Life at Timbertop

Deeply connected to nature and one another

Strong relationships are the foundations of life at Timbertop, where students are given daily opportunities for kindness, honesty and effort.

Our programme, which is unrivalled in operation and philosophy, asks all students to live together in a co-educational, full boarding residential community for the entire academic year with around 250 others.

All students participate in our comprehensive academic and outdoor education programme, which takes full advantage of its natural and sometimes unforgiving surroundings. Timbertop offers a truly unique, memorable and very active life.

Unit Life

Responsibility, challenge and independence

Unit life is integral to the experience of Timbertop. The feelings of independence that result from living with and relying on others are central to Timbertop’s success. There are sixteen Units (eight for boys and eight for girls). Students live and work in their Unit with up to fifteen fellow students.

Students sleep, eat, shower, study, clean, socialise and interact in these Units. Students learn to become highly self-sufficient and have complete responsibility for the care and upkeep of their living environment. Sharing a rotating roster of jobs and chores, chopping wood for the slow-combustion heaters and hot water boilers is an integral part of the students’ daily routines.

VIEW A TYPICAL DAY

Chapel Life

Strength, simplicity and reflection

No chapel is ordinary, but some chapels are more extraordinary than others. The Chapel of St John the Baptist at Timbertop is in itself a gift and blessing to our community, built over several stages by Timbertop staff and students in 1958.

Every student that has attended Timbertop since then has paused while in the magnificent space; they have prayed; they have gazed out beyond the glass windows; they have sung together; they probably have been comforted in times of sadness, and they have gathered as a community in this special place.

Today, the Chapel is very much the centre of Timbertop life. It is visited frequently through the week to bring the learning community together; for singing and music practice, Chapel concerts, special announcements or perhaps a communion service. Sitting proudly overlooking the Timbertop campus, the Chapel continues to play an inspiring and pivotal part in the lives of staff and students.

Music Life

At Timbertop, music permeates all parts of community life. There are many opportunities for performing, and students of all levels are encouraged to take part in Monday morning Chapel concerts. Rock and jazz bands, instrumental and vocal ensembles, duets and trios all form throughout the year in extra Music practice and perform in these and other concerts.

Over half of the Timbertop cohort undertake sessional music lessons, which are 45 minutes long and operate simultaneously with the academic periods.

A healthy life

Eating healthily is particularly important given the rigorous nature of the Outdoor Education and physical programme at Timbertop. Our chefs and catering team prepare an exceptional range of tasty and nutritious food for our students across breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fresh fruit is available at any time of day. All students dine together in the Dining Hall, a vibrant communal space located at the centre of the campus.

Support and care

There is a well-considered and thoughtful pastoral support structure in place at Timbertop which ensures that every young person in the programme receives the unique care and support they need for their own personal growth.