Co-curricular activities in 2020

www.sacs.nsw.edu.auSydney Square, Sydney

Co-curricularactivities in 2020Learning beyond the classroom: outdoor education,

sport, music, drama, clubs, debating and international tours

Our Head of School Dr John Collier explains 02 why co-curricular activities are a major part of school life at St Andrew’s

The coordinator of St Andrew’s co-curricular 03 programs, Mr Ric van Wachem, provides an overview of the extensive activities offered

Music – the ensembles, choirs and performance 04-05 opportunities offered

Overview of our sport programs 06

Junior School sport program 07

Meet our secondary head coaches 08-09

Secondary school winter and summer sports 10-11

Sport facilities 12

Other co-curricular activities: 13-15 drama ensembles, debating, chess, dance and special interest clubs

Outdoor education program 16

International tours 17

Contents

All students at St Andrew’s are encouraged to participate in co-curricular activities to help develop a variety of skills, build personal confidence and foster friendships within the school community.

The benefits to students and the entire school community are immeasurable and that is why St Andrew’s makes it compulsory for students to participate in some way in the co-curricular life of the school. Research has shown that involvement in co-curricular activities provides a unique range of social experiences that build character, strengthen relationships and enhance student achievement. Involvement in these activities in secondary school is associated with a greater level of school satisfaction, higher feelings of self-control, higher confidence socially and academically and greater educational and occupational aspirations. A number of studies have also shown that students participating in extracurricular activities do better academically than those who do not.

Some of the skills learned include compromise, negotiation, following others and taking leadership, problem-solving, learning how to win with humility and lose with dignity.

In a recent meeting with the Senior Student Leadership team, they overwhelmingly told me that one of the best things about St Andrew’s was the co-curricular program. When asked why, they replied that it built relationships, not only between themselves and teachers/coaches, but between students in different year levels, boosting morale and a sense of belonging. They also said many of their fondest memories of St Andrew’s have been while participating in co-curricular activities.

There are a wealth of opportunities on offer at St Andrew’s, with something to suit every student. All it takes is a willingness by students to take that first step.

Dr John Collier

Head of St Andrew’s Cathedral School

Benefits of participating in co-curricular activities

Co-curricular activities are organised programs that exist outside of the school’s mainstream academic curriculum.

| Co-curricular activities2

Co-curricular activities encompass sport, music and performing arts, debating and public speaking, clubs, outdoor education programs, community service and overseas tours. In the following pages, we have provided more details on the programs offered in each of these areas.

Generally a parent or student’s first experience of St Andrew’s is on a school tour. The school tour unfortunately does not reflect the diverse range of experiences that a student can have at SACS outside the classroom. When comparing SACS with other independent schools, prospective parents and students will often make comparisons of the on-site grounds and facilities that SACS has with those of similar schools. Most of our sporting facilities are located at various sites around the city. This may appear to be a disadvantage, but in reality, students become far more conversant with the wider city and have a greater knowledge of how to utilise the city in their own time.

SACS is a full member of the ISA (Independent Sporting Association) for secondary inter-school competitions. There are 12 full member schools and eight associate members. As such, SACS must meet certain obligations as a member school and compete in all the major sporting competitions outlined by the ISA. In addition, SACS offers other sports and activities to facilitate opportunities for students who may not be interested in those provided by the ISA. All students must participate in a winter sport, although students who excel at certain sports (at state representative level) may gain some form of exemption. Within the Junior School, St Andrew’s is a member of ASISSA and competes against other member schools. St Andrew’s employs highly skilled coaching staff, many of whom have achieved at the highest level of their sport. We have specialist development coaches in Football, Fencing, Basketball, Hockey, Netball and Rugby.

SACS has long been a leader within the independent school sector in performing arts. While the 200-year-old Cathedral Choir has a reputation for developing quality vocalists, the school can also boast having a major role in the development of professional concert musicians and actors. Our highly accredited and passionate staff are testament to the success we have enjoyed in this area.

House competitions and activities play a major role in the pastoral and co-curricular life of students at St Andrew’s. Whether it be the Bake Off cupcake competition to raise money for charity, the Athletics Carnival or the Debating competition, fun is the one essential element in the diverse number of House activities offered throughout the year.

