School Outdoor Education Surf Programs — Built Around Safety, Evidence, and the Transformative Power of the Ocean
When a school entrusts its students to any outdoor education provider, the question underneath every booking decision is the same: Can I trust these people with my students?
At the Margaret River Surfing Academy, that question has a more substantive answer than any other surf school in Western Australia can offer. MRSA's school outdoor education programs are led by Simon Tien, a Registered Paramedic with a Bachelor of Paramedical Science, a Master's degree in Mental Health, and over twenty-five years of surf coaching experience on this coastline. Every MRSA coach holds Bronze Medallion or Surf Rescue certification through Surf Life Saving Australia and is accredited with Surfing Western Australia. We carry twenty million dollars in public liability insurance, are Quality Tourism Australia accredited, and are endorsed by Tourism WA as part of the Dream Collective — the state's most recognised group of tourism operators.
No other surf school in the South West brings this combination of clinical expertise, surf coaching experience, and evidence-based program design to school groups. That is not a marketing claim. It is verifiable, and it matters when you are responsible for forty students and their families trust you with their safety.
Why the Ocean Is the Most Honest Outdoor Classroom Available
There is something the ocean does that no classroom, no gymnasium, and no ropes course can fully replicate. It responds to the student in front of it with complete honesty. It does not care whether that student is confident or anxious, popular or marginalised, academically strong or struggling. When the wave comes, the student responds — and in that moment, something real happens.
At MRSA, we have watched students who had never found their place in a traditional school environment discover an entirely different version of themselves in the water. Students who struggled to engage become the ones standing on the beach cheering loudest for their classmates. Students who arrived were convinced they could not do it standing on a board within forty minutes. These are not incidental outcomes — they are what happens when young people are placed in a genuine challenge environment with the right support, the right safety systems, and a coach who has spent a career understanding how people grow under pressure.
This is the foundation of every MRSA school program. The ocean is not the backdrop. It is the learning environment.
What Makes MRSA Different From Every Other Surf School in the South West
A Registered Paramedic leads every school program. Simon's clinical background shapes every aspect of how MRSA manages risk, responds to student wellbeing, and designs programs that genuinely meet young people where they are. No other surf school in the South West offers this level of medical qualification on site as a standard feature of their school programs.
Evidence-based program design — not just a surf lesson. Simon's Masters research examined the comparative effectiveness of surf therapy and psychological capital for adolescent wellbeing and social-emotional learning — the first research of its kind. That research is the foundation of how MRSA designs school programs: structured around measurable wellbeing outcomes, not just a fun day at the beach.
The P-REGO Framework — surf coaching and mental health education combined. For schools seeking a program that addresses the WA Curriculum's personal and social development outcomes alongside physical education, MRSA offers something genuinely unique: the option to integrate elements of the Brain Waves P-REGO program into your school surf day. P-REGO is Simon's original mental health education framework — covering Positive mental health, Resilience, Empathy and self-efficacy, Goals, and Optimism — grounded in polyvagal theory, neuroplasticity, and breathwork. This is the same evidence-based program delivered in schools and corporate settings across Western Australia. No other surf provider in the region offers anything comparable.
Twenty-five years on this specific coastline. Simon has been coaching surf on the Margaret River coast since 2000, including a decade alongside Josh Palmateer — the founder of MRSA and one of Western Australia's most respected professional surfers. He knows every break, every rip, every seasonal condition pattern on this stretch of coast. That knowledge directly translates to better safety outcomes for school groups, every single session.
A history of accessible surf education. In 2005, Simon travelled to Broome to teach surfing to the local indigenous community and school children, and produced a documentary on the benefits of surf education for young people with limited access to structured programs. That commitment to making surf education meaningful — not just recreational — has shaped everything MRSA has built since.
Curriculum Connections — How Our Programs Align with the WA Curriculum
MRSA school programs are designed to generate genuine, documentable outcomes across the Western Australian Curriculum. When PE coordinators and outdoor education leaders ask how a surf program justifies its place in a school itinerary, we have a specific answer.
Health and Physical Education Students develop physical literacy through a challenging, lifelong participation in physical activity. They build ocean safety knowledge with direct real-world application — rip current identification and response, wave reading, safe entry and exit, and board control. They practise movement skills in a dynamic, natural environment that demands genuine adaptation and body awareness. Students also learn how to deal with stress and anxiety in the water through breathing and stress management.
