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As part of its Centenary celebrations, Tanglin Trust School officially launched the Highlands Programme in late April at an event attended by students and staff, parents, and dignitaries including Mr Ashley Brosnan, Climate Counsellor at the Australian High Commission. This was followed by the official opening of the new Tanglin Gippsland Campus in Australia.

Spirit of adventure

Now well underway, the four-week residential programme offers Year 9 students a unique blend of academic focus, outdoor learning and personal development. Mark Cutchie, the founding Head of Campus, explains it’s a place to nurture the ‘spirit of adventure’ found within each individual. Surrounded in nature, students have quickly adapted to their new routine of residential learning, diving into geography fieldwork, academic study and hands-on outdoor education. A recent three-day, two-night expedition tested their resilience and teamwork while allowing them to collect real-world data for their courses.

One of the most powerful aspects of the programme has been the conscious break from technology. With limited screen time outside of lessons, students have embraced more active and communal pastimes—from table tennis tournaments to daily board games along with shared mealtimes and the routine of a writing a weekly letter to home. A sense of camaraderie has flourished, with meaningful conversations replacing devices.

After morning exercise, and lessons on the expansive 15-acre campus, afternoons are filled with a variety of co-curricular activities: frisbee, football, cricket, Touch Rugby, or simply enjoying some downtime in nature. A group of keen student runners have even formed the Highland Harriers, braving cool mornings for a 2km run with the crisp autumn weather offering something different to their life in tropical Singapore.

Sense of self

At the heart of the Highlands experience are Tanglin’s Middle School values of Curiosity, Confidence and Community — all of which are nurtured daily as students learn to live and work together, many experiencing residential living for the first time. The change in pace and setting has allowed them to step outside their comfort zones, build resilience, and discover new strengths.

The first group of Highlanders have now returned to Singapore, proudly bringing home stories and accomplishments that they have shared with fellow students, teachers and family. Meanwhile, the second cohort of students prepare for their 4 weeks away in June. With each rotation, the Highlands Programme establishes itself as an enduring and enriching part of the Tanglin curriculum — one that truly inspires the spirit of adventure.

 

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