The school’s outdoor education program is physically and mentally challenging, and is often referred to as one of the highlights of a student’s time at St Andrew’s. The program runs from Year 3 through to Year 10, culminating in students being offered a variety of trips including hiking the Overland Track in Tasmania, mountain biking in New Zealand, sea kayaking on Myall Lake, hiking the length of Fraser Island and a 20-day expedition from Mt Kosciuszko to the Bass Strait. The school employs its own highly skilled and trained staff for these programs.

St Andrew’s, by virtue of its city location, has a significant international flavour to its student body. Many students come from a diverse range of European, American and Asian countries. As a result, we seek to provide opportunities for students to explore the world through a range of different tours. These include a history and music tour to Europe in Year 11, language tours to China and France, and other trips that encompass different learning areas, including science, sport and outdoor education. Having worked in numerous independent schools over many years, I believe St Andrew’s offers one of the most developed and extensive co-curricular programs available. I am excited to be a part of a motivated and highly experienced team of teachers, coaches and volunteers. I am sure that you will be amazed by the experiences that your child will recount, something I have witnessed personally through my own children’s experiences at St Andrew’s.

Mr Ric van Wachem

Director of Sport and Co-curricular Education

An amazing wealth of opportunities at St Andrew’s

Co-curricular activities | 3

Learning music is very much a part of general school life at St Andrew’s. We aim to provide students with high quality teaching and learning, as well as performance opportunities in a fun, challenging and inspiring environment.

The Music Department engages a large number of visiting instrumental teaching staff, covering a wide range of string, wind, brass, keyboard and percussion instruments as well as vocal studies. Individual lessons are offered

weekly during term time. Each

student who is learning individually is

encouraged to participate in an ensemble.

These activities are designed to

supplement and extend the work that

is covered in lessons and also provide

performance opportunities at various

concerts that are arranged during the

year. They are also a wonderful way to

make friends and become more

involved in school life.

Visit the Parent Portal for details about

enrolling in lessons and ensembles.

Music facilitiesRefurbished and updated in 2016, the

Music Department contains classrooms

and specialist instrumental teaching areas,

as well as practice rooms for ensemble

rehearsals and individual lessons.

More than 600 students undertake

advanced instrument and/or choral

tuition within the school. St Andrew’s

Cathedral, the dedicated Fairfax Music

Room and the Heath Centre are the major

performance spaces utilised by the

Music Department. Students also have

the opportunity to perform at the City

Recital Hall and Sydney’s magnificent

Town Hall for the school’s annual

Showcase concert and the annual

end-of-year Evening of Celebration

and Prizegiving.

Junior School The Junior School Music Department’s philosophy is that every child has musical potential. There is a dynamic classroom program and large number of private instrumentalists that sees around 75 per cent of students learning an instrument. Each student who is learning privately is encouraged to participate in an ensemble.

Music ensembles/choirs

• Junior Choir (Years 3-6)

• Infants Choir (Years K-2)

• Junior String Orchestra (Years 3-6)

• Training Strings (Beginners)

• Junior Concert Band (Years 3-6)

• Junior Chapel Band (Years 3-6)

• Junior Tuned Percussion (Years 4-6)

• Junior Chamber (by invitation)

• Junior Jazz (by invitation)

• Junior Wind Extension (by invitation)

• Junior Rock Band (By audition – Years 5-6)

• Cathedral Choristers (Year 3-6 boys by audition only)

Performance opportunities within school

• Weekly Chapel performances

• Showcase Concert

• School musicals

• Special events

• Award ceremonies including the

Evening of Celebration and Prizegiving

• Music soirees (hosted by tutors)

• Infants/Primary concerts (once per year)

• Maestros Concerts (weekly)

External

• IPSHA Music Festival

• Combined school concerts/festivals

• Citylinks gigs

Music programs


Secondary SchoolMusic contributes immensely to the general culture and fabric of the Middle School and Senior College at St Andrew’s. Alongside the private and group lessons offered, students are encouraged to participate in an ensemble. These ensembles are graded so that each student can be placed into a group appropriate to their level of proficiency. Studio Soiree Concerts are held in semester two, allowing parents to see their child and other students perform.

