29 September 2026
Dear Oakley Parents and Guardians
The last 2 weeks have included the culmination of our Getting To Know You social evenings for the 5th and 6th forms. Ending the week with pizza and some dancing has been a lovely thing:
We were very proud of Sarah Schmidt when she was honoured in Routh Assembly yesterday. Sarah took part in a competition designed to stretch and challenge students genuinely interested in Chemistry, and to provide a meaningful taste of the way scientists at university actually think. Set by an experienced team of teachers and Cambridge chemists, the paper is accessible to Lower Sixth students but deliberately takes them significantly beyond the A-level syllabus — rewarding curiosity, careful reasoning, and a willingness to sit with a problem. Sarah was one of 2 Gold Award winners!
Well done to Sangmu who was congratulated in House for having the most commendations last week.
Our Oakley Monitors have been working hard, putting the finishing touches to our displays in House. The first is our map, which shows off the true diversity of our student body. The girls are always proud to show us where they are from in the world:
And this year, the Monitors have chosen a local charity for their fundraising efforts. Focus Birmingham is an independent local charity that provides support, care, advice, and guidance to individuals affected by sight loss and other disabilities across the Birmingham area. We will let you know of the events they plan to run to raise money for this cause. As a team they worked hard to produce this display and raise awareness of the charity:
At the end of House Assembly last week we gave the girls a gift that we hope will last them throughout the year and beyond. Everyone got an Oakley water bottle as a way of saying ‘well done’ for making it through the first half of this half term. The girls will definitely need to stay hydrated over the coming 3 weeks as House Song rehearsals are set to dominate their spare time!
Best wishes
Victoria Adams