Outdoor Education is central to the learning pedagogy at Redlands College. As a school we believe the practice of taking students into the outdoors and away from the classroom for individual and team-building experiences creates core life skills and builds resilience, curiosity, creativity, compassion and inclusion.
All students at Redlands College benefit from attending excursions to various facilities like museums, environmental education centres, galleries and local islands. Students from Year 4 participate in camps and service opportunities, and in Middle and Senior Years have the opportunity to attend mission trips. These missions often become defining moments in their school years. All camps and excursions are included in Redlands College fees.
Camps
Below is an outline of the typical camp scenario for students. The camps involve a mix of outdoor skills, fun adventures as well as personal development.
- Year 4 Camp – Stepping up, Stepping back and Encouraging others
- Year 5 Camp – Taking Risks through Team building
- Year 6 Camp – Friendship, Trust and Spiritual Development
- Year 7 Camp – Building connections
- Year 8 Camp – Character Development
- Year 9 – Project Vila, our Year 9 Capstone Project (2 week service immersion trip)
- Year 10 – Senior School orientation
- Year 11 – Leadership Camp
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Students from Years 9-12 have the opportunity to sign up and participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – a renowned International Youth Achievement Program that challenges them to achieve their best through a balanced program of skill development, commitment to regular physical activity and enriching their community through volunteering.
The program is largely self-driven by students and as such is wonderful for fostering initiative, personal responsibility and endurance. Participants are also challenged by participating in Adventurous Journeys to push their physical and mental limits, while having fun with others as they do it.
Approximately 150 Redlands College students annually participate in the three Award levels:
- Bronze: Students from Year 9 must complete an hour a week of community service for three months, a physical activity and learn a skill. The participant must choose an additional three months of one of the above areas whilst completing 2 x two-day Adventure Journeys.
- Silver: Students from Year 10 must complete an hour a week of community service for six months, a physical activity and learn a skill whilst completing 2 x three-day Adventure Journeys.
- Gold: Students from Year 11 must complete a full 12 months of a community service, a physical activity, learn a skill, and participate in a week-long residential project as well as completing 2 x four-day Adventure Journeys.
Adventure Journeys
Adventure Journeys provide students with a choice of hiking, kayaking, Project Vila or sailing, whether locally, nationally or overseas. In each of these options, participants will be required to work in small groups and develop teamwork and leadership skills as they progress through the levels.