Music ensembles/choirs

• Middle School Choir

• Senior Choir

• Boys’ Vocal Ensemble

• Girls’ Vocal Ensemble

• Chamber Choir

• Concert Band

• Wind Symphony

• Middle School String Ensemble

• Chamber Orchestra

• Symphony Orchestra

• Stage Band (Jazz)

• Jazz Orchestra

• Chamber Music

• Rock bands

• Middle School and Senior College Chapel Bands

• Jazz Combos

Performance opportunities

The school requires all instrumental students to perform in at least one concert or assembly each year. Concert and performance opportunities include:

• Public lunchtime concerts in the Cathedral

• Music soirees (hosted by tutors)

• Assemblies

• Maestros concerts (weekly)

• Middle School Concert

• Showcase Concert (annual)

at Sydney Town Hall/City Recital Hall

• Performances around the city for charities and business functions

• Evening of Celebration and Prizegiving (see page four).

• School events


We believe that young people who are physically fit and enthusiastically challenged in an enjoyable and safe sporting environment perform better academically. As a result we provide inclusive sports activities for students of all abilities. Students gain personal satisfaction and develop socially and emotionally through team participation.

The school is committed to the ongoing development of all sports offered at SACS and is particularly keen to see all participants, across all ability levels, developing and improving their sporting skills and sport specific fitness. We have Head Coaches in each of our ISA team sports and they oversee the training programs of all team coaches and develop targeted strategies and programs appropriate to each team’s skill level. In addition, they create styles of play that students will follow throughout their time at St Andrew’s.

The head coaches are supported by a talented pool of staff, many of whom are highly trained in coaching or have performed at the highest level of sport.

St Andrew’s has a full-time Athlete and Team Development Manager, whose primary role is to oversee the individual and team skill and strength development of all students at school. He works closely with our highly experienced strength and conditioning coaches, PDHPE staff, coaching staff and our students, to develop training programs and drills that will improve health and performance. (See articles on pages 8-9 on our sport development coaches.)

Competing within the ISA sporting competition (in secondary school) and ASISSA (in Junior School), St Andrew’s students are able to participate in a wide range of sports, with pathways to CIS, NSW All Schools and national levels.

St Andrew’s is very supportive of students who excel in a sport not offered as part of the St Andrew’s Sports Program. Students can apply to be supported to pursue pathways to school, regional, state and national representation in these other sports.

St Andrew’s bases most of our sporting programs out of Sydney University and Wentworth Park. The school also has a general use gymnasium with a basketball court, along with a new strength and conditioning room and spin room on site. Our priority is to see students playing and participating in safe, high quality environments.

Overview of our sport programs


Junior School sport

The following sports are formally taught at St Andrew’s:

• Basketball

• Gymnastics

• Tennis

• Football (Soccer)

• Athletics

• Netball

• Oz-tag

• Tee-ball

• Cricket

• Hockey

• Running/cross-country

• Touch Football

• AFL

• Rugby

Sports included in the ASISSA inter-school sports competition:

• AFL


• Cricket

• Netball

• Touch Football

• Tee-ball

IPSHA Saturday sports competition:

• AFL (Term 1)

• Touch Football (Term 1)

• Football (Term 2)

• Netball (girls) (Term 3)

• Touch Football (boys) (Term 3)

• Tee-ball (Term 4)

• Cricket (Term 4)

Our Kindergarten to Year 6 sport program focuses on the development of fundamental movement skills. While we use the learning of movement skills as a tool, students are always working towards less tangible skills such as communication, persistence, resilience, team work and humility. Students in Years 4-6 are invited to compete in the ASISSA inter-school sport competition which occurs weekly and IPSHA competitions on Saturday mornings. Training before or after school is offered in all ASISSA sports each term.

Swimming, athletics and cross-country running carnivals

All students (Years 3-6) are expected to participate in the school’s swimming, athletics and cross-country carnivals as part of the school sports program. There are opportunities for students to represent St Andrew’s at ASISSA Carnivals and at NSW Combined Independent School level.

