Home of Outdoor Education
Vision Valley is the second campus of Pymble Ladies’ College, conveniently located just 45 minutes away from Sydney’s North Shore and set amongst the stunning backdrop of the Berowra Valley National Park.
‘The Valley’ is home to Outdoor Education at Pymble. Here students are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones and discover they are stronger, braver, wiser than they know, supported by our expert staff and backed unconditionally by their peers.
Building resilience, one step at a time
Outdoor Education at Pymble is the cornerstone of our focus on building Emotional Intelligence in our girls.
Each year, girls participate in a progressively more challenging Outdoor Education program designed to develop their physical, emotional and social resilience, whilst strengthening their connection to the natural environment and each other.
Our vision is to nurture courageous, determined learners who approach new challenges with optimism and excitement.
Outdoor Education ages and stages
Kindergarten to Year 2
Gentle, creative, discovery-based nature-play sessions and activities at Pymble and Vision Valley.
Year 3
First overnight experience and team-building activities to prepare for the longer and more adventurous programs to follow.
Years 4 to 6
Outdoor skills-building on longer overnight experiences at Vision Valley and local external sites.
Year 7
A multi-night program for students to explore Vision Valley and surrounds through off-site journeys in the local bushland and waterways.
Year 8
Five-day expedition-style camping program involves bushwalking, canoeing, climbing, mud runs, obstacle courses and team initiatives.
Year 9
Four-week Residential Program at Vision Valley.
Year 10
Students choose their own level of challenge, testing their courage across a variety of adventure modes and trip duration ranging from five-day to nine-day adventures.
The research behind the learning
Vision Valley is also home to our signature Year 9 Residential Program with boys’ partner schools. This ground-breaking co-educational opportunity is backed by research showing the success of the program in helping to build respectful co-educational relationships and students’ ability to be comfortable learning in a mixed-sex environment. Post program surveys of students reveal a significant increase in:
- Sense of belonging as a result of engaging in team activities and new opportunities to socialise in different friendship groups.
- Courage and a willingness to take risks as students step into the unknown, embrace new experiences and face their fears.
- Personal growth including resilience, development of leadership skills, adaptability, tolerance, self-confidence and self-reliance.
- Gratitude and appreciation for their family, home and opportunities to learn and grow.
- Technology detoxing as students discover the positive impacts of living without their phones for four weeks.