Fieldschool 2024–25: The Nitty Gritty

We offer a free “try-it-out” day or in-person consultation!

Limited time only: until we run out of enrolled spots! Inquire now!

Our motto: Wonder, wisdom, wellness, work

Tues to Fri, full-day outdoor experiential and expressive arts education for home learners, neurodiverse learners, and learners searching for out-of-the-box additions to traditional schooling.

We strive to deliver excellence by specializing in:

  • Community outdoor experiential education (COEE)
  • Wilderness performing arts
  • Life & social skill-building
  • Community- and land-based education with an emphasis on projects
  • Environmental/climate change stewardship
  • Dynamic field trips in the Lower Mainland
  • 1:1 and small-group mentoring

Attention Richmond, Delta, and Surrey families!

Although we are called Vancouver Outdoor School, we also support learners in Richmond, Delta, and South Surrey. We offer consistent, convenient pickup locations in Richmond and Surrey, including a free shuttle.

Interested in learning more? Inquire now!

LEARNER AGES
Juniors: 4–7 (co-ed; 20 kids maximum)
Seniors: 8–13 (co-ed; 20 kids maximum)

WHEN
Tues to Fri, Sep 3, 2024–Jun 12, 2025 (click here for semester calendar)
For pick-up/drop-off times, click here.

DROP-OFF/PICK-UP
Vancouver (Tues-Fri)
at Douglas Park
Richmond (Tues-Fri) at Bridgeport Station
Crescent Beach (Tues & Wed) at Alex House (shuttle from Van and Richmond)

FEES AND ENROLMENT
Click here to view fees & enrolment

Book your free consultation now!

"Click here to book a phone/Zoom chat with me. Every enrolment starts with a conversation. I'll help you make sure that your child and Fieldschool are the right match."

Liam Barnes

Liam Barnes

Director of VOS and VYLC

liam@vancouveroutdoorschool.com

Week at a Glance

 Wilderness Learning and Theatre Days (Tuesdays and Wednesdays)

Our Wilderness Learning and Theatre days offer our cutting edge fusion of outdoor experiential education and expressive arts. On a typical day, we split the Junior and Senior cohorts, starting with either the day’s performing arts or outdoor experiential education activities, switching after lunch. Learners who have paid for tutoring will be taken aside for hour-long blocks of academic tutoring.

We offer two pick-up/drop-off points support Vancouver, Richmond, and Delta-based learners in getting to and from our base camp at Alex House (contact us for more shuttle info).

Drop-off:

Pick-up:

Into the Wild Days (Thursdays and Fridays)

Our Into the Wild Days are full-on days of nature- and urban-based field trips across Vancouver, including hiking, paddleboarding, swimming, parkour, biking, and so much more! For our returning families, these are just like old-school Fieldschool.

Depending on group size, activity, and location preference, Juniors and Seniors may be split up or have a group day to bond and give the Seniors an opportunity to act as peer mentors.

To stay flexible, we offer two pick-up and drop-off locations that are easily accessible by transit and car.

Drop-off:

Pick-up:

Fieldschool 2024-2025: Our most dynamic and exciting year yet!

Introducing our beautiful Base Camp: Alex House (NEW!)

**Tuesday and Wednesday only…Thursday and Friday in Vancouver
Located just a few steps from Crescent Beach, Alex House is the perfect location for our home base. We pick up our first group at King Edward station, then Skytrain to Bridgeport Station (30 mins) in Richmond where the shuttle drives everyone the rest of the way to Alex House (30 mins). 

Why Alex House as our Base Camp? 2.5 private acres to focus on expressive arts and theatre production. Kitchen facilities to lean culinary skills. A quiet, safe neighbourhood with endless beach and forest. An indoor space to get away from the winter weather and a consistent location for project-based learning. What’s not to love?

Alexandra House

Crescent Beach Parkour Academy (NEW!)