The sport of squash is taught as a co-curricular activity after school.

Athlete Development Manager and Coach

Christopher Watts (pictured) is our Athlete Development Manager and Coach. He is a qualified strength and conditioning coach with a degree in Sport and Exercise Science and a Masters in Strength and Conditioning. He has worked with a broad range athletes, including Olympians and professional rugby and rugby league footballers. He has worked with the NSW Institute of Sport, Baseball NSW, Shute Shield Rugby (Western Sydney Two Blues) and, currently, the West Tigers NRL Reserve Grade squad. Personally Chris has played Gridiron (American Football) for over 10 years, representing NSW in 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016.

Chris works within the Fitness Centre along with a highly experienced team of strength and conditioning coaches (Rafael Briant, Antonietta Del Pinto, Luke Esposito and Jacinta Mattingly) to develop the physical skills of all teams and athletes. You’ll also see Chris attend team training sessions and game days looking for ways to improve systems and identify talented athletes.

.

Rugby Union

Our Rugby Head Coach is Sateki Tuipulotu, (pictured), who played rugby union for Tonga in the 1995, 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cup tournaments, playing as fullback. He is now the head coach at the Penrith Emus, who compete in the Shute Shield.

The Head Coach of the First XV is Marty Dawson, who played rugby union for Randwick in the first division and has been coaching St Andrew’s teams since 2005. His knowledge of the game, experience coaching and his approach to the students has endeared him to students and staff alike. He became the 1st XV coach in 2019 and will build on this experience in 2020.

Football

Laki Konistis has been our Football Head Coach since 2015. He has been the First XI coach since 2018. He is a former Australian squad player and played first grade football in the National Soccer League, the predecessor to the A-League. He has a Level 3 coaching qualification and has led several NSW junior teams to victories on the national stage.

Old Andrean David Neale is in his second year as our 1st XI coach. He has had coaching instruction from the Southern Districts Technical Director and has also been mentored by Laki in recent years. David led last year’s 1st XI to their first ever grand final victory in 1st Division and is excited to have the opportunity again!

Our head coaches oversee the training programs of all team coaches and develop targeted strategies and programs appropriate to each team’s skill level.

Meet our head coaches


Other top coaches assisting our teamsThe Olympic sport of Fencing has long been part of the St Andrew’s sport program and has two of the best coaches available in Olympian and 2012 Olympic Modern Pentathlon fencing coach Mr Bill Ronald (OA 1960) and Assistant Coach Mr Samuel Mooney-Grand (OA 2010), also an Australian representative.

Our water polo squad in 2015 included Harry Sanderson, who returned to SACS in a coaching capacity in 2016. Harry is also the National Development Officer for Water Polo Australia.

Our athletics team is ably lead by Michael Holmes, a highly qualified jumps coach, who coaches two national level high jumpers.

In cross-country skiing, former Olympic finalist (1988) David Hislop, a parent at the school, provides individual tuition and training to our cross-country skiing team. The pair took two teams to the national championships in 2017 with a fourth place result in the Senior Division. David and his brother Rod Hislop, who also assists in our mountain bike program, were two of the top adventure athletes in the world. In 2018, SACS won the co-ed division of the Cross Country section in the National Interschools competition.

Old Andrean and ski racer Camille Jackson has joined the alpine skiing coaching team. She is currently training with Olympic coaches in the USA for Super G and Downhill events. Jonah van Wachem will be coaching students in freestyle, moguls and cross country events.

Basketball

Our Basketball Head Coach is William Hill, a former US college player who has trained athletes in the NCAA Basketball at the Division I, II, and III levels.

As a former NCAA III player and team captain at Ithaca College, he played all positions 1 through 5, thus giving him a firm understanding of the game. He possesses a strong drive to help athletes fulfill their desired goals, in sport and life. His impact was so great that his player number was retired!

He previously assisted Newington College’s successful 1sts team who won the NSW Championships and won gold in the Under 20 Division 1 competition at the National Schools Championships. He has built up a strong basketball culture since joining SACS in 2015.


