Camps

The staff of St Mary’s DSG endeavour to provide their pupils with experiences outside of the classroom. These fieldtrips take on the form of day outings organised by specific Learning Areas as well as annual camps for entire grades from Grade 8 to Grade 11. The purpose of these excursions is to enhance the academic learning of the pupils, as well as to provide a means of team building and leadership development.

Camp facilities, facilitators and programs.

Camp facilities are chosen according to a number of requirements, namely: location; program/activities offered; facilitators; facilities and general suitability for a particular grade.

• The camp venues chosen are ones that have a proven track record, and come with some form of recommendation, either from previous use by this school or other educational facilities.
• The camp facilitators run the programs for the Grades 8 to 11 camps.
• The Grade 8 and 9 camps, although they do have an academic component e.g. ecology, they also have a strong team building emphasis as this is the age where the pupils are still developing their interpersonal and group relations.
• The Grade 10 camp includes activities appropriate for their Debutant year as well as some environmental components. There is an academic slant to the camp as well as having a team bonding experience.
• The Grade 11 camp focuses on leadership in preparation for the pupils becoming the seniors of the school.

"The camp week was a whirlwind of excitement, challenges and thrilling, new experiences."

Tamara Ricci Gr 9 (2013)