Outdoor Education Students engage with a natural environment that is genuinely unpredictable and dynamic — meeting the curriculum's emphasis on learning through challenge and risk management in outdoor settings. They develop personal and social skills, including communication under pressure, resilience in the face of adversity, and collaborative problem-solving as a group. They practise environmental awareness and respect for the coastal ecosystem.
Personal and Social Capability The ocean environment accelerates personal and social development in ways that are difficult to manufacture in other settings. Managing fear, communicating with coaches and peers under physical pressure, celebrating the success of classmates, and processing both failure and achievement in real time are all embedded features of every MRSA school session.
We can provide curriculum alignment documentation tailored to your school's program requirements. Simply request this when you enquire.
What a school day with MRSA looks like
School programs are not adapted tourist lessons with a group booking label. They are purpose-built outdoor education experiences, structured from the ground up for student cohorts and delivered with the safety standards and program depth that teachers expect from a professional outdoor education provider.
Before the water — land-based education
Every session begins on the beach, before any student goes near the water. Simon leads a comprehensive ocean safety and awareness briefing that covers rip current identification and response, how to read wave patterns and water movement, safe entry and exit procedures, surfboard safety and control, landmark awareness, and what to do if you or a classmate gets into difficulty.
This is not just a safety talk. It is a genuine education session, delivered by a Registered Paramedic who has spent seventeen years managing emergencies in high-pressure environments — a mining industry paramedic who has responded to real incidents in real conditions and who understands exactly what ocean awareness young people need to stay safe for the rest of their lives. Teachers consistently tell us this session alone justifies the program.
In the water — coaching from qualified instructors
MRSA coaches enter the water alongside every student for the entire session. Nobody is left alone to figure it out. Our coach-to-student ratio 6:1 ensures individual attention throughout, and the success rate for first-time surfers standing on a board in their first session is overwhelming. That moment — a student who arrived convinced they could not do it, standing on a wave for the first time — is the moment that makes this program worth every logistical step it takes to get here for you and us.
Coaching in the water is continuous. Simon and the MRSA team read student confidence levels, adjust positioning and technique in real time, and manage the group's experience in the water with the same situational awareness that underpins high-pressure emergency response work. Students feel coached, not managed. Every one of Simon’s coaches is trained by Simon and receives continuous training throughout the year.
After the session — debrief and reflection
Every school program includes a facilitated post-session debrief. Students reflect on their experience, articulate what challenged them, discuss what they achieved, and connect the experience to broader personal and social themes. For schools incorporating the Brain Waves P-REGO elements, this debrief extends into a structured discussion on resilience, optimism, and how the tools practised in the ocean translate to everyday life.
This is where the outcomes move from physical to genuinely transformative.
Program Options
Half-Day School Program — from $55 per student. Two hours in the water including a full land-based ocean safety education session, in-water surf coaching with qualified instructors throughout, and a post-session debrief. All surfboards, wetsuits, rash vests, and safety equipment provided. Suitable for groups of up to thirty students. Ideal for day excursions and as an activity component within a broader South West camp itinerary.
Full-Day School Program — contact us for pricing. A four to five-hour program expanding the half-day structure to include extended ocean safety education, progressive surf coaching across two tide windows, the Brain Waves P-REGO introductory wellbeing session can be added to these days, and a structured group reflection activity. Suitable for groups of up to twenty-five students. Ideally dedicated outdoor education days and overnight camp programs.
Multi-Day School Camp Program — contact us for pricing. Two to five-day programs designed for senior outdoor education cohorts, Year 9–12 outdoor education subjects, and schools seeking a genuinely progressive surf education experience. Includes progressional surf skill development across multiple sessions, the full Brain Waves P-REGO mental health education program delivered across the camp, ocean safety certification activities, and leadership and resilience workshops aligned to personal and social capability outcomes. Fully customisable around your school's specific curriculum objectives and schedule.
Accreditations and Safety Documentation
We understand that school outdoor education bookings require documentation. The following is available on request for every MRSA school program booking:
Public liability insurance certificate — $20,000,000 coverage, Australia-wide
Risk Management Plan — suitable for inclusion in your school's camp and excursion paperwork
Curriculum alignment documentation — tailored to your program and year group
Coach credentials — First Aid certificates, Bronze Medallion and Surf Rescue certifications through SLSA, Surfing Western Australia accreditation
Simon Tien's professional credentials — Registered Paramedic registration documentation, academic qualifications
Quality Tourism Australia accreditation certificate
Tourism WA Dream Collective endorsement
We aim to make the administrative side of booking a school program as straightforward as possible. If there is documentation your school requires that is not listed above, contact us and we will provide it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What year groups are your programs suitable for? MRSA school programs are designed for students from Year 5 upward. Our half-day group programs require students to be at least ten years of age. For younger year groups, private lesson formats with lower student-to-coach ratios can be arranged. Contact us to discuss the best format for your cohort.
