The Forest School
Credit: The Forest School
About The Forest School
The Forest School is a nature-based primary school inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, where the environment is an important teacher. Children learn through hands-on experiences such as forest and beach exploration, gardening, animal care, and inquiry-based learning, alongside strong foundations in reading, writing, and maths.
Key information
- Language of instruction: English
- Distinguishing characteristic: Immersive outdoor education where nature is our classroom
- Curriculum: New Zealand
- Open date: Term 1 2026
- Sponsor: New Zealand Forest Schools Limited
Key links
- School website: The Forest School | Reggio Emilia inspired Primary School
- School social media: Instagram Facebook
- Education Counts listing: The Forest School: Profile and Contact Details | Education Counts
Reporting
The Forest School's Annual Public Report is due to be published by 31 May 2027 either on its website or in a local newspaper.
Rolls
We will publish The Forest School's roll once it has been open a year.
Learn more about rolls at Charter Schools
Performance thresholds and monitoring
All schools including charter schools are assigned an Equity Index number (EQI). This EQI determines the performance thresholds that charter schools are contracted to meet.
In 2026 The Forest School, falls in the moderate EQI group.
The Forest School is assessed against the following annual measures:
|
Measure |
Performance threshold |
|
Regular attendance |
50% |
|
Student achievement (Years 3-10) - reading |
50% |
|
Student achievement (Years 3-10) - writing and maths |
35% |
Achievement measures are the percentage of students achieving at or above the expected curriculum level.
A school’s first year is its baseline year. Schools are monitored against this baseline and their minimum performance thresholds. The Authorisation Board can step in if they are not meeting these thresholds.
Schools are expected not only to meet the minimum requirements but to keep improving and work towards the government’s overall education targets.
Read more about performance thresholds
Application
Below is New Zealand Forest Schools Limited's original application to open its school. All sponsors must submit an application like this, and it helps the Charter School Authorisation Board (CSAB) decide whether to approve a school.
The application may not fully reflect how The Forest School operates today. This is because the school can change over time through further discussions with the CSAB, contract negotiations, the establishment process, and the staff and students involved.
Commercially sensitive details have been redacted.