistent, and aligned with these values.
I look forward to working with you as partners in your child’s journey, as together we nurture not only strong academic outcomes, but confident, capable, and principled young people.
Guang Wu
MYP Coordinator