Do students need any prior surfing experience? No. Every MRSA school program is designed for students with no prior surfing experience. Our coaches are skilled at working with anxious first-timers, students with physical or sensory needs, and students who initially resist participation. We have never run a school session where we did not get every willing student standing on a board.
What if some students are stronger swimmers than others? We assess ocean comfort levels at the start of every session and adjust coaching accordingly. Students who are not confident swimmers can be placed in smaller, more protected surf zones with a dedicated coach alongside them. Simon's paramedic background means this assessment is clinical, not casual.
Can you accommodate students with disabilities or additional learning needs? Yes. MRSA holds Quality Tourism Australia accreditation for accessibility and inclusion. We actively design programs to accommodate students with physical disabilities, sensory processing needs, and additional learning requirements. Contact us in advance of your booking to discuss your group's specific needs and we will tailor the program accordingly.
What documentation can you provide for our school's risk management requirements? A full Risk Management Plan, public liability insurance certificate, coach credential documentation, and curriculum alignment notes are all available on request. We aim to provide everything your school needs to complete its outdoor education paperwork without additional administrative burden on your staff.
What happens if the conditions are unsuitable on the day? If surf conditions are genuinely dangerous — extreme swell, severe weather, or lightning — Simon will contact you as early as possible on the day to discuss rescheduling or program adjustment. In over twenty-five years of running programs on this coastline, there is almost always somewhere suitable to surf. We know this coast well enough to always find an appropriate location for the group in front of us.
How far in advance should we book? We recommend booking at least four to six weeks in advance for groups of twenty or more students. School holiday periods and the summer season book up quickly. Early enquiry is always worthwhile, and we are happy to hold provisional dates while your school completes its paperwork.
Can you visit our school to present the program? Yes. For schools planning a significant outdoor education program or multi-day camp, Simon is available to visit the school and present the program to staff, students, or parents. Contact us to arrange this.
Is the program covered by your public liability insurance if something goes wrong? Yes. MRSA carries $20,000,000 in public liability insurance covering all operations Australia-wide. Documentation is available on request.
EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH
At Brain Waves, we understand how overwhelming it can be to feel the pressures of life and not have the tools to manage stressful situations. This is why we have dedicated ourselves to studying evidence-based tools and practices that are proven to improve the quality of your life, so you can feel empowered and create life from a place of ease and happiness. Imagine being able to improve your overall health while improving your surfing at our home here in Western Australia or at a surf camp in Indonesia. We are here to help.
About Your Program Leader
Simon Tien left home at fifteen. He navigated the welfare system alone, finished school on Austudy, and found the ocean at an age when he needed something to hold onto. Surfing did not save him in a dramatic sense — but it gave him a direction, a discipline, and a community at a time when those things were not available anywhere else.
He has spent the decades since trying to give that to other people.
Simon spent ten years coaching alongside Josh Palmateer — the founder of MRSA and one of Western Australia's most respected professional surfers. He then spent seventeen years in emergency services and as a paramedic in the mining industry before returning to coaching full time. He holds a Bachelor of Paramedical Science and a Master's degree in Mental Health. His Masters research examined the comparative effectiveness of surf therapy and psychological capital for adolescent wellbeing and social-emotional development — the first academic review of its kind. He is a big wave surfer who has surfed The Right, one of the most powerful waves in Australia, and has operated as a WSL Ocean Water Safety jet ski operator at professional surf events on this coastline.
He built the Brain Waves P-REGO program — a structured mental health education framework now delivered in schools and organisations across Western Australia — because he believed that the tools the ocean teaches should be accessible to every young person, not just those lucky enough to grow up near it.
When you book a school program with MRSA, your students are coached by someone who has spent thirty years thinking about what the ocean can do for a young person who needs it. That is not something any credential can fully capture — but it is what every parent, teacher, and student who has come through our programs feels.
HOW TO BOOK
1. CHOOSE YOUR PREFERRED DATES
Ensure you get the best days that work with your schedule.
2. TELL US ABOUT YOU
Fill out the form below to register your interest and tell us about your school & students.
3. BOOK NOW
Call us on 0418 958 264 to book the Brain Waves program. Bookings of over 10 people will receive a 10% discount p/p
