From the Deputy Principal

Strategic Plan – Experience 

Great Southern Grammar is a place for experiential learning. We are dedicated to helping raise children who are prepared for the world beyond the classroom by providing them with real-world experiences that allow them to develop their skills and knowledge. The landscape of education is changing, not only with the prominence of the internet and AI, but also with the need for students to learn skills that enable them to be adaptive, agile, and emotionally intelligent, to thrive in the world beyond school. We also need to reengage with the wonder and awe of the natural world.

In an early childhood environment, research has been conclusive for many years on the importance of play-based learning. Our students learn essential social skills, as well as concepts of literacy and numeracy, through play. Luckily for us at GSG, we are also able to take our students on regular trips to our Wild Space, gumboots and all, to venture down to the banks of Oyster Harbour and learn. 

In Primary School, our Year Five students have recently been on camp in Perth, for many students, this would be the longest time they have spent away from home. They were taken to a variety of places, including touring Fremantle Prison and Parliament House, visiting Scitech and using a lot of public transport, which was a highlight! 

In Year Nine, we are developing a Rites of Passage program, which will be ready to launch next year. It will be built around a transition-to-adulthood framework and will include an immersive experience. We are also launching a project, affectionately known as 'The Shed', which provides our Secondary School students with an opportunity to engage in building and 'tinkering' skills outside the classroom context. Mr Sarre has recently acquired a few outboard motors for students to take apart and put back together again and this has been embedded into our Wednesday VaCS program. 

In the final week of term, there will be more experiential learning opportunities as the Years Ten to Twelve students attend Country Week and our Year Nine students have the opportunity to go on a Canberra Tour. 

Mr Jordan Owenell | Deputy Principal - Head of Secondary