Learning Through Adventure at Silkwood
Adventure and Outdoor Learning across Prep to Year 12
At Silkwood, learning is designed to prepare young people not just for school, but for life. Adventure and Outdoor Learning plays an important role in this approach, supporting students to grow through real-world experiences that build confidence, resilience, leadership and a strong sense of belonging.
In 2026, Silkwood is strengthening this work through greater clarity, consistency and depth across Prep to Year 12, ensuring Adventure Learning continues to meaningfully support our Student Aims and learning design.
What is Adventure and Outdoor Learning?
Adventure and Outdoor Learning uses the natural world as an active classroom. Through outdoor challenges, exploration and shared experiences, students are supported to step beyond their comfort zones, manage uncertainty, work collaboratively and develop confidence in themselves and others.
This learning is not about risk for risk’s sake. It is carefully designed to help students:
- build resilience and persistence
- develop emotional awareness and self-regulation
- practice leadership and teamwork
- strengthen their sense of belonging
- grow respect and care for the natural world.
These experiences connect directly to Silkwood’s Student Aims by supporting young people to become capable, reflective, resilient and community-minded learners.
Adventure Learning Across Prep to Year 12
Adventure and Outdoor Learning at Silkwood is designed to build with clear progression across year levels, growing alongside students as they move through the school.
In the early years, students engage in guided outdoor play and exploration, developing curiosity, confidence and a sense of safety in natural environments. As students move through Primary and Middle School, learning experiences increase in challenge and responsibility, encouraging teamwork, problem-solving and personal responsibility.
In the Senior years, students take greater responsibility and agency in their learning through self-directed challenges, leadership opportunities and reflective practice. They learn to manage risk, support others and apply resilience and decision-making skills in real-world contexts.
Across all stages, Adventure Learning is embedded intentionally within the broader learning design, and is closely connected to wellbeing, leadership and personal growth.
Introducing Harley Hollonds
Adventure Learning Specialist
To support the continued growth of Adventure and Outdoor Learning, Silkwood has appointed Harley Hollonds as Adventure Learning Specialist.
Harley leads the design and delivery of Adventure and Outdoor Learning experiences across all year levels, working closely with teaching teams to ensure learning is developmentally appropriate and builds with clear progression across year levels. His role brings greater cohesion to this strand, supporting students to experience purposeful adventure learning as they grow through the school.
Harley brings a strong background in youth development, education and community leadership, having spent more than a decade delivering school and community programs across Queensland. He is deeply aligned with Silkwood’s belief that young people grow best through connection, challenge and meaningful experience.
“Adventure Learning is learning on Country through challenge, movement and real experiences that build courage, connection and leadership.”
— Harley Hollonds - Adventure Learning Specialist
Why This Matters for Our Students
This expanded focus on Adventure and Outdoor Learning reflects a growing need for young people to develop skills that cannot be taught solely in the classroom.
Through this program, students learn how to:
- face challenges with confidence
- adapt when things don’t go to plan
- work collaboratively and lead with empathy
- reflect on their experiences and personal growth
- develop a strong connection to nature and community
These capabilities sit at the heart of Silkwood’s learning philosophy and our commitment to developing well-rounded, capable young people.
Strengthening Adventure Learning
For our current families, this role represents an important and intentional strengthening of our learning design. Adventure and Outdoor Learning has always been part of Silkwood’s story. Harley’s leadership allows us to deepen this work, bring greater consistency across year levels, and ensure students experience meaningful progression as they grow.
By investing in this role, Silkwood continues to honour its commitment to experiential, relational learning connected to the real world.
Hear From Harley...
Hear from Harley in the video below as he shares his vision for Adventure Learning and what it means for our students and community.
Learning Through Experience
Harley strongly believes in Silkwood’s philosophy and its ability to inspire young people to become the best version of themselves. Outside of school, he enjoys spending time with his family, being a dad and following the Gold Coast SUNS.
In local Bundjalung culture, Banaam means “strong, younger brother”. A Banaam supports the elder brother (Gogaun), learning through guidance and shared responsibility. This philosophy reflects Harley’s approach to learning, where growth happens through relationships, connection and shared experience.
We are excited to see this role continue to shape Adventure and Outdoor Learning at Silkwood and the impact it will have on our students, our community and the world beyond the classroom.
