Outdoor Education Schools

Allocation of places

The following principles are recommended for the Department’s outdoor education schools in determining access to their programs:

• There should be continued flexibility for the outdoor schools to determine their overall allocation model (for example, single school cohort or network/mixed schools approach).
• The Residential Outdoor Schools Association (ROSA) schools should use a consistent and transparent application and selection process, including aligned timelines and cross-communication between the ROSA schools to ensure equity of access.
• The annual allocation process, including key dates, should be:
  • clearly outlined on each of the ROSA schools’ websites
  • communicated to all government schools via the Department’s school-wide communication channels.
• The ROSA schools (except Blackwood) should prioritise the allocation of places on the following basis:
  • schools with cohorts of students who would benefit most from attendance and would not ordinarily be able to access such opportunities, including disadvantaged students, Koorie students, vulnerable students, students at key transition points
  • schools that have not previously attended (except for where there is an agreement in place for a school to attend over consecutive years)
  • schools that demonstrate a commitment to meeting the best practice principles around delivery, including joint planning, strong and clearly identified learning intentions, connections with the visiting school’s curriculum, and reinforcing the learning upon the students’ return to the classroom.
• Any costs passed on to students should be kept to a minimum.