Peterhouse Outdoor Education Programme
The Outdoor Education Programme at Peterhouse is a unique and transformative experience for every pupil who walks through our doors. It is far more than a series of activities; it is an integral part of a Peterhouse education, shaping character, resilience and a lifelong appreciation for the natural world.
Our programme is firmly rooted in the values of our Founder, Bishop Paget:
In Judgement – Wisdom and Truth
In Action – Responsibility, Resolution and Respect
In Adversity – Fortitude
In Success – Humility
In All Things – Gratitude, Kindness, Courage and Cheerfulness
These principles are woven into every aspect of our Outdoor Education Programme. Through meaningful challenges, shared experiences and immersion in the beauty of our natural environment, pupils are encouraged to live these values every day. The programme provides opportunities for personal growth, leadership, teamwork and self-discovery, fostering not only a deep respect for nature but also the character and confidence to thrive in all areas of life.
Basecamp is designed to provide pupils with a fun, challenging and rewarding introduction to life in the outdoors. As one of the first experiences of their Peterhouse journey, it offers every pupil the opportunity to develop greater self-awareness while building the foundations of social awareness, communication, teamwork and lasting friendships.
Held in and around Calderwood Park, Basecamp is a three-day adventure with two nights spent under canvas. The programme combines outdoor challenge with personal development through a range of exciting activities, including abseiling, basic First Aid and initiative-based tasks such as raft building, the pamper pole, ziplining and Jacob’s Ladder. Each activity is carefully designed to build confidence, resilience, trust and collaboration.
A key component of Basecamp is an intensive introduction to the essential bushcraft skills that underpin the Peterhouse Outdoor Education Programme. Guided by experienced instructors, pupils gain practical knowledge in fire-lighting, shelter-building, navigation, rucksack packing, equipment selection and outdoor nutrition, equipping them with the skills and confidence required for future expeditions.
To foster strong peer connections from the outset, pupils from Peterhouse Boys (PHB) and Peterhouse Girls (PHG) participate in the D Block Basecamp in single-sex groups.
Basecamp is led by Peterhouse staff, supported by experienced instructors from Adventure Campouts, ensuring a safe, professional and memorable introduction to the adventures that lie ahead.
The C Block Expedition builds on the experiences and skills gained during D Block Basecamp, placing a greater emphasis on teamwork, resilience and perseverance. As pupils grow in confidence and capability, the expedition develops the physical and mental endurance required for one of Peterhouse’s proudest traditions – the B Block Chimanimani Expedition.
This three-day, 45 km journey-style expedition takes pupils from Mare Dam Caravan Park via Nyangombe Falls and Nyamanziva Falls, culminating in the ascent of Mt Inyangani, the highest mountain in Zimbabwe. Pupils spend two nights under canvas, embracing the challenges and rewards of expedition life while strengthening their ability to work together and support one another in the outdoors.
Throughout the expedition, pupils continue to develop the bushcraft and hiking skills introduced at Basecamp. Fire-lighting, navigation, rucksack packing, equipment selection and outdoor nutrition are further refined through practical application, encouraging increasing independence and self-reliance in the field.
Pupils from Peterhouse Boys (PHB) and Peterhouse Girls (PHG) participate in the C Block Expedition in single-sex groups.
The C Block Expedition is led by Peterhouse staff, supported by experienced instructors from Adventure Campouts, who provide expert guidance and ensure a safe, challenging and rewarding experience for every pupil.
The B Block Chimanimani Expedition is a highlight in the Peterhouse Outdoor Education Programme, challenging every pupil to push beyond perceived limits and discover what they are truly capable of. Building on the skills and experiences gained during the C Block Expedition, it takes pupils into the rugged and demanding environment of the Chimanimani Mountains, where they are tested both physically and mentally. Through this shared experience, pupils develop resilience, determination and perseverance, returning with a profound sense of achievement and memories that will last a lifetime.
Set within Chimanimani National Park, the expedition is a five-day, self-contained hiking journey undertaken in tutor groups, with four nights spent under canvas. The route takes pupils through Bailey’s Folly and the banana groves, to iconic landmarks including Paradise Pools, before summiting Mt Peza, Mt Kweza, the highest peak in Mozambique, and Mt Mavenje (the Turret Towers). The expedition also includes camping in the spectacular High Valley, offering pupils the opportunity to experience one of the most remarkable wilderness areas in southern Africa.
Pupils from Peterhouse Boys (PHB) and Peterhouse Girls (PHG) participate in the B Block Chimanimani Expedition in single-sex groups.
The expedition is led by Peterhouse staff, supported by experienced instructors from Adventure Campouts, ensuring a safe, professionally managed and unforgettable outdoor experience.
The A Block Expedition marks a significant milestone in the Peterhouse journey and the transition within our Diamond Structure, bringing together pupils from across the Group of Schools as they prepare to enter the Upper School as classmates in a co-educational environment. It is a formative experience, designed to develop leadership, confidence, independence and mutual respect, while encouraging pupils to step beyond their comfort zones, embrace new challenges and build meaningful relationships as a unified year group.
Held in the Bubye Valley Conservancy immediately after pupils complete their IGCSE examinations, the week-long expedition offers a diverse range of practical and outdoor experiences. Guided by Peterhouse staff and expert instructors, many of whom are members of the Petrean community, pupils are introduced to skills including shooting, hunting and fishing, as well as preparing boerewors, biltong and campfire meals for their groups. A memorable solo night provides a unique opportunity for reflection, self-reliance and personal growth, challenging each pupil to develop confidence, resilience and a deeper understanding of themselves.