Crescent Beach’s Parkour Academy is youth-directed and project-based, all while being guided by our expert parkour and Fieldschool instructors. Our academy teaches parkour moves and philosophy for all levels, as well as risk management, principles of sport photography and film, and healthy screen use through creative projects.

Parkour Academy takes place on Wednesdays and operates out of our Crescent Beach base camp Alex House. It is led by VOS Director Liam “Barnsy” Barnes, who has years of experience both as a parkour athlete and instructor. Barnsy, along with out other parkour instructors, provide support, training, and mentorship to Vancouver’s budding parkour athletes.

Past performing arts activities

Wilderness Theatre Performing Arts Project (NEW!)

The Wilderness Theatre program represents an exciting partnership that cements VOS’s commitment to fostering self-expression, creativity, and collaboration, which will culminate in a learner-led end-of-season community production!

We offer a dynamic expressive arts program tailored for children and youth who are identified as neurodiverse, struggling with anxiety, or need an outlet to express their inner artist.

Past performing arts activities

Elevate Ed Specialized Tutoring (NEW!)

When our families talk, we listen and respond. A consistent theme with our Fieldschool families has been ensuring that their learners are supported in their academics as the majority are home learners. To support this need, we are collaborating with Arashdeep, a certified teacher, to provide academic tutoring on Tuesday-Friday, during Fieldschool hours. 

Tutoring involves extra one-on-one time learning and practising relevant academic skills. What those skills are, and how learning is structured, is part of an ongoing conversation with the family (both parents and learner) to ensure we keep the learner’s individual learning and growth as the ultimate focus. For more information, click here.

This is an optional, separate service for an additional fee. Contact our tutoring service partner to learn more.

Tutoring at VOS

Community-based Outdoor Experiential Education

We maintain long-standing collaborations with local experts, farms, businesses, artists, and even a reptile rescue sanctuary… all so that our kids learn real things from real people during real projects. This project-style of learning is rooted in community and the outdoors.

We focus on “outdoor literacy” and “street smarts”. We make sure our kids are prepared for anything, be it the weather, urban and wilderness navigation, physical literacy (parkour!), risk management, planning and goal-setting, local and Indigenous history, and so much more!

Outdoor Education

Incorporating Hope-based Climate Education

We approach climate education from a basis of hope, showing learners how to channel activating emotions to take action and contribute to a better future. Our climate education incorporates age-appropriate discussions, ideas, and lessons about climate change into our regular activities.

We collaborate with companies, organizations, and non-profits in the community that are contributing positively to finding solutions to climate change.

Climate change education

Enter the Fieldschool-verse: Our wider community

Fieldschool is part of a network of services that bring adventure, learning, personal growth, and community connection into the lives of young people of all ages.

Between the Trees Mentorship: This service is our 1:1 and small-group mentoring service that emphasizes building life and social skills based on the personal goals of the individual learner. Click here to learn more!

Vancouver Youth Leadership Centre: This service is for the older youth, helping connect people on the cusp of adulthood through adventure, socializing, and learning the skills they need to embark on the next stage of their life. Click here to learn more!

Fireside Adventures: From day camps to 21-day expeditions, from our BC backyard to Japan, Italy, and the Yukon, Fireside Adventures caters to all ages and experience levels to provide the perfect outdoor adventure for you. Click here to learn more!

VYLC, BTT, and Fireside Adventures activities

Schedule and Learning Plan

2024–25 Calendar

Combined view of all programs from Vancouver Outdoor School and Fireside Adventures

Wilderness Performing Arts
Month at a Glance

2024–25 Significant Dates

First days, last days, holidays and more.

Important Information

Vancouver Outdoor School logo

Fieldschool Registration and Fees

View Fees

Are you a home learner?

When it comes to meeting BC Curriculum requirements as home learner, we’re happy to support. We just need to know who you are working with in supporting your learner’s academics. Are you working with the learner’s home school, open learning or other?

Questions? Inquire now!