At Mernda Primary School, we are proud to provide a camping program for students throughout their primary years. We believe that the role of ‘camp like activities’ provide students with opportunities for personal growth, building the community spirit of the student cohort and immersing students in the natural world.
The camping program at Mernda Primary begins from Year 1 all the way through to Year 6. Students are given opportunities to engage in experiences that foster a sense of community, belonging and building skills from the Personal and Social Capabilities curriculum.
Our Program
- Grandparent’s Breakfast: Year 1 students enjoy the pleasure of inviting their grandparent or a member of a local retirement village and sharing an early morning breakfast at school with their special person. This opportunity allows the students to visit the school out of normal school hours and share their place of learning with their visitor.
- Two’s Company Dinner: Year 2 students love the opportunity to attend Mernda Primary’s dinner where students are invited to stay after school, dress up nicely and enjoy being waited on hand and foot by their class teachers. A special treat where the staff are at their service!
- Mernda PS Sleepover: Once students enter Year 3 we invite them to enjoy a sleepover at the school. This is met with much excitement, pjs, roll out beds, dinner, movies and popcorn (from our staff and students!) The Year 3 students love the opportunity to sleep in a classroom and have the school all to themselves for the evening.
- Year 4 – 3 Day Camp: Arrabri Lodge in Warburton hosts Mernda Primary’s Year 4 students where they have an introduction to school camp life and complete team building activities with their peers. Our first ‘real’ camp at Mernda provides an opportunity for many students to develop confidence and independence that their parents never knew they had!
- Year 5 – 3 Day Camp: Students in Year 5 head to Log Cabin Camp in Creswick. This camp is closely linked to the Inquiry – History Curriculum for Year 5 students and as part of this camp they pay a visit to the Victorian Historical village of Sovereign Hill. Students and teachers also enjoy opportunities to stay in cabin groups and work together to achieve successes outside of a traditional classroom environment.
- Year 6 – 3 Day Camp: As students in Year 6 prepare to conclude their final year of primary school, The CYC Island camp at Phillip Island really allows our students to enjoy time and consolidate relationships with their peers and teachers. This camp is carefully designed by Mernda Primary staff to develop student leadership and prepare our Year 6s for transitioning into secondary schooling.