Booking Process

BOOKING APPLICATION PROCESS

As a statewide service of the Department for Education, Arbury Park Outdoor School aims to provide equitable access to all schools. To enable this we ask teachers to complete a booking application form.

You can submit your booking application at any time.  It will be placed in one of two application pools each year, a semester 1 pool and a semester 2 pool.  Applications for semester 1 camps close at the end of August. Applications for semester 2 camps close early February (end of Week 2 in Term 1). 

We can only accept one application per school per year. A booking application does not guarantee a booking.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We use the criteria below to prioritise applications and offer dates to schools.

1. ESTIMATED NUMBERS ATTENDING

• Booking applications must be for 50 to 90 students. That is the number we are resourced to provide for. Small schools with enrolments below 50 can either lodge a joint application with another small school or apply for a booking during the nominated small schools week each term.

• If your predicted numbers are below 60, you may be required to share the site with another small group.

2. SCHOOL SECTOR

We welcome applications from government and non-government schools. Priority, however, is given to government schools.

3. RECENT PARTICIPATION

We prioritise applications from schools with no recent participation at Arbury Park.

4. LENGTH OF PROGRAM REQUESTED

We prioritise applications from schools requesting a longer program with one group of students. Longer programs provide opportunities for a richer learning experience.

5. CONNECTIONS WITH THE VISITING SCHOOL’S CURRICULUM

We prioritise applications from schools that link their Arbury Park program to existing or developing programs in outdoor and environmental education at their school.