From the Deputy Headmaster/Head of Junior School

At St Peter’s College, we are uniquely positioned to embrace the extraordinary learning opportunities that surround us. Adelaide is not just the city we live in, it is our classroom. Each term, our students step beyond the school gates and into real‑world environments that enrich their learning, spark curiosity and create lifelong memories.

These excursions are not simply outings; they are purposeful, deeply connected extensions of our curriculum. They allow students to experience learning with all their senses to see, hear, touch and engage with the world around them in ways that a textbook alone cannot offer.

This term has been a perfect example of the powerful learning that happens when education meets authentic experience. Our Year 3 students dove headfirst into the wonder of performance and artistic expression by attending a Fringe show. While classroom discussions might explain the elements of drama or the role of imagination in storytelling, nothing compares to being there, feeling the energy of the stage, watching performers bring characters to life and experiencing creativity in its most vibrant form.

Building on their “ant investigations” this term, the Year 3 students also visited the South Australian Museum to explore animal communities in a rich, hands‑on context. Observing real specimens, detailed models, and interactive displays allowed students to deepen their understanding of how different species live, communicate and collaborate within their ecosystems. While reading about ant colonies and other animal communities provides a solid foundation, seeing these structures and behaviours up close anchors the learning in a powerful, memorable way. This experience helped students make meaningful connections between their scientific inquiry at school and the real-world examples that exist just beyond the classroom.

It’s one thing to read about the performing arts. It’s quite another to sit in the audience, captivated, as the magic unfolds right before your eyes. Our Year 2 students expanded their literary horizons through a visit to see The Magic Faraway Tree movie at the Palace Nova cinema. As part of their comparison study, students examined how stories adapt across mediums, book to screen, imagination to interpretation. Witnessing a familiar story reimagined on the big screen deepened their comprehension and broadened their understanding of narrative perspectives.

For our Year 6 learners, a visit to Parliament House transformed civics from a theoretical concept into an reality. Students didn’t just learn about parliamentary process – they sat where it happens. They walked the halls where decisions are made, stood in the chambers where debates shape our state and witnessed firsthand the structures of democracy.

Some of our youngest adventurers in Year 1 ventured to Belair National Park to launch their outdoor education at St Peter’s College. There, students explored natural habitats, observed the environment, hiked to Echo Tunnel and kept a look out for emus, koalas and kangaroos. This hands‑on encounter with nature builds deep connections to environmental understanding, wellbeing, and a sense of belonging to place, foundations that no indoor lesson can fully replicate.

The beauty of these opportunities is not only in what students learn, but in how they learn it. When students recount their favourite moments of school, it is often these experiences that stand out, the ones where the classroom expanded into the world around them.

As the term ends, I thank the teaching team and support staff for making these opportunities possibly for our students and look forward to the excursions that are in store.

I also thank parents for their ongoing support and wish you a very Happy Easter.

Jasmine Taylor 
Deputy Headmaster / Head of Junior School

View Year 1 Belair Excursion gallery here

Important Upcoming Term 1 Events