Educational advantages of exploring Sydney

There are 3300 schools in New South Wales, with about 1488 schools located in Sydney. And whether metro or regional, all schools are looking for engaging outside the classroom experiences.

From the Opera House and the Royal Botanic Gardens, to art galleries, museums and wildlife parks, there is something to suit every curriculum and age group in Sydney’s CBD.

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Educating through excursions

Studies have consistently shown the benefits of school excursions on student achievement and overall wellbeing.  According to School Activities Australia, excursions provide another dimension to class-based learning, reinforcing ideas and concepts with hands-on experiences.

Excursions have also been found to promote greater social ties for students. School excursions often require small group work, providing students an opportunity to socialise with peers they may not ordinarily interact with outside of the classroom setting.

Educating students about different cultures, histories, and perspectives can also be facilitate through excursions. Visiting museums, landmarks, religious or cultural institutions, allows students to develop a greater appreciation of Australia’s multiculturalism and diversity, broadening their worldview and fostering cultural sensitivity.

Nature reserves can showcase Australia’s native flora and fauna and encourage a love of the natural world. Wildlife parks, zoos and aquariums are also popular excursion choices, providing students with the opportunity to get up close to wildlife from across the globe whilst learning about wildlife conservation initiatives.

Why Sydney?

In a vibrant city like Sydney, there are a wide range of activities for educators to choose from, placing students in environments that promote learning, engagement and most importantly, fun! The city’s proximity and connectivity to other towns and cities makes it an ideal spot to base your school trip. From Sydney, you can then travel to neighbouring areas to explore snow fields, beaches, national parks, landmarks, and national institutions.

A cultural melting pot, students interested in visual and performing arts will find much to enjoy in Sydney. World class museums, exhibitions and performing arts venues can be found throughout the city. Similarly, sporting teams may enjoy exploring stadiums and fields. Opportunities to collaborate with local sporting teams, theatre or music groups may also be available.

For students in rural areas, a visit to Sydney may provide unintended benefits. Students will be able to experience the hustle and bustle of a big city, and see how it differs from their hometown. This may prove particularly useful for senior students, who may be contemplating a move to Sydney or another big city to undertake further education, or to seek employment. Experiencing the city firsthand will leave them better informed as to whether they would like to move to the area, or a similar busy city.

Visiting Sydney can also help students develop some soft skills, like resilience, team work, and problem solving. Away from home and out of their comfort zone, students may need to manage their finances during the trip, make decisions about what to eat or wear each day, as well as navigate the city. Students could be tasked with planning a day of activities, and incorporating travel arrangements and budgeting.

For a more relaxed school trip, educators can engage external providers to organise your entire stay, or facilitate certain activities.

To inspire your Sydney adventure, we spoke to some experience providers from the area.

The Sydney Jewish Museum offers a wide range of innovative programs and resources for students and teachers, covering a range of subjects and levels.

 The team supports your classroom teaching by bringing high school and primary school students face-to-face with history and culture. Programs at the museum help expand students’ content knowledge,  empowering them to connect more deeply with the topic they are studying, in a way that is always safe and age-appropriate.

For high school students, two-hour, three-hour and full day excursions are available, both onsite and via Zoom, that include talks from Holocaust survivors, a guided tour of the Museum and curriculum-linked workshops covering a range of topics including History, English, Studies of Religion, Legal Studies and more.

Primary school students can enjoy engaging excursions that include age-appropriate talks from Holocaust survivors, a guided tour of the Museum and curriculum-linked workshops with expert educators covering a range of topics including migration, human rights and Judaism.

Established in 1994, Just Group Accommodation understands the range of learning opportunities available in Sydney for school students. Staying in group accommodation, students can experience all that Sydney has to offer, and gain firsthand experiences that enrich their understanding of subjects including art, history, and science.

Just Group Accommodation will help your school source the right accommodation for your next excursion anywhere in Sydney. Offering a wide range of hotels, motels, dorms and apartments Australia wide, the team can work to your budget and location preferences, and ensure the safety of your travelling school group.

The team believe that students staying together in a communal setting will collaborate on projects, share ideas, and build lasting friendships. This will help to reinforce learning experiences from educational excursions to renowned institutions like the Sydney Opera House, museums, and botanical gardens.

Students residing in group accommodations gain firsthand experiences that enrich their understanding of subjects such as history, art, and science. Whether you are visiting for learning, sport, or other extracurricular activities, Just Group Accommodation will ensure your students enjoy all the benefits of this vibrant city, which serves as an immersive classroom, exposing students to diverse cultures, historical landmarks, and educational institutions.

The Urban Challenge provides the ultimate real-world experience to more than 8000 school students every year. Small teams, each with a teacher and Urban Challenge guide, embark on an unfolding adventure through Sydney and surrounds to complete unique urban activities, clue chases, meals and much more along the way – all via public transport.

Each team member has a functional role that contributes to the running of the team, and everyone must work together to take responsibility for the team’s money, transport, timings and meals.

Parts of the Challenge are run via an interactive website where teams are required to upload blogs and photos and check-in for their next day’s itinerary. There’s also a Program Page for those at home wanting to follow along and even participate in the adventure.

On multi day Challenges, teams will stay in YHA youth hostels, on Cockatoo Island and other city group accommodation overnight, enabling participants to experience this style of accommodation in a supervised and structured way.

A family owned and operated company, The Urban Challenge is proud to have been specialising in Urban Programs in Sydney since 2006.