Each Meriden girl experiences the joys and challenges of attending school camps throughout her education.
These camps form part of Meriden’s sequential outdoor education program at Meriden, allowing the girls to build skills and confidence outside of the classroom.
In the Junior School, girls from Years 3 to 6 attend camp in Term 4 of increasing lengths and levels of challenge, helping them to grow in their independence and skills.
As girls move to the Senior School, camps are designed in tandem with the Pastoral program, targeting areas of growth for each year group such as service and friendship.
Many Meriden students speak of their time at camps as including some of the most memorable and impactful moments during their time at school.
Some of the benefits of camp include:
- They help build independence – for some girls, going on school camp is the first time they are away from home or their parents. They must make decisions on their own, solve problems and take responsibility. Learning how to do this, while they are still supported by their teachers, is a great way to develop skills of independence.
- Camps allow students to develop their social skills and teamwork skills – at camp, they get to bond with their peers outside of the classroom. They might be in a group or sharing a room with girls who they don’t normally socialise with and that allows them to learn about each other and make new friends. With some of the activities on camp, they will have to employ skills to work as a team. It is not always easy and can take some practice, but it is a useful skill to develop.
- Camps can help to boost students’ confidence – it is normal to feel a little apprehensive about going on camp. No one is entirely sure what to expect and that can lead to some nerves. But by persevering and pushing through those nerves, students get to learn that they are capable of overcoming challenges and that can be confidence boosting.