Co-Curricular at Strathcona
WHERE LEARNING IS THE
HEARTBEAT OF OUR CULTURE.
Every girl at Strathcona has the opportunity to explore a range of activities beyond the curriculum, to discover her own personal brilliance in the creative arts, sport and beyond. Extracurricular activities such as debating, drama, music and competitive sports allow girls to develop personal skills such as empathy for others, communication, leadership and teamwork.
We also offer a well-rounded Outdoor Education program, and a House System that provides a vibrant platform for cross-age and personal development activities.
Creative Arts
Sport
Outdoor Education
Creative Arts
From dance, drama and music, to photography, art and multimedia production, girls at Strathcona engage fully in our comprehensive Arts program, giving them the opportunity to become well-rounded, creative and confident individuals.
Drama plays a significant part in each girl’s journey at Strathcona. Every year we have a major drama production and throughout the year there are student-developed House Drama competitions and year level concerts in the Junior School. A School musical as well as Senior School plays are held in the first semester and the Junior School Musical is performed in the second semester.
Individual or small group lessons in Speech and Drama are also available and girls often take part in concerts, eisteddfods and/or examinations.
Drama opportunities include:
- Junior School Concerts
- Junior School Assemblies
- Junior School Musical
- Year 7 House Dance and Drama Festivals
- School Musical
- Senior Drama Productions
- Senior Performing Arts Festival
- Speech and Drama Tuition
Strathcona offers a variety of musical opportunities to learn and perform. Individual tuition is available for a full range of instruments, voice and theory. There are numerous bands, orchestras, choirs and ensembles that are available for students to join in both the Junior and Senior Schools. These ensembles provide a great opportunity for our students to perform together within the School and the broader community.
In the Junior School, all Year 2 students learn a string instrument, and in Year 4 all students learn a brass or percussion instrument for a semester. Girls participate in various ensembles, as well as choirs for Years 3 and 4 and Years 5 and 6.
Music ensemble opportunities include:
- Senior String Orchestra
- Middle School Strings (Years 5–8)
- Stage Band
- Symphonic Band
- Concert Band (Years 5–8)
- Flute Ensemble
- Guitar Ensemble
- Low Brass Ensemble
- Percussion Ensemble
- String Quartet
- Senior Chamber Choir
- Strathtones (Years 7/8)
- TC Singers (Year 9)
- Chamber Choir (Years 7/8)
- Vocal Showcase (Years 10–12)
Music tuition is available in:
- Bassoon
- Cello
- Clarinet & bass clarinet
- Double bass
- Drum kit
- Euphonium
- Flute
- French horn
- Guitar & bass guitar
- Music theory
- Oboe
- Piano
- Alto, tenor & baritone saxophone
- Trombone
- Trumpet
- Tuba
- Tuned percussion
- Viola
- Violin
- Classical & contemporary voice
All students have the opportunity, facilities and resources to explore an extensive variety of artistic forms. Our art programs build essential skills and knowledge, allowing each girl to explore the following mediums:
- Design
- Ceramics
- Textiles
- Painting
- Drawing
- Photography
- Glass jewellery
- Metalwork
- Computer-based art
Sport
Sport is a very important part of the curricular and extracurricular programs and our girls are encouraged to balance their academic efforts with sporting opportunities. The unique character and location of the campuses allow us to offer true diversity in this regard.
With an extensive range of sporting facilities, we are able to administer a large variety of activities. This provides ample opportunity for students to be involved in sport, improve their skills and maintain healthy fitness levels. Through involvement in sport, the emphasis is always on co-operation, challenge, team spirit and simply having fun together.
- Athletics
- Rhythmic gymnastics
- Netball
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Cross country
- T-ball
- Basketball
- Waterpolo
- Cricket
- Snowsports
- Athletics
- AFL
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Cricket
- Cross country
- Diving
- Hockey
- Indoor cricket
- Kayaking
- Netball
- Rhythmic gymnastics
- Rowing
- Snowsports
- Soccer
- Softball
- Surfing
- Surf life saving
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Triathlon
- Volleyball
- Water polo
- Athletics
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Cross country
- Netball
- Swimming
- Volleyball
- Canoeing
- Dance
- Sport coaching
- Fitness training
Strathcona is a member of Girls Sport Victoria (GSV), one of the largest independent school sporting associations in Victoria. As one of the 24 participating schools, our Year 7 to 12 girls have the opportunity to be involved in more than 20 sports – in weekly sport competitions, carnivals, tournaments and skill development programs.
If you wish to find out more information regarding the GSV, please download the GSV brochure.
Outdoor Education
All camps at Strathcona are part of a journey-based sequence of outdoor and experiential education that stretches from Prep to Year 10. Each year level is presented with different outdoor educational opportunities based on the particular needs and stage of intellectual and physical development and builds on previous skills and experiences.
The types of activities, location and time of year are set to support achieving a combination of the following aims:
- Growth mindset
- Leadership
- Problem solving
- Community responsibility
- Environmental appreciation and action
- Mindfulness
These programs are designed to foster a social and emotional growth that is unique to girls’ outdoor education.
The sequence in the Senior School supports the broader learning of the students including a focus on the humanities, in which students may conduct field studies and collect geographical data while on camp. The Outdoor Education Group has been retained to lead and implement the sequence.
ELC– Outdoor Explorations: Intro to Camping and Sense of Place
Prep & Year 1 –In school programming
Year 2 –In school programs with Late Night at School
Year 3 –Anglesea Coastal Adventure (2 days)
Year 4 –Anglesea Coastal Adventure (3 days)
Year 5 –Sovereign Hill (3 days) and Camp Marysville/Lake Mountain (3 days)
Year 6 –Canberra (4 days) and Camp Marysville/Lake Mountain (3 days)
Year 7 – Mornington Peninsula (4 days)
Year 8 – Camp Jungai, Cathedral Ranges State Park (5 days)
Year 9 – Camp to Campus, Yarra River Journey (7 days)
Year 10 – Expedition Options (5-7 days):
- Falls Creek/Bogong High Plains Ski Tour
- East Coast Tassie Adventure
- Grampians Arapiles Climbing
- Mornington Peninsula Wellbeing Camp
The Compass (Years 5 to 8) and Duke of Edinburgh Awards (Years 9 to 12) provide students with a range of challenging, non-competitive, voluntary activities encouraging personal growth, enterprise and a broad range of life skills.
Throughout these awards, students learn how to create meaningful goals, connect with local communities, and conduct their own expeditions. These programs are made possible through use of the School’s extensive facilities reaching across three campuses, and external sporting venues.
Additional Co-curricular Activities
Participation in a broad range of extracurricular activities helps girls make friends both within their year level and beyond, increases their connection with their School, gives them valuable outlets for their boundless energy and enhances their personal development and enjoyment of life.
Debating at an inter-school competition level begins at Year 7 with a number of teams being entered in each section of the inter-school competition of the Debaters Association of Victoria.
Developing an ethical mind is an important component of a Strathcona education. From practical community service to fundraising and goods collection, girls have the opportunity to work with others in their year level to plan and run events that make a meaningful impact in the lives of others.
Our broad range of other activities also includes:
- Alliance Française Poetry Competition
- Australian Chemistry Quiz
- Australian Mathematics Competition
- Australian Science Competition
- Compass Program
- Dante Alighieri Poetry Competition
- Debating
- Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards Program
- Geography Competition
- International Student Support
- Kaleidoscope Club (Library)
- Mathematics Challenge
- National and International Exchanges
- Peer Mediators
- Prayer Group
- Public Speaking
- Science Club
- Science Quest
- Science Talent Search
- Writing Competition