The Winter Sport Program is compulsory for all students in Years 7 to 11. Year 12 students are encouraged to participate in a sporting team.

Competition takes place every Saturday, with at least one training session per week held after school. Students in 1sts and 16-years teams train twice a week. The school organises buses to take students to and from all afternoon trainings and to any Saturday competition venues that lie outside the Sydney metropolitan region.

The program’s emphasis is on developing team spirit and individual skills in the sports offered – and, of course, to win!

There are other sports offered outside the ISA school sport competition in Terms 2 and 3. These can also be undertaken as an additional winter co-curricular activity.

Boys ISA Winter Sports

• Rugby


• Tennis

Girls ISA Winter Sports

• Hockey

• Football

• Tennis

• Netball

Boys and Girls Winter Sports (non ISA)

• Mountain biking

• Fencing

• Water polo

• Squash

• Dance

• Jiu Jitsu

• Athletics

• Fit 4 Life

• Alpine skiing

• Cross country skiing

Winter sport Secondary school

Alpine Skiing

During the last week of the June/July

school holidays each year, the school

runs a snowsports program for Year 5

-12 students. The group of around 80

students stays in Jindabyne and skis at

Perisher. At the same time, students

who are good skiers or snowboarders

can enter the NSW and Australian

Championships. A weekly training

session is held during the winter terms

for interested cross country skiers.


Summer sport Secondary school

Boys Summer ISA Sports

• Swimming

• Basketball

• Cricket (boys)

Girls Summer ISA Sports

• Swimming

• Basketball

• Softball (girls)

Boys and Girls Summer Sports (non ISA)

• Mountain biking

• Fencing

• Futsal

• Summer hockey

• Ultimate frisbee

• Tennis

• Touch football

• Water Polo

Summer Sport at St Andrew’s is optional for all students in Years 7 to 12, however we do encourage students to participate for the wide range of benefits previously stated.

Summer sport runs across Terms 1 and 4 of the school year.

Competition takes place every Saturday, with trainings for each team held in the afternoons throughout the school week.

Athletics training and competitions

Athletics training for track and field competitions runs weekly from March through to September, with the competitive interschool carnivals taking place from late August through to September.

Cross country training and competitions

Cross country running training takes place weekly during term time from March through to June, when the Independent Sporting Association representative carnival and the NSW Combined Independent Schools state championships are held.

Fit 4 Life

Led by our qualified outdoor instructors, students spend three to five hours every Saturday engaged in a non-competitive outdoor activity. These include bushwalking, rock climbing and abseiling and sea kayak tours.

Winter sports in 2020


Sporting facilities

Our sporting facilities

Strength and conditioning

Playing fields

Rugby Union, Cricket and Football

Football

Hockey

Basketball and Netball

Tennis

Fencing

Softball

Water Polo

Mountain Biking

Year 7-11 students are able to use the extensively equipped weights room and spin room to improve their fitness and strength. A personalised strength and conditioning program is written for each student. The gym is supervised and open for student participation every day, from 6.15am-8am and 3.15pm-4.45pm.

The home venues for our sports include:

• St Andrew’s Oval (Sydney University)

• Wentworth Park (Wattle St, Ultimo) • The Domain sportsfields (City) • St Andrew’s Oval (Sydney University)

• Moorebank hockey fields

• Noel Martin Sports and Aquatic Centre (Sydney University)

• Sydney High School Tennis Courts

• St Andrew’s Cathedral School gym

• Wentworth Park (Wattle St, Ultimo)

• University of NSW Pool (Kensington) • Barker College Pool (Hornsby) • Warringah Aquatic Centre (Frenchs Forest) • Newington College pool (Stanmore)

• Kirrikee and various venues around Sydney


Junior School danceElevate Performing Arts offers boys and girls from Years 3-6 the chance to learn hip hop and jazz dance styles on the school’s premises in our dedicated dance studio on Level 5.

Our combined jazz + hip hop classes cater for the interests and needs of dancers of all levels of experience, from beginners through to advanced. Weekly term time classes are held straight after school by highly credentialed dance instructors. Parents need to book and pay for classes a term in advance.

