We are excited to welcome our existing Prep families into ‘big school’ as they begin their Kindergarten journey. It’s also wonderful to see so many new families joining our community in 2026. Details about the orientation morning have been sent home. If you need further information, please contact the front office.

You’ll often hear the terms DIBELS and Decodables at OCS.
DIBELS stands for Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. It is a set of assessments used from Kindergarten to Year 6 at the beginning, middle and end of each year to monitor students’ progress in essential reading skills. The data helps teachers celebrate growth and tailor instruction to support each child’s development.
Decodables are specially written texts for beginning readers. They support the development of blending and segmenting skills and build confidence as students learn the alphabetic code.

These tools are key components of our evidence-based approach to literacy instruction at OCS.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed so generously on Compassion Day. Your kindness is making a real difference in the life of our sponsor child, Koi, who lives in rural Kenya. Koi is 11 years old and lives with his mum and dad—his father works as a day labourer. Koi helps at home by running errands and enjoys playing games, sports, and attending Sunday School. He loves Science and Social Studies and has a passion for art, running, and storytelling. Your support helps provide Koi and his family with hope and opportunity. Thank you!

With Stage 4 and Stage 5 examinations approaching, now is a pertinent opportunity to again consider the rightful place of academic enrichment and challenge being one of the crucial objectives at OCS.

When first meeting a new Year 7 Science or Mathematics class, I will often ask the students to turn to the inside cover of their workbook and write down the following, big and bold:

Learning is hard.
I can do hard things.

This is not a particularly unique phrase, and certainly not one that I claim to have coined. I first encountered this mindset some years ago in a discussion with a colleague relating to typical cultural differences between East Asian and Western perspectives in education. In East Asian cultures, academic success is widely believed to result from effort, not talent, and a recent study (Xu et al. (2023)) comparing East Asian and Western students found that East Asian students were more likely to believe that success comes from hard work, and this belief positively influenced their persistence and academic outcomes. Further, Japanese children are taught from a young age to embrace struggle as part of learning. For example, “ganbaru” (頑張る) is a cultural concept meaning “to persist” or “to do one’s best despite difficulty.”

As educators, we have a responsibility to help students expect and embrace the cognitive unease that often accompanies challenging or unfamiliar learning, whether it’s grappling with apparent contradictions, navigating complex problems, or pushing through moments of doubt.

So, as students prepare for their final Stage 4 and Stage 5 formal assessments for 2025, may we—as their teachers, parents, and carers—encourage a mindset of ganbaru, knowing that persistence is not only necessary for growth, but is itself a mark of it.

We’re excited to welcome Ms Taylor Lake, our new Wellbeing Nurse, to the Orange Christian School community. Taylor brings a unique blend of clinical expertise, compassion, and faith to her role—combining her background in Child and Adolescent Mental Health with her nursing experience to care for students in both body and mind.

Taylor says one of the best things about OCS so far has been how caring everyone is. “From teachers to students, I’ve seen just how much everyone cares for each other—it creates a really enjoyable environment to work in,” she shared. That genuine care extends to her work with the students, where she supports them not only when they’re unwell, but also in building healthy habits and emotional resilience.

Driven by a passion for early intervention and a holistic approach to wellbeing, Taylor is eager to partner with staff and families to ensure every child can flourish to their full potential. “In all that I do, your children and their wellbeing are at the centre,” she says. “I strive to always care for them with compassion and respect.”

With her heart for people and her dedication to creating a safe, supportive environment, Taylor is already proving to be a wonderful addition to our school community. When she’s not at work, she enjoys any creative project and either making or drinking a great coffee.

Leadership application processes are under way for 2026 Student Leadership Team. The application packs have been emailed to all students in Years 7 to 11. These are due back to the office by Thursday Nov 6. SLT Training Day takes place on Dec 5

Following the exams next week, Year 10 and 11 students will head to Ridgecrest for Rite of Passage. This is our annual transition to senior schooling camp. There are lots of fun activities and time to get to know each other built into the two days to help the cohort build a positive study culture. When we return from RoP the HSC begins in earnest with the start of compressed HSC courses the following Monday.  

Speaking of camps . . . I wish to express my thanks and gratitude to parents who gave up their time and their beds to assist on Six Foot Track. Despite the challenges of weather (again!) we were able to pivot to create a fun and engaging opportunity for Stage 4 and they still got to cook on their hiking stoves. Thanks to all the parents and the staff team who helped the students to ‘adapt and overcome’.

He’s faithful! I know that the battle belongs to the Lord.

Do you know that?

Do you know it deep down in your soul? I haven’t always felt that assurance — that the battle truly belongs to Him. There are days when I stray from trusting God’s path for me. But lately, the Lord has been working in me to see more clearly. I’m seeing God move in my life and in the lives of others — especially our students — one step at a time.
 
