A Loreto Toorak education builds not only academic excellence, but also confidence, character, resilience and a deep sense of purpose in every girl. This requires a breadth of experiences beyond traditional classroom learning; experiences that help students develop the skills and self-awareness to engage thoughtfully with the world around them.
Nowhere is this more evident than in STRIDE@9, Loreto Toorak’s signature Year 9 program.
More than a year level, STRIDE@9 is a transformative connected learning journey that invites Year 9 students to step beyond the traditional classroom and engage deeply with questions of identity, belonging, culture, place and responsibility. At the core of the program are the Journey to Our Heart (JTOH) and the Alternative Curriculum Experience (ACE).
Learning in the Real World
Through JTOH, students travel to Central Australia where they learn on Country, immersed in landscapes, stories and perspectives that challenge and inspire. Visiting significant places such as Uluru, Kata Tjuṯa, Standley Chasm and Simpsons Gap, students develop a deeper understanding of Aboriginal culture, spirituality, connection to land and the importance of listening to the stories of others. Throughout the journey, students engage in daily reflection through journalling, capturing moments of wonder, gratitude and personal growth.
Year 9 student Parker reflected:
“I was absolutely astonished by the whole trip and it is something I will never forget. Everyone always had such great advice and knowledge, talking about nature, their connection with land and the challenges of life which I found truly inspirational.”
For many students, it was the quieter moments that left the deepest impression.
Fellow student Fiona wrote following a visit to Simpsons Gap:
“Simpsons Gap held a calm aura, with its sandy banks and slowly trickling stream, and a beautiful eucalyptus tree shading where we sat. There was a slight breeze, and I was lying in the sand looking at the water. I could have stayed there all day. I do not think I had ever felt calmer or more at peace than during those moments of quiet reflection.”
Experiences such as these encourage students to develop emotional awareness and consider their relationship with the natural world, each other and themselves.
Bringing Learning Home
Year 9 students participate in both Journey to Our Heart (JTOH) and the Alternative Curriculum Experience (ACE), with the cohort rotating between the two. While Journey to Our Heart provides the lived experience, the Alternative Curriculum Experience helps students connect those lessons to everyday life.
ACE explores four interconnected themes: Our Earth, Our Sanctuary; Stories of Belonging; Places That Shape Us; and Love, Community and Culture. Through visits, workshops, performances, creative experiences and reflection, students connect the ideas explored in Central Australia to their everyday lives.
Through workshops, performances, excursions and creative projects, students continue exploring the big questions shaping their understanding of identity, belonging and responsibility.
As part of Our Earth, Our Sanctuary, students work with experts at the Royal Botanic Gardens and participate in a collaborative art installation inspired by their Journey to Our Heart journals. These experiences encourage students to think critically about sustainability, stewardship and their responsibility to care for the environment.
Through Stories of Belonging, students visit ACMI, the National Gallery of Victoria, ACCA, the Malthouse Theatre and the MCG, examining how stories, culture and identity are expressed through art, film, theatre and sport.
For Hazel, ACE provided valuable opportunities to experience learning in new and engaging ways:
“Overall, I think ACE was a great experience to link our learnings from JTOH to our everyday life. We got to experience different places, cultures, art and performances, which made everything more interesting and memorable.”
A key part of ACE is the theme Places That Shape Us, which encourages students to reflect on how history, faith, culture and geography influence our understanding of ourselves and others. Visiting the Jewish Museum of Australia and the Islamic Museum of Australia allows students to explore how communities maintain culture, traditions and a sense of belonging across generations.
Zara found the Jewish Museum experience particularly meaningful:
“Learning about Jewish traditions and hearing the stories of Holocaust survivors helped me understand how faith, culture and history shape people’s lives. Their personal experiences made the history feel much more real and meaningful to me.”
The final theme, Love, Community and Culture, explores relationships, kinship, family responsibility and cultural expectations. Students consider the responsibilities they hold within their families, communities and the wider world. Building on their learning about Aboriginal kinship systems, students consider how traditions, communities and social structures influence the ways people connect with one another and contribute to society.
Education for the World Ahead
STRIDE@9 represents the kind of education that prepares students not just for examinations, but for life.
JTOH provides the lived experience, while ACE offers the opportunity to process, extend and apply that learning through new contexts and perspectives. By moving between reflection and action, local and global perspectives, personal growth and community engagement, students develop the confidence to think independently, the empathy to understand others and the courage to engage with complex issues.
Students emerge with a stronger sense of direction, a deeper appreciation of culture and community, and a clearer understanding of how they can contribute positively to the world around them.
Explore the direction Loreto Toorak can give your daughter by registering for an Open Morning here.
