Outdoor and Experiential Learning – Year 9 Transition Day & Stage 1 ODE
Year 9 Transition Day
Last Friday, we co-hosted, alongside the senior Heads of House, the Year 9s for their transition day into the Senior School. The morning was spent across South Terrace in Blue Gum Park, where we put the Year 9s’ teamwork to the test with some problem-solving games. There was a shared BBQ by the lawns for lunch, where we took in the air of excitement over lunch, as the Year 6s, 9s and 11s played volleyball and table tennis together. The Heads of House ended the day by running the cohort through a treasure hunt in the Centre for Senior Learning.
After spending so much quality time with the Year 9s on their Outdoor Learning program last term, it was great to catch up with them all again, and see them in a different environment. We are excited to see which of them will frequent our office next year!
Some of us will soon assist the Learning Innovation team with a day in Kuitpo Forest with the Year 10s; for some orienteering and visiting Treeclimb Kuitpo.
Until then, we continue to work diligently towards our middle and senior end-of-year Venture Club trips, along the Great Ocean Road and to Tasmania respectively. Hope everyone involved is excited!
Stage 1 Outdoor Education – Kuitpo Forest
On November 3 and 4, the Stage 1 Outdoor Education class ventured to Kuitpo Forest for an overnight experience focusing on hiking, orienteering, and mountain biking. The students were challenged to develop their practical planning skills by considering factors such as the weather, the group size, and their relative experience in setting the activities and flow of the two days.
Despite being confronted with challenging weather, the students’ detailed planning and preparation allowed them to successfully mitigate the conditions and enjoy the range of activities in the unique bush setting. The experience included a pretty walk through Kyeema Conservation Park and offered rewarding views from the high points through the back of Kuitpo Forest. Learning navigation skills provided students a chance to master new competencies and extend their outdoor craft. We stayed overnight, camping in the iconic at Rocky Creek site. We used a hut for shelter to dodge some of the weather, which allowed for valuable downtime, including playing some fun games.
Tuesday brought better conditions, enabling students to individually tackle the orienteering course and mountain bike ride through native and pine forest plantations. The students enjoyed the experience, which successfully built on their learning from Term 3 and sets them up to take on the Stage 2 course in 2026. Most pleasing was their adaptability and application to the program.
The Outdoor Learning Team