Camps and Excursions
Students in the Middle School have a range of opportunities to attend camps and excursions. These are considered an important part of the curriculum as well as an integral component of personal development.
Camps and excursions are sequenced with the curriculum to provide opportunities for a diverse range of experiences and we are constantly adding to our offerings.
Classrooms will also develop a Community Access program. Students venture into the community to allow them the opportunity to experience and participate in lots of the activities. These activities support the curriculum but also increase our opportunity to focus on essential skills like money handling, transportation and personal safety in the community.
Mini School Event:
Middle School- The Best of the Rest (Terms 3 and 4, 2023)
Year 9 Camp: This year's Year 9 camp is being held at Cave Hill Creek. This camp provides a great opportunity for students to display the school values of Safety, Respect and Responsibility in an unfamiliar and challenging environment. Students have the opportunity to participate in an overnight camping experience that is linked to educational and personal and social capability outcomes. The activities are designed to help support team building, group cohesiveness, positive social interactions and friendship skills.
Year 7 Camp: Our year 7 students will start Term 4 with an overnight camp at Creswick Log Cabin. Engaging in a variety of activities that promote team building and cooperation, students will develop self-belief and friendship skills that will last a lifetime.
Gymnastics: In Term 4 classes will engage in gymnastics at the Ballarat Aquatic Centre. Students will develop their gross motor skills in a fun and engaging environment
Gym Program: A select cohort of students are engaging in a program focussed around the fundamentals of fitness, learning about cardiovascular and basic strength training.
SEDA: An inclusive school sports program where students engage with a number of different sports that include AFL Football, Soccer, Basketball, Netball and Cricket. Students learn the basic skills needed to participate in the different sports and the different body movements needed to complete the sporting actions.
Indigital Learning: Indigital Schools is an Indigenous designed digital skills training program for primary and high schools’ students. It enables Indigenous and non-Indigenous kids to connect with and learn from Elders about cultural knowledge, history and language, while learning digital skills in cutting-edge technologies like augmented reality, animation and coding. At the Ballarat Specialist School, we have started to implement this program across the Middle School. Students are learning about the history of Wadawurrung Country, storytelling and Aboriginal art concepts.
Leisurelink: Our Year 8 students will attend Geelong Leisurelink and participate in fun water based activities in a safe, inclusive and engaging environment alongside their peers and teachers. This experience also provides further opportunities to build confidence, social skills and lifelong bonds of friendship to all students.
FARM Market: In Term 4 the Middle School will travel to the FARM Campus for the FARM Market, where they will have the opportunity to experience and enjoy what the market has to offer.
Art Gallery: Our students will tour the art gallery, observing and being inspired by significant art pieces.
Year 9 Graduation: The Year 9 students will celebrate their time in the middle years of their schooling, and reflect upon their successes.
Year 9 Captains 2024: Our future leaders will be identified and upskilled, providing student voice and agency within the Middle School.
Nallei Jerring Program: The Nallei Jerring program offers activities to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 13-15 who live in Victoria's west designed to enhance their cultural knowledge, leadership, teamwork, resilience, communication, support networks and connection to community. Here at the Ballarat Specialist School, we had 6 students participate in a series of workshops where they had the opportunity to learn and grow on their cultural knowledge.
Jenna Oldaker Incursion: Jenna is a contemporary Indigenous artist, focusing mainly on visual art through painting. She works mostly with acrylic paint on canvas’s. Jenna visited our school during Term 3 to upskill our students on Aboriginal symbols, colours and cultural meaning. Students were given the opportunity to create their own art piece.
