From Bush School to Bonfires:

Splashing about in the Bull Creek, searching for tadpoles, toasting marshmallows over a firepit and traversing the wild terrain of the Southwest coast! Welcome to Outdoor Learning in All Saints’ College’s Junior School where students learn from the land, on the land.

In a world increasingly dominated by screens and digital interfaces, a quiet revolution is helping our students slow down and reconnect. A natural setting removes many barriers where students learn to communicate and collaborate with each other, fostering a profound sense of growth.

The Junior School Outdoor Learning Program (OLP) spans from Kindergarten to Year 6. Our youngest students (Kindergarten – Year 2) participate in Bush School, an immersive program that encourages students exploration and connection with Gabbiljee (Bull Creek). They develop fundamental social, emotional and cognitive capabilities that are continually refined in future years.

From Year 2 onwards, students participate in a cohort-level Outdoor Learning Program, beginning on campus, before progressively moving to different locations in

Western Australia from Point Walter and Yuat Country on Moore River to the diverse Margaret River region and culminating in the Year 6 Outdoor Learning Program in Albany.

Being in a natural environment allows students to be their authentic selves and the activities and outings that take place foster fun, teamwork, and lifelong skills. Throughout the various programs, students are presented with situations that prompt considered questioning and identification of the means to discover answers with what is around them. Across all programs, students actively engage with First Nations culture, focusing on language, stories, and places to build understanding, respect, and care for the connections and custodianship of our First Nations People.

Head of Outdoor Learning, Nick Fletcher, believes that in our fast-paced world where our students are presented with so many opportunities, there is a need for finding green space, where students can slow down, be intentional and learn from each experience.

‘There is a well-understood but exponentially increasing need for our young people to find and enjoy green space,’ said Nick.

‘In a dynamic world, the social and emotional growth that naturally comes from time spent outdoors is crucial. As our youngest students play, discover, and problem-solve together in an unstructured and unrestricted setting they are learning the skills that we know to be critical for the future.’

The Outdoor Learning Program is diverse in both place and opportunities. As the students grow, the program grows with them, providing new challenges and opportunities to discover new things about themselves. As the students journey through Junior School, the program begins to explore several bio-regions, exposing the students to the vast natural variety that exists on our doorstep in Western Australia.

The uniqueness of All Saints’ College’s Outdoor Learning Program lies in its continuity; each program builds on the previous one, supporting students’ learning and personal development. At a foundational level, the underlying skills that are developed in the Junior School such as problem-solving, interpersonal capacity, student agency, leadership and empathy are the fundamental building blocks upon which Senior School programs are built.

‘Engaging with the natural world in the early years is crucial to foster a lifelong connection and love with nature,’ said Katrina Goods, Junior School Outdoor Learning Teacher.

‘The natural world also offers developmental opportunities from gross and fine motor skills to language development, imaginative play and social skills outside of the classroom to build confidence.’

Taking time out of the classroom is not only vital for students’ physical, emotional and social wellbeing but it is essential for determining their future pathways.

‘In an uncertain future, where the skills and characteristics of tomorrow's workforce are not yet understood, equipping our students with the tools to identify the right path for themselves is our priority,’ said Nick.

‘The outdoor environment is, and always has been, a natural teacher of these human skills and offers the perfect 'proving ground' on which to test and refine these for life.’

As our next generation of adventurers lace up their hiking boots and find pure wonder in the outdoors, we are reminded that developing valuable human beings goes beyond academics. It involves nurturing empathy, resilience, and a deep appreciation for the natural world.

Published in Messenger August 2024