Cultural immersion and outdoor education are core to a Caulfield Grammar education
Our Secondary students have the opportunity to experience a range of domestic and international tours including music, sports, theatre, language immersion, career opportunities, STEM and the Year 9 Kakadu Program in Northern Territory.
These experiences build on current skills and provide opportunities for students to immerse themselves in diverse environments and cultures, fostering cultural awareness, empathy and independence. It also allows our students to share social time, be involved in community work, make a difference and display a generosity of spirit.
Tours may be held each year, or on a two- to three-year cycle.
Year 9 Kakadu Program
The Year 9 Kakadu Program in the Northern Territory is an immersive outdoor learning experience. Students have the unique opportunity to experience contrasts – between ancient and modern approaches to land usage, ownership, governance and restoration – and to explore the stories, culture, histories and peoples within a range of communities in the Northern Territory.
Year 10 Odyssey Program
The Odyssey Program for Year 10 students aims to provide a challenging range of semi-remote, natural world experiences to assist students in their personal and social development with a learning focus on accepting challenge, community action and environmental appreciation. The Victorian programs each run for a total of 6 days and include rock-climbing in The Grampians, bicycle touring around the Ovens Valley, cross-country skiing on the Bogong High Plains, bushwalking and whitewater rafting on the Mitchell River, and canoeing on the Murray River.
Art & Design Tour to Europe
Students are invited to attend this two-week tour of Rome, Florence, Prado and Venice. As well as enriching their understanding of Italy’s past and present contribution to the world of art and design, students attend a series of workshops with leading practitioners to increase their proficiency in a range of art and design techniques. Highlights include visits to Rome’s Vatican and Colosseum and Florence’s Uffizi; fresco, printing and drawing workshops in Prado; and immersion in Venice’s art and culture scene.
Study Tour to Germany
This study tour provides an immersive experience in German-speaking Europe and a real-world application of language skills while also giving students an opportunity to enrich their language skills through attending Germany’s premier language and cultural institute, Goethe Institut Hamburg. Highlights include exploring Berlin and its iconic sights, including a workshop at the Jewish Museum; a week of German classes at the Goethe Institut Hamburg; a day trip to the maritime city Bremen and the former concentration camp of Dachau. Students will also participate in a traditional Gingerbread baking class; learn about medieval times in a castle in Nürnberg; ice skate in Munchen’s Stachus square; explore Mozart’s birthplace in Salzburg; and visit the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Rothenburg.
Theatre & Dance in London
This tour includes a design and art workshop at the Victoria and Albert Museum, a West End Show and workshops at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and Pineapple Studios, delving into Shakespeare’s life around Stratford upon Avon, and a performance at the Royal Shakespearean Theatre. They will also take part in creative workshops at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance; learn about props, costumes, special effects and animatronics at the Harry Potter and Warner Brothers Studio; and participate in a workshop with Globe Theatre.
China Study Tour
Students spend 15 days in China focusing on developing their Chinese language skills and conversation and immersing in the unique Chinese culture – exploring Shanghai, including a visit to a High School Affiliated to Fudan University, a Q&A talk with key personnel from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and shopping in the science and tech market precinct; journeying to Xi’an via bullet train where they explore the Muslim quarter, view the Terracotta Warriors UNESCO World Heritage Site, ride on top of the Xi’an City Wall, interview locals and attend the theatre restaurant at Shaanxi Grand Opera House. The tour ends in Nanjing, where students attend a presentation by Dr Dottin about Chinese culture and philosophy, visit universities, take part in music performances and picture book readings, and experience China National Day festivities at Nanjing Lake.
USA Careers Tour
Students visit New York, Washington and San Francisco to learn about possible futures career paths and study paths in the USA, as well as immerse themselves in the culture of each city. Activities include guided tours of Yale, Stanford, NYU, Princeton and Columbia, attending a live NBA basketball game and a world-class Broadway show, taking the subway into Times Square and a ferry out to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty, and exploring New York City’s iconic sights. A fantastic opportunity for students to experience first-hand studying abroad.
Music Tours
International tours for Secondary students are offered every two to three years and recent tours have included concert performances in Munich, Salzburg, Graz, Bratislava, Vienna and Prague, along with participating in International Youth Music Festivals. These tours give our students the opportunity to be involved in competitions, workshops, concert performances, have access to Artists in Residence programs and be immersed in rich and diverse musical cultures.
Regional Music Tours are offered every year. Taking our music to regional communities allows our students to share social time, be involved in community work, make a difference, and display a generosity of spirit. An important part of these regional tours is for students to share their love of music with local schools, aged care communities and Special Schools. Our stage bands are regular participants of the annual ‘Generations in Jazz’ National Stage Band Championships held in South Australia.
Sports Tours
Caufield Grammar School offers a range of sporting tours for Secondary students to Europe and the USA as well as interstate tours to national and state championships across sports including Rowing, Volleyball, Swimming, Basketball and Netball.