OxTrail 2024
Wow! The Great Botley Ox Trail Adventure – A Roaring Success!
Get ready to hear a tail (or should we say, a tale) of amazing fundraising and artistic brilliance! The Pupil Council's mission to get Botley School's very own mini ox onto the Oxford Art Trail was a HUGE, udderly fantastic success! Thanks to some seriously brilliant fundraising and a whole lot of creative genius, we smashed our target and created something truly special.
First, the fundraising!
Our non-uniform day was a kaleidoscope of colour and crazy outfits, and our cake sale was a scrumptiously delicious triumph – we're talking mountains of cupcakes, rivers of cookies, and enough sugary goodness to power a herd of oxen! Together, these amazing efforts raised a whopping £270 – way over a quarter of our £1000 goal! We were so close, we could almost smell the hay!
Then came the Christmas cheer! Our Christmas Jumper Day was a festive fashion parade, and our Christmas Decorations Sale (during class workshare) was a flurry of glitter, tinsel, and handmade treasures. Every penny counted, bringing us closer and closer to our target.
Hello, Boxley!
Before the fundraising frenzy even began, we had a very important task: naming our ox! An assembly was held to tell everyone about the Oxford Art Trail, why it’s so important to raise money for Sobell House (who do amazing work!), and, of course, about our very own mini ox. The children put on their thinking caps and came up with some brilliant names. After a nail-biting vote, the winner was… BOXLEY! A perfect mix of Botley and Ox!
Boxley's Grand Design: A Masterpiece of Botley Spirit!
With Boxley officially named, the Design Team, a crack squad of artistic geniuses, sprang into action! They needed inspiration, something truly Botley to make Boxley stand out from the herd.
Suddenly, someone shouted, "Eureka!" (or something like that). They remembered a super-cool project from 2003/04: everyone designed their own caricature and put them on a tea towel.
Brilliant idea!
So, 20 years later, history repeated itself, but on a much grander scale! All 250 children (and some of the grown-ups too – we couldn't resist!) grabbed their pencils and let their imaginations run wild. Imagine the scene: funny faces peeking out from behind desks, silly hairstyles taking shape on paper, and amazing drawings bursting with colour and personality! These caricatures, each one a tiny work of art, were then cleverly woven into Boxley’s design. He became a walking, talking (well, maybe not talking) celebration of the entire Botley School community!
But that wasn't all! The children decided that Boxley had to represent everything that makes Botley special. So, they incorporated our school values: Teamwork, Resilience, Respect, Inclusivity, Creativity, and Kindness. Each value found a place on Boxley's magnificent form, reminding everyone what we strive for at Botley.
And because we're a school bursting with house pride, Boxley also proudly displayed our house colours: the vibrant Red House, the cool Blue House, the earthy Green House, and the sunny Yellow House. They were a kaleidoscope of Botley spirit, a true masterpiece reflecting the heart and soul of our school.
Thanks to everyone's incredible efforts, Boxley joined the herd on the Oxford Art Trail, bringing a splash of Botley brilliance to the city and raising vital funds for Sobell House.
What an amazing adventure!