A defining feature of the expedition is a visit to a local community school, where pupils have the opportunity to serve others through meaningful engagement. By teaching science lessons, organising games and activities, and preparing and sharing meals with the children, they gain a greater appreciation of gratitude, kindness and the importance of contributing to the wider community.
Throughout the week, pupils strengthen their practical competence, communication, teamwork and accountability, while developing the maturity, character and sense of responsibility that will equip them for the leadership opportunities and responsibilities of their final years at Peterhouse.
The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award
Around the same time Peterhouse Boys was founded (1955), The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was founded by Prince Philip and Kurt Hahn, with John Hunt as The Award’s first Director (1956). The Founders’ vision was to see boys discover their interests and passions instead of simply preparing them for tests. Hunt’s life’s work aimed towards the development of a school devoted to character development through physical education and outdoor adventure by being respectful enough to give boys the responsibility and opportunity to manage their own personal leadership through self-discovery.
Peterhouse believes in and champions Hahn’s philosophy, and thus became the pioneering school in Zimbabwe licenced to deliver The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.
Through Service, Skill, Sport and Expeditions, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award fosters the following Ten Expeditionary Learning Principles in young people:
Learning happens best with emotion, challenge and the requisite support. People discover their abilities, values, passions, and responsibilities in situations that offer adventure and the unexpected. Young people undertake tasks that require perseverance, fitness, craftsmanship, imagination, self-discipline, and significant achievement.
Expeditionary Learning schools foster curiosity about the world by creating learning situations that provide something important to think about, time to experiment, and time to make sense of what is observed.
Learning is both a personal process of discovery and a social activity. Everyone learns both individually and as part of a group. Every aspect of an Expeditionary Learning school encourages children to become increasingly responsible for directing their own personal and collective learning.
Learning is fostered best in communities where young people’s ideas are respected and where there is mutual trust. Learning groups are small in Expeditionary Learning schools, with a caring tutor looking after the progress of, and acting as an advocate for each child. Older students mentor younger ones, and students feel physically and emotionally safe.
All young people need to be successful if they are to build the confidence and capacity to take risks and meet increasingly difficult challenges. But it is also important for them to learn from their failures, to persevere when things are hard, and to learn to turn disabilities into opportunities
Individual development and group development are integrated so that the value of friendship, trust, and group action is clear. Young people are encouraged to compete not against each other but with their own personal best and with rigorous standards of excellence.
Both diversity and inclusion increase the richness of ideas, creative power, problem-solving ability, and respect for others. In Expeditionary Learning schools, young peopls investigate and value their different histories and talents, as well as those of other communities’ cultures.
A direct and respectful relationship with the natural world refreshes the human spirit and teaches cycles of cause and effect. Young people learn to become stewards of the earth and of future generations.
Young people need time alone to explore their own thoughts, make their own connections, and create their own ideas. They also need time to exchange their reflections with others.
We are crew, not passengers. Young people are strengthened by acts of consequential service to others, and one of an Expeditionary Learning school’s primary functions is to prepare them with the attitudes and skills to learn from and be of service to others.
(Source: Wikipedia)
What better way to formalize the breadth of education offered at Peterhouse, than through the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.
The Duke of Edinburgh International Award affords young people the opportunity to (outside the classroom) have fun, make friends, improve their self-esteem and build confidence. They gain essential skills and attributes for work and life such as resilience, problem-solving, collaboration through team-work, communication and drive. The Award also significantly enhances their CVs when applying for universities and careers.
As a non-formal and non-competitive educational framework, the Award plays a vital role in increasing employability by fostering creativity and innovation. The Award is transforming individuals, communities and societies around the world.
For general information please see www.intaward.org
For specific enquiries, please direct questions to doe@peterhouse.co.zw / doe@phg.co.zw
Tutorial System
Introduction
All full time members of staff (with the exception of the Deputy Head, Director of Studies, and the Chaplain) are required to be an Academic Tutor.
Whilst it is acknowledged that Housemasters/Housemistresses have overall responsibility for the welfare of the pupils in their houses Tutors (both Academic and House Tutors) have a very important part to play in looking after both the academic progress and pastoral welfare of each of their tutees. This implies building up a productive relationship with the pupil concerned together with his family.
The tutorial system
The tutorial system is based upon vertical groups of pupils within individual boarding houses as follows:
- VIth Form tutor groups (Vth and VIth Form pupils) – groups of 8 (i.e. 4 per year group)
- Middle school tutor groups (A, B and C Block pupils) – groups of 9 (i.e. 3 per year group)
- Lower school tutor groups (D Block pupils) – groups of 10
Tutorial meetings are held formally on a fortnightly basis; guidance for tutors is provided by the Senior Tutor (Upper School), the Senior Tutor (Middle School) and the Senior Tutor (Lower School), who is the Housemaster of Tinokura. At the top end of the school there will inevitably be a great deal of emphasis on academic performance and university entrance whereas at the bottom end of the school tutorials are more likely to focus on the basic expectations of pupils.
Tutors should also keep in touch with tutees informally and take an overall and active interest in their tutees academic performance, their extra-curricular activities, hobbies and interests, their family background and any disciplinary issues which may occur.