Woodlea

Prep’s first time at Staughton Vale

On Tuesday May 5, the Woodlea Prep cohort headed off on their very first excursion to the Staughton Vale campus. The sun was out, the bus was buzzing and students arrived ready to make the most of the day.

Students spent the day in mixed groups across classes, giving them the opportunity to meet and work with peers from other classrooms. The first activity had groups collaborating to build huts out of sticks, requiring them to problem-solve together and decide how to best use the materials they had.

The Nature Scavenger Hunt took groups out to explore the campus surrounds, with students on the lookout for specific items in the natural environment. Finding tree sap, feathers and interesting bugs had everyone excited, and it was a great way to get them observing and engaging with the world around them.

Groups also collected natural materials including twigs, gum nuts, rocks and leaves, and used them to create nature portraits, arranging their finds into images on the ground. A long walk through the wider surrounds of the campus rounded out the day, giving students the chance to take in the environment at a slower pace.

The bus ride home was quieter as quite a few students were asleep before we made it back to school. A sure sign of a very full and well-enjoyed day!

Florence Prep WA – “I loved watching the Roly Poly dig a hole.”
Sahir Prep WB – “I loved seeing the kangaroos.”
Vidhun Prep WE – “I loved making the huts because the sticks are very strong!”

Warwick Grinter – Head of Prep (Woodlea)

Year 5 goes to Staughton Vale

On Friday May 1, Year 5 students enjoyed an unforgettable day at Staughton Vale. We were incredibly lucky to have beautiful warm and sunny weather which meant every activity could be enjoyed outdoors in the fresh air. The excitement began the moment we arrived and continued throughout the entire day!

One of the highlights was learning how to make Oobleck. Students worked together using excellent teamwork, communication and sharing skills as they carefully followed the procedure to create the strange and messy mixture. There were plenty of laughs as the Oobleck changed from a solid to a liquid in their hands.

The students also put their creativity and writing skills to the test in an exciting narrative relay challenge. Using the theme “A Night at Staughton Vale,” teams collaborated to plan imaginative story ideas before racing to continue the narrative one student at a time. Every student contributed to the story and the finished products were read at the end where the winners of each narrative were announced!

Throughout the day, students also participated in an orienteering course where they searched for and measured different angles hidden around the grounds. Working in groups, students applied their mathematical knowledge in a fun, hands-on way while developing problem-solving and teamwork skills.

The energy and enthusiasm continued during the afternoon’s team-building activities. Cheers and laughter echoed across the fields as students competed in tug of war, dodgeball, soccer and the challenging half-pipe activity. The games encouraged resilience, cooperation and plenty of friendly competition.

Overall, the excursion was a fantastic success filled with learning, laughter and memorable experiences!

Lisa Bragiola – Staff Association Representative (Woodlea)