Outdoor Education at Melbourne Girls Grammar fosters ethical women of action by developing the mindset, confidence and skills required to thrive in the outdoors and beyond. Through challenge-based and experiential learning, students cultivate resilience, leadership, teamwork and a lifelong appreciation of the natural world. We inspire students with a sense of awe and encourage them to apply their outdoor learning to everyday life, building confidence, independence and environmental stewardship.
Outdoor Education provides powerful learning experiences that remain with students long after they leave school. At Melbourne Girls Grammar, these experiences are embedded throughout a student’s journey, creating regular opportunities to learn, grow and connect with the natural world.
Through a progressive program from ELC to Year 12, students develop confidence, competence and resilience in outdoor environments. Each stage builds on the skills, knowledge and experiences of the previous year, fostering leadership, teamwork and independence through meaningful challenge and adventure.
A key milestones of the program is the Year 10 Expedition of Choice, a significant shared experience that serves as a rite of passage and a source of pride for Grammarians, celebrating the personal growth, perseverance and capabilities developed throughout their Outdoor Education journey.
Another defining experience within the program is the Arnhem Land immersion. Every year our Year 9 cohort visits and learns from the Yolngu people in Arnhem Land. This experience forms a part of the School’s commitment to building a deeper understanding of our indigenous people, the history of Australia and the importance of preserving our 70,000 year-old indigenous culture, languages and traditions.
Outdoor Education encompasses a broad range of experiences, opportunities and challenges. At Melbourne Girls Grammar, these experiences are shaped by the SAGES framework, which provides a clear structure for the design and delivery of our Outdoor Education program.
SAGES guides the learning outcomes and experiences that students encounter throughout their Outdoor Education journey. Click on the letters below to explore each element of the framework.
S is for Skills
The hard skills, the things that we need to learn to be comfortable. So that might be how to tie your laces properly, how to put an expedition backpack on, tying a knot, paddling a boat or putting up a tent. They make us comfortable in the outdoors and prepare us for being able to learn.
A is for Adventure
Adventure and exploration are at the core of what it is to be human. When we talk about adventure, we’re talking about beginning tasks with uncertain outcomes. Our students should be encouraged to experiment and to play in the outdoors, and to understand that to fail is a necessary part of learning and improving. We structure their adventures and ensure their safety, but within that framework, our Grammarians are given the freedom to explore.
G is for Growth
That’s the personal development part of educating future adults. It covers all those immeasurable things that employers really like. Things like how and when to be a leader; how to be a follower; when to be a follower; how to be a flexible problem solver; how to have a positive mindset; how to have resilience and grit; the list goes on.
E is for the Environment
Our objective is to build an understanding of our local, national and global environment. And although it’s not always easy, it’s important to include an indigenous understanding of the environment.
S is for Service
We come from a privileged society within a very privileged country, so we need to learn how to give back. That can be amongst our local community, or it could be within the School, or more broadly within Melbourne, or Australia, or the world.
4
The Outdoor Education program provides a progressive sequence of experiences that support students to develop skills, confidence and independence throughout their years at Melbourne Girls Grammar.
Morris Hall:
Students participate in Outdoor Education experiences that encourage exploration, nature play and connection with the natural world. Overnight experiences from Years 2 to 4 support the development of independence, resilience and confidence away from home through age-appropriate challenge and adventure.
Years 5 – 7:
Students build practical outdoor skills through regular Outdoor Education experiences and camps. These programs develop teamwork, problem-solving and self-reliance while introducing students to expedition-based learning and outdoor leadership.
Years 8 – 10:
Outdoor Education experiences become increasingly challenging as students refine their technical, interpersonal and leadership skills. Camps and expeditions encourage students to apply their learning in new environments, culminating in the Year 10 Graduation Expedition, a significant milestone in the Outdoor Education journey.
Years 11 & 12:
Students can extend their Outdoor Education experiences through a range of optional opportunities that provide further challenge, adventure and personal growth.
In addition to core Outdoor Education experiences, students may participate in co-curricular opportunities such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award, further developing leadership, initiative and service through experiences beyond the classroom.
5