Outdoor Education

Through regular exposure to the natural environment, our students are given age-appropriate opportunities to develop empathy with the natural world, become environmental stewards and to sustain their wellbeing. Allowing students to disconnect from the distractions of technology and reconnect with nature, helps them to develop an awareness of the environment, which in turn supports our commitment to sustainability.

Outdoor experiences also provide an avenue for them to explore the natural environment in a safe setting, to learn from mistakes and develop perseverance. 

In being given opportunities to recognise and regulate their own actions, our students are encouraged to make decisions that support their own health and wellbeing, and that of others. Students begin to see themselves and one another in a different light, as strengths not visible in their day to day lives and classrooms become apparent. Confidence, resilience, and problem solving skills improve as they work to complete essential tasks, and realise the benefits of communication and collaboration with others in order to succeed in tasks such as setting up camp or preparing a meal.

All our outdoor activities are designed to draw from students a greater range of skills and talents than they knew they possessed.

Students are often surprised to find within themselves the determination, adaptability and teamwork needed to rise to the challenges that our outdoor programme presents. Our students learn to make decisions that support the health and wellbeing of themselves and others, which in turn helps them to develop a sense of belonging, and contributes to individual and community well-being.

While developing practical skills is not our end goal, these skills are the building blocks that allow us to access the situations where the learning outcomes around self, relationships to others and a connectedness to nature that are intended in the other three standards, can take place.

Practical 'expedition skills' are developed through activities at age-appropriate levels in the areas of travel, navigation, camp craft and personal and group safety.