SACS

Dance Academy

Other co-curricular activities

Junior School activitiesThe Junior School has a large selection of co-curricular activities and groups outside of music and sport.

These activities are held before or after school, usually on one day per week. Every two years, the Junior School holds a whole of school musical, which is usually performed in Term 4. Some programs involve an additional cost.

Some of the regular weekly term time activities include:

• Infants Art and Craft (Years K-2)

• Infants iPads (Years K-2)

• Infants Fine Motor Skills (Years K-2)

• Homework Club (Years 1-6)

• Bible Blast | Stage 3 Christian Fellowship (Years 5-6)

• COMET | Stage 1 Christian Fellowship (K-2)

• IMPACT | Stage 2 Christian Fellowship (Years 3-4)

• Keep fit club

• Movie Maker Club (Years 3-6)

• Truly aMAZing Games (Years 3-6)

• Chinese Eisteddfod (Years 2-6)

• Primary Book Club (before school, Years 3-6)

• Philosophy Club (selected Years 1-6)

• Science Club (selected Years 3-6)

• Primary Sport coaching/training and skills develop (Years 3-6)

• Code Camp (Years 2-6)

• Chess Club (Years 3-6)

• Student Newsletter (selected Years 3-6)

• Maths Club

• Lego Robotics Club (Years 3-6)

• Lego Masters (Years K-2)


Other co-curricular activities

Secondary school drama ensemblesA number of drama ensembles are offered as additional co-curricular activities for students across Years 7 to 12 and provide training and performance opportunities for all participants.

These ensembles include:

Theatresports

For Years 7-12 students, run on weekday afternoons during term time. The goal of these ensembles is to promote confidence and problem-solving skills, increase social and self-awareness, and develop acting and public speaking skills in a FUN learning environment! Our professional TheatreSports coach Mr Dave Callan runs three age-based ensembles. No prior experience is necessary and entry is open to all.

Students learn the improvisation skills required for TheatreSports competition and may be selected to represent the school in the TheatreSports Schools Challenge.

Year 7 Drama Club

All Year 7 students are welcome to join in the Year 7 Drama Club, which runs on Mondays from 3.30 - 4.30pm. This group

will explore the basics of improvisation, drama games and play-building. Early in Term 4, students present a short work to parents in a workshop context after school.

Middle School Drama Ensemble

Year 8 and 9 students are invited to audition for this ensemble, which rehearses on Wednesdays and Fridays in Term 3. The group works towards presenting a piece of scripted drama over a three-night run late in Term 3.

Senior College Drama Ensemble

Years 10-12 students are able to take part in this ensemble bi-annually as it alternates with the SACS major drama production.

Major Drama Production

The biannual major drama production is cast from Year 7-12 students by audition. The 2018 production will be directed by Ryan Desaulnier. Last year’s work, Beautiful Words, was performed at Monkey Baa Theatre in Darling Harbour in April 2016.

School Musical

The biannual school musical is a highly professional extravaganza involving actors, musicians and singers across the school. It takes place on the alternate year to the major drama production. The 2017 production of The Wizard of Oz, involved more than 150 students and was performed at NIDA’s Parade Theatre in Kensington.

Drama Ensembles

Theatresports - Juniors Years 7-8

Theatresports - Intermediate Years 9-10

Theatresports - Seniors Years 11-12

Year 7 Drama Club

Ensemble times

Monday 3.30 – 5pm

Monday 3.30 – 5pm

Tuesday 3.30 – 5pm

Monday 3.30 – 4.30pm

SACS

Drama ensembles


Secondary school activitiesThere are a wide variety of co-curricular activities offered outside the Sport and Music programs at St Andrew’s.

Some of the regular weekly term time activities include:

• Mock Trial: A knock-out competition run by the Law Society of NSW open to Year 11 and 12 students, providing practical experience in the running of a court case.

• Maker Space: Design staff support students as they design, problem-solve and build their own creation.

• Debating: weekly training is followed by competition against other NSW schools.