One Bible verse that captures this is 1 Samuel 17:47:
 “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
 
This verse reminds us that victory doesn’t come from human strength or ability, but from God’s power and presence.
 
Last week, Year 5 student Jacob Price ran the 800m at NSWPSSA – Athletics Championships, securing a coveted silver medal with a blistering five-second personal best — no mean feat! But it wasn’t the post-race accolades that brought tears to my eyes. It was watching him in those final metres that I knew God was with him, right there on the track. He was hurting — I saw his head drop — but then he lifted it again, pushed on, overtook the athlete ahead, and claimed second place. Victory came from God’s power. He saw His servant Jacob and was with him in that moment. Now Jacob will head to Nationals in January. Stay tuned to see what God has instore for this young man.
 
So many moments I witness our students giving their all. To teach in a Christian school is surely an honour. Watching our students return from Christian camps during their break and boldly witness to others — even venturing downtown — reveals a far greater battle. Yet even there, God sends His children, and He vindicates their servant hearts. Through their obedience, lives are touched and changed as they share the truth of who God is.
 
Each child has been given gifts: strength, speed, coordination, teamwork, leadership, or even encouragement from the sidelines. These are not accidents. They are God-given abilities meant to glorify Him and serve others — and our OCS students continue to use their gifts well.
 
Bridie (Yr 5) and Storm Wiggins (Yr 3) have each been cycling their own paths this year, competing across school mountain biking and Enduro events. Both girls have shown tremendous growth in confidence, determination, and placings. They are now eagerly preparing for the upcoming NSW Schools Mountain Biking Challenge in November, and we can’t wait to hear how they go!
 
The summer representative season is upon us here in Orange, and we want to take a moment to celebrate our students and their outstanding achievements. A special congratulations goes out to the following students:
 
Phoebe Johns (Yr 4): Orange U/11 Representative Development Netball
Tiah Hallinan (Yr 3): Orange U/10 Touch Football
Isaac Jansen (Yr 4): Orange U/12 Basketball
Leah Went (Yr 4): Orange U/12 Basketball and U/11 Representative Development Netball
Darius James (Yr 8): Orange U/16 Basketball
George Pulling (Yr 10): Orange U/18 Basketball
Elijah Hewitt (Yr 10): Orange U/18 Basketball
 
This is a wonderful accomplishment by all of our students named in these squads, and we look forward to following each of their journeys and celebrating their continued success. With the Soccer representative season about to begin, we are excited to see who will be selected in the coming weeks.

If your child has achieved a representative selection or sporting milestone, please email me at CBuckerfield@ocs.nsw.edu.au — God’s gifts are meant to be celebrated, and we love rejoicing alongside our students and families.

In exciting news, our very own Year 11 student, Isabelle Castvan, has been selected to tour Spain with the Barça Football (Soccer) Academy! As a top-performing player from the Barça Academy Spring Camps held in Orange during the school holidays, Isabelle was chosen to travel as part of the Open Girls Squad touring Barcelona. During this once-in-a-lifetime experience, Izzy will:

– Train at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper,
– Compete against international teams,
– Experience daily life as an FC Barcelona player, and
– Attend an official match at the new Spotify Camp Nou Stadium, among a host of other incredible opportunities.

We wish Isabelle all the very best as this exciting tour draws closer — what an amazing testimony of dedication, talent, and God-given opportunity!

The Western Region Academy of Sport (WRAS) selections have also begun across a number of sports. Congratulations to Molly Pyle (Yr 7), who has been selected as a Goalkeeper in the WRAS Women’s Hockey Squad, and Henry Kay (Yr 7), who has earned selection in the WRAS Triathlon Squad. Both students will take part in intensive programs led by elite coaches, including high-performance training camps, inter-academy competitions, and sports science testing — just some of the incredible opportunities offered through WRAS to help talented young athletes from our region achieve sporting excellence. Congratulations, Molly and Henry — your commitment and drive are truly inspiring!

Sport can feel like a battlefield — full of competition, pressure, and emotion. But it’s also a training ground for character. When we step onto the field, court, or track, God isn’t only watching our performance — He’s shaping our hearts. Winning is not the ultimate goal — worship is. Every time a child uses their sporting gift with humility, respect, and joy, they are declaring, “God, thank You for what You’ve given me. I will use it for Your glory.”

Yesterday, our Stage 5 Drama students delighted a small audience of parents, students, and staff with a lively performance of excerpts from Oscar Wilde’s classic play The Importance of Being Earnest.

Set in Victorian England, Wilde’s witty comedy explores themes of identity, honesty, and the sometimes absurd expectations of society. Our students brought these timeless ideas to life with humour, confidence, and wonderful character work—some even taking on multiple roles with impressive ease.

Their strong commitment to the nuances of Wilde’s language made for an engaging and thoroughly enjoyable performance. Congratulations to our talented Drama students for their creativity, teamwork, and stage presence!