Outdoor Education

Outdoor Education plays an integral role in the day-to-day life at St Andrews, Green Valley. Making the most of the uniquely spacious and green campus, our students enjoy an outdoor education that is interwoven into the curriculum and that develops not only their love of learning and a wonder for the natural world around them, but also their resilience, problem solving and communication skills, to name but a few. From measuring the size of leaves and trees during a Maths lesson, to studying the diverse and exciting ecosystems that exist on the school campus, we work to make sure that our lessons take place outside as much as they do inside.

At St Andrews, Green Valley, we know that learning through hands-on experiences makes lessons more memorable and relatable for students. We believe that by incorporating the outdoor space of our campus into the curriculum, our students are not only able to apply their learning in a real-life scenario, but they are also able to enhance the core learner profiles of the International Baccalaureate curriculum; skills such as risk-taking, inquiring, reflecting and communicating. This is why each subject across Primary and Secondary work to integrate Outdoor Education into lessons where the outdoor environment can build upon the learning already done in the classroom.

Examples of this are:

Our Forest School provides an opportunity for students to develop their outdoor skills and knowledge through a range of hands-on activities and tasks. It ignites a passion for the environment and encourages action towards sustainability and conservation, but it also provides even further opportunities for students to explore their boundaries and interests beyond the classroom. From learning to build a den, light a fire, set up camp and cook a meal, to identifying different plants and animals, the students are immersed in the outdoor world that exists beyond the classroom and that is so often missed in today’s busy life.

Through Forest school, students also develop:

• Their physical development and wellbeing by their participation in activities which develop strength, balance, coordination and fine and gross motor skills.
• Their self esteem, which builds over time as students explore and conquer new experiences.
• Their emotional intelligence, by building confidence, cooperation, empathy, ability to take turns, teamwork, self-knowledge and awareness of others, importantly gaining a sense of achievement, pride, trust and fun!
• Their resilience as adults take a step back, allowing children to try and fail. As students grow in confidence they take more risks and are able to try again and aim for success.

Outdoor Education at St Andrews, Green Valley doesn’t only form part of the school day; it also goes beyond the classroom in the form of school trips.We believe that school trips are as valuable to learning as all other areas of the curriculum, and our students enjoy multiple trips throughout the school year. From day trips in Early Years to nights away from Year 2, leading up to multi-day trips through the upper Primary School and Secondary School, our students are able to explore not only the extensive local surroundings but also the vast opportunities that the rest of Thailand provides.

During school trips, students enjoy the opportunity to develop their leadership and collaboration skills all the while stepping out of their comfort zone. The trips also allow time to connect with nature and step away from the technological demands of the world, allowing students to enjoy time with their peers and to create new and memorable experiences.

Our residential trips include: