The Forest School

Hatfields Beach, Auckland

About The Forest School

The Forest School was founded in 2016 when we recognised the societal need to provide real-life-learning opportunities. It was created to bring a more joyful, engaging approach to education and to meet the innate curiosities and creativities that children are born with.


The Forest School is 100% in nature, in all weather, during all seasons. Students discover, play, and engage in authentic, real-life learning opportunities that grow resilience, confidence and that enable them to become curious problem solvers of the future.

The Forest School is open during the term via our One Day School, and also during school holidays.

One Day School is when students attend TFS once per week, regularly every week, and their other school on the other four days. Attendance is always on the same day since belonging and friendships are an integral part of our school culture.
Learning opportunities connect to both the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Whāriki.
We are Reggio Emilia inspired and Inquiry based with most learning units focussed on Education for Sustainability, Science and Technology. These units often develop this way due to our connection to place and strong local curriculum. Further explanation of our learning approach is in our School Prospectus and on our website.

During the school term, students typically enrol for one day. However, we also provide Flexi-School options to home educated students.

During the school holidays we offer Into The Wild, which is our holiday club. This is registered separately for as many number of days as you choose. You do not have to be a term student to enrol for the holiday programme. This is a day programme - not overnight.

Into The Wild Holiday Club provides a large, private, free play environment for children. We do not have compulsory adult-led ‘activities’ that children must do. There are always a variety of different opportunities and experiences on offer, and children choose to be a part of what interests them. Free play and discovering nature’s playground is our main focus.

The play and learning zones include:
* Our stunning native forest. A place where children explore and play; while learning to love and appreciate nature’s living playground.
* Our beautiful estuary and beach. This is at end of our driveway where children swim, surf, kayak, swing, climb and discover ocean wildlife.
* Our farm animals and garden. Children feed and interact with our range of friendly farm animals. Our organic garden is an open space providing lots of yummy seasonal food to pick and eat.

Find Us …
One Day School

The first nature-based One Day School in NZ! We provide playful, authentic, hands-on learning in nature.

Holiday Club

Secure your spot during the school holidays. Be quick because we fill FAST!

Get in touch with this provider.