Learning Takes Flight with Loreto Toorak Bee Program

There is a buzz in the air at Loreto Toorak, where learning goes beyond the classroom. As part of our innovative, future-focused rooftop beekeeping programs, 60,000 European honey bees are enriching our curriculum by offering students a hands-on way to engage with science, sustainability and environmental responsibility. Right here on our rooftop, students are developing scientific knowledge, critical thinking, and a deep sense of responsibility for the natural world.

Loreto Toorak’s unique school-based partnership with Rooftop Bees has seen us install two beehives – home to queens Blossom and Kin Kin – on the Mandeville Centre rooftop. Our Preparatory and Year 1 students ran the School-wide vote to name the queen bees, sparking creativity and ensuring our youngest students are connected to sustainability education. Students researched names, and were responsible for reaching out to Murrundindi for permission to use the Wurundjeri name Kin Kin. The queens and their workers form a living classroom that supports STEAM learning across primary and secondary school.

“At Loreto Toorak, we hold a deep commitment to environmental stewardship and an acute awareness of the vulnerability of our biodiversity. Nurturing that sense of care in our students is one of the most powerful ways we can ensure this passion is carried forward,” states Angela O’Dwyer, Principal.

Environmental stewardship is embedded across the School curriculum. Caring for bees on the rooftop isn't just a School project, it's a small but meaningful contribution to Melbourne's broader ecosystem. And it teaches the girls that their actions matter.

Throughout the junior years, students are exploring the science of ecosystems, the role of pollinators and the impact of human activity. Junior students take on increasing responsibility, with our Year 6 Beekeeping Club members, dressed in protective gear, developing student leadership skills with hands-on experience discovering key insights into bee biology, behaviour, hive management, and the critical role of bees in ecological balance.

“My favourite thing I’ve learned about bees so far is that bees help produce a lot of our food by pollinating fruits and vegetables for farmers,” shares Abi, Year 6.

In the secondary years, the program expands into interdisciplinary learning. Year 9 students engage with the initiative through the STRIDE@9 program, linking the beekeeping project to entrepreneurial learning. Students studying Visual Communication and Design respond to a real-world design brief, creating branding for honey harvested. All designs are voted on by a community wide people’s choice award to be amongst the final designs presented to the Principal, showcasing the real-world implementations of their work.

Meanwhile, those undertaking the STRIDE@9 business and marketing microcredential coordinate the sale of the highly sought-after honey. Faced with high demand and limited supply, students develop entrepreneurial thinking, managing logistics, packaging, promotion and customer engagement.

Programs like this set Loreto Toorak apart as a leader in innovative school curriculum in Australia. Complement academic excellence, students are developing resilience, leadership, and connection to community. From harvesting honey to understanding the ecological contribution of their hives to the local environment, students are connecting theory and practice, strengthening learning outcomes and developing confidence in applying their knowledge beyond the classroom.

The curriculum wide integration of the importance of biodiversity, is a 'sweet' symbol of Loreto Toorak’s dedication to environmental justice. It's a wonderful example of how Loreto Toorak goes beyond the classroom, and how programs like this help your daughter find her direction. 

“I’ve tasted the honey and wow, mind blown! I didn’t know honey tasted so good, I have it on my toast now all the time!” finishes Gracie.

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Watch the live stream of our bees on YouTube here: