BGS Sea Change is a blend between the best of day to day school life intertwined with a broad range of academic and non-academic curriculum activities designed to meet the developmental needs of adolescent boys, assisting each to gain self confidence, self discipline and leadership skills.
The program includes four 5 or 6 day ‘off campus’ Explorations.
Exploration – Community
Gaining an appreciation of the responsibility that comes with being part of the local and global community is at the forefront of this Exploration. Those who select the local option will spend 2 days working with Urban Seed supporting the disadvantaged of Melbourne and 3 days at the BGS Eco Centre at Labertouche re-vegetating bush land and clearing waterways.
Those who select the global option fly to Papua New Guinea to undertake maintenance of classrooms at the Martyrs’ School – a school supported by BGS for more than 25 years.
Exploration – CBD
Each day for 5 days the boys commute to the city to explore first hand how government, commercial, legal and faith structures shape their lives. The theme of the sea recurs again with activities at Melbourne Port and the Aquarium to study Melbourne water and marine ecology.
Exploration – Sea
Choice is an important aspect of this 6 day exploration. Boys can select from a range of sea-based activities such as sailing the tall ship Enterprize, gaining a SCUBA diving qualification, surfing and studying marine biology at exotic locations.
Exploration – King Island
Boys will gain an appreciation for and understanding of different natural environments while on the 6 day Exploration to King Island. This outdoor education Exploration is comprised of an expedition component and adventure activities; each boy will be challenged to take risks, and learn to work effectively as an individual, in teams and as part of the community.
Academic Focus
As with every stage of a Brighton Grammar School education, an academic focus is the core of BGS Sea Change. Our Sea Change program is based on the Victorian Essential Learning Standards framework comprising
- A rigorous academic basis in preparation for further studies in Senior School
- Diverse learning experiences in community settings
- A mix of core and elective subjects
The integration of the sea theme into the curriculum gives coherence to the year without compromising individual subject disciplines.