• Theatresports: this form of improvised comedy sees teams of participants create a one-to-three-minute original scene. In Terms 2-4, teams of 3-5 students compete in the Theatresports Schools Challenge against more than 100 NSW schools.

Duke of Edinburgh International Award:

• This prestigious physically challenging program is available to all 14–25-year-olds. The Award is comprised of three levels, each progressively more challenging:

• Bronze – for those over 14 years old

• Silver – for those over 15 years old

• Gold – for those over 16 years old

Participants are required to complete four sections at each level: Service, Skill, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journey. Gold level participants also complete a Residential Project. For more details, contact Jeff Long via email: [email protected]

15Co-curricular activities |

St Andrew’s has a strong commitment to outdoor education, stemming from the belief that students gain real life skills and experiences as a result of spending time in the outdoors. The outdoor education program at St Andrew’s is one of the largest and most comprehensive of any school in NSW, beginning in Year 3 and running through to Year 10, with optional trips in Years 11 and 12. TThe school has its own Outdoor Education Department and campsite called Kirrikee, an outdoor education centre in the Southern Highlands south-west of Sydney. It is focused solely on delivering high quality programs which are interesting, safe and meaningful Our motto is, “challenging and changing lives.” The internationally-recognised Duke of Edinburgh award is also offered as an optional programme for students aged 14 and above.

Junior SchoolStudents from Kindergarten to Year 6 attend a suitably age-appropriate outdoor education program once each year. Each program aims to challenge, change and encourage students emotionally, relationally and spiritually.

The focus in the primary ages is to have fun and give these young students a taste of the Australian bush, with time away from the normal comforts and security of home, together with some small outdoor recreation skill development. It is considered an important component of the curriculum.

Secondary SchoolYear 7 – Introduction to the Outdoors

Since many students begin their St Andrew’s journey in Year 7, this first high school program is designed to allow students to get to know one another, and to try many new and different outdoor pursuits. The camp runs for five days in and around Kirrikee. The students go caving, abseiling, hiking and canoeing, as well as camping out for a night, learning bush cooking and participating in initiative games.

Year 8 – Pack and Paddle

The Year 8 program is run in the Kangaroo Valley and at Kirrikee. The students get to complete the High Ropes course at Kirrikee and go on a four-day canoe and hike in the Kangaroo Valley.

Year 9 – Backcountry

In Year 9, students are offered a choice of programmes for the first time. The majority of students take to the snow for a week of backcountry skiing and camping, building snow forts and slides. Some students opt to go canoeing along the Murray River. The snow program particularly challenges students in a variety of ways, encouraging them to develop into responsible and resilient adults.

Year 10 – The Pinnacle

Students in Year 10 choose from up to 12 different expeditions, ranging from seven days to 20 days! These include hiking the Overland Track in Tasmania, sea kayaking on Myall Lakes, horseriding in the Victorian High Country, mountain bike riding in New Zealand, hiking the Main Range in Kosciusko National Park or hiking, paddling and canoeing from Mt Kosciusko to Bass Strait over 20 days – Kosi to Coast! Approximately one third of the year group choose to challenge themselves on the expedition.

Outdoor education programs


A range of overseas trips are offered each year to secondary students to further their experience and understanding in a particular field of study.

Tours are offered by various departments, including languages, sport, science, history, music, outdoor education and geography. Anyone interested in participating in an international tour will initially contact the relevant Head of Department.

International tours

Tour Dates

April 2021

April 2021

July 2021

September 2021

September 2021

Destination

Drama tour to North America

Language tour to China

Science – Biodiversity Project in Indonesia

History tour to Russia, Germany, Italy

Language tour – Spain

The following tours are scheduled in 2021:

SACS

Tours 2021

17Co-curricular activities |

St Andrew’s Cathedral School:

St Andrew’s is a coeducational K-12 Anglican school, located in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.

St Andrew’s Cathedral School Sydney Square, Sydney NSW 2000 ABN 34 429 367 893

phone +61 2 9286 9500 fax +61 2 9286 9550 email [email protected]

CRICOS Registration: The Council of St Andrew’s Cathedral School 02276M

www.sacs.nsw.edu.au

Documents

Co-curricular activities in 2020