Every Season
Little Guardians
Ngā Kaitiaki ririki
In these shorter sessions, we spend time in the bush or on the farm, down by the water or by the fire. There is a mixture of free play, exploration and small group activities. Children have the opportunity to nurture their connection to the land, learn real-life skills and, in time, allow them to feel at home in the natural world.
Age: 4.5-7-year-olds
Dates: Wednesdays
Time: 10 - 2pm
Fees: $625 per term (Earlybird Prices available)
Location: Living Springs Farm Park
Dates: Eight weeks per term.
Every Season
Firekeepers
Ahi kā
In this programme, children build on their experience at Little Guardians to find the fire that keeps them ignited 'Ahi Kā'. They use their senses to explore their world through the seasons and the elements while developing knowledge about their local environment (farm, sea and bush).
We learn about these cycles through close awareness and observation to see how we are part of an interconnected web - everything relates to everything else. We ask the how, and the why, and seek to understand the unique ecology of this place we stand.
This year-long programme also spends time on a working farm, where we explore the origins and cycles of food, fibre and agri-tech solutions through forming deeper relationships with the animals and land. We aim to ignite their passions, awe and wonder for their place in the natural world.
We use our localised Bush Farm curriculum that includes a guided learning cycle, free-play, eco-literacy games and sensory activities.
Age: 7-13 years old
Dates: Thursday Sessions
Time: 9 - 3pm
Fees: $828 per term (Earlybird prices available)
Location: Living Springs Farm Park
Dates: Eight weeks per term.
Sign up for a minimum of two terms
We strongly believe that enrolling your child in Bush Farm for six months as a bare minimum. Ideally, we prefer ākonga to enrol for a few years. Ākonga take time to adjust to any new environment, as well as our mentoring and guiding strategies. It is only over time, as we develop relationship and connection, that we begin to see real changes. Each year, our programme themes will remain the same, however, we will develop deeper levels of knowledge and understanding about this tūrangaewaewae, the place where we stand.
Information if your child attends school
We recommend first that you let your school know that you are thinking about sending your child to our One Day programme. Parents tend to have a kōrero with their principal to discuss why this programme would be beneficial for their child. It may be about Hauora/ health and wellbeing, movement, creativity, nature connection, or something else. If you need more evidence-based research and resources, Bush Farm can help.
Bush Farm has been in contact with the Christchurch Ministry of Education, who have stipulated that we can have tamariki released from school (based on section 25B and 71). 25B stipulates that the principal of a State school may if satisfied that a student will receive outside the school tuition acceptable to the Principal, release the student from attendance at the school, for a period or periods agreed with a parent of that student, to receive the tuition. Section 71 stipulates that you can have courses, work experience and visits outside of the school premises.
It is up to schools to know how to proceed for absentees. Each school is different. You will need to have a kōrero with the Principal about this. We, Bush Farm cannot do this for you. This has to be an agreement between the school and yourself. We wish for the school to be on board so that it can become a true partnership with the aim that this becomes a complimentary programme that benefits your child.
We do have a letter that you can give to your Principal about our programme, as well as the Achievement Objectives we intend to meet. There is a possibility that Principals may want to take this further to the Board of Trustees. We are happy to support you in whatever way we can, as well as offer you any of our policies that can help with the application.
These One Day Schools are popping up now, all over the country. Hopefully, with the current overhaul of schooling in Aotearoa New Zealand, these One Day Schools can challenge the status quo to how schools currently operate.