Outdoor Education
Growing an adventurous spirit in all that we do
Stanford Lake College is very proud of its excellence in adventure activities since 2001. We have excelled in adventure racing, mountain biking, kayaking and wilderness expeditions. Adventure is a cornerstone of Stanford Lake College education.
​
All Stanford Lake College adventure classes, trips and expeditions are conducted in a professional manner with professionally trained expedition leaders. The two senior adventure staff have 40 years of outdoor experience between them, working with and being part of groups. They have been trained by the National Governing Bodies: Mountain Development Trust and African Paddling Association, AQN, and Wild Medics, all of which have international accreditation.
​
The dream an' do syllabus
Pupils in Grade 8 and 9 spend one full day per fortnight (three lessons per week) attending Outdoor Education lessons at the dream an' do (dad) centre. In adventure lessons, learners are fully engaged in a variety of activities which include kayaking, climbing, abseiling, rafting, swimming, orienteering and archery. We aim to develop SMART graduates, pupils who are Solution finders, Meaningful relationship builders, Astute financial planners, Ready to risk, and capable of Talking to others. They have to have skills that go beyond the ordinary and outside the classroom. Further details of the topics covered are outlined below:
KAYAKING
The first step in the introduction to kayaking is ensuring all pupils are proficient swimmers. After, they are introduced to general kayaking skills and equipment. Throughout Grade 8 and 9, the skills taught get progressively more difficult and include capsize drills, strokes, throw bagging, deep water rescue techniques and white water swimming techniques. All of the skills learned prepare the pupils for their Trek in Grade 9 where, after trekking through the Drakensberg mountains for four days, the group spends four days kayaking down the Olifants River.
Expedition letters for all Treks as well as information on activities and equipment can be found under the
Resources for Parents section.
