An independent NSW school with a focus on nature and outdoor learning is in such high demand that it is taking on the challenge of expanding into secondary education.
The Nature School, based in Port Macquarie, follows the standard national curriculum but aims to deliver it in a different way.
The school has grown rapidly since it began with 22 students from Kindergarten to Year 2 in 2018.
It now has 140 students and has this year started its first year 7 class, with a waiting list for almost every year level.
"So, the school is full. We are at capacity," head of school Catherine Shaw says.
"Our secondary classes will remain small. We think that's a strength of our school, so only 20 students in a year group."
At this stage, the school will continue adding a grade level each year, until it reaches year 10 in 2026.
Scott Upston is the father of three boys who attend The Nature School and says they value the different teaching approach.
"Quite often a lot of the lessons are taught outside in the fresh air so, for our three boys, it's not about being stuck in the rigidity of a classroom environment," he says.
"They can get out in the fresh air and do some stuff.
"There's a level of flexibility with the way the teachers present … the teachers offer a level of genuine care."
Learning in nature and the community
Ms Shaw says families are increasingly seeking alternatives to the mainstream education model.
"People are looking for something different, and we have such stressed teenagers," she says.
"People are looking for a place where we can embrace what it means to be a young person today, without that high pressure.
"Learning is still the most important thing, but we can do it in a less stressful environment."
The philosophy of The Nature School is to deliver the NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum in a more relaxed environment, which also enables students to connect with nature and engage with the local community.
Students are regularly taken outside the classroom to learn. In primary, students go on off-site "adventure days" while the secondary school will incorporate regular "field study days".
"They still have classrooms … but we embrace the rest of the world for our classroom as well, the beach can be your classroom, the bush can be a classroom," Ms Shaw says.
"In secondary, the field study days are really about students having the opportunity to engage in scientific skills, geographic fieldwork skills.
"We will be accessing some community assets like the local Charles Sturt University [science labs] and the local zoo, and a range of natural habitats for our students."
A different middle school model
Ms Shaw says the secondary school has adopted a "unique middle school teaching model" to ease the transition for students from the single-teacher model of the primary years.
"Our students will have two core teachers: one who takes the maths, science, technology load and one who takes the English, humanities, arts load," she says.
"So essentially they will have two teachers, rather than the multiple teachers [across subject areas] they might experience at a mainstream secondary school."
One of the year 7 teachers, Lloyd Godson, helped co-found The Nature School in 2015.
"I feel pretty honoured to be one of the founding secondary teachers now," he says.
"Nature School Secondary is a really nice transition from primary… you get to know the students really well, you spend a lot of time with them."
The other year 7 teacher, Kellie Hall, says the middle school model is an "exciting" approach.
"Having the reduced number of students, and reduced number of teachers, allows us to much more seamlessly integrate our learning across the key subjects," she says.
'Flexibility and care'
The school's secondary students were in high spirits on their first day.
"The Nature School is small and welcoming … you get more respect and more cared for than in a school with tonnes of kids," year 7 student Anwen Pullen says.
Year 7 student Conor Vanrensburg agrees.
"The teachers are very welcoming … the lessons are very fun, and mud is also very fun, and there's lots of mud here," he says.
It's not yet decided whether the school will eventually expand to include years 11 and 12.
"We will grow slowly … I'm really excited for what still lies ahead," Ms Shaw says.
