The Nature School

What The Nature School does

The Nature School Inc. is a not-for-profit, independent non-government school located at 166 The Ruins Way, Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia, founded in March 2015 by three local environmentalists and educators (Lloyd Godson, Sybil Juzwiak Doyle, and Jodie Feeney). It delivers education across three interconnected programs: Little Explorers Playgroup (ages 0-5), Primary School (Kindergarten to Year 6), and Secondary School (Years 7-10), with the Secondary program registered and accredited by NESA and graduating students with the Record of School Achievement (RoSA) at the end of Year 10. Its core product is a nature-based, inquiry-led learning framework that integrates the NSW Syllabus with place-based outdoor education, including fortnightly Field Studies days, an integrated middle-school teaching structure, and intentional low-tech adoption (MacBooks for upper primary and secondary, iPads for lower primary, with limited screen time).

The school monetises primarily through parent-paid tuition fees billed annually, with fees not publicly disclosed and available only on request; the Secondary program operates an all-inclusive one-fee model covering technology, camps, excursions, resources and stationery. Supplementary revenue comes from termly Little Explorers Playgroup bookings via Trybooking and tax-deductible donations to the TNS Building Fund used for land purchase, scholarships, expeditions, and an offsite Field Studies Centre. Go-to-market is sales-led through a waitlist-based enrolment process that includes online applications, interviews with the Head of School, and structured term-based enrolment windows supplemented by information sessions, school tours, and an annual Year 7 Information Night.

Customers are families seeking an alternative to traditional schooling, segmented into three persona-based cohorts (ages 0-5, K-6, and 7-10), with Primary and Secondary classes currently waitlisted due to demand exceeding capacity. The school is led by Head of School Catherine Shaw (three-time Australian Education Awards finalist, Principal of the Year finalist 2025, National Award recipient for Services to Outdoor Education Australia), supported by a Business Manager with CPA credentials and independent-schools experience, and operates with a 50+ staff team across executive, teaching, and administration functions under Board governance. Strategic differentiation rests on the 'Learning Naturally Framework', authentic partnerships with Birpai Elders and National Parks and Wildlife Service Rangers, small class sizes (max 18 primary, max 20 secondary), and a planned ramp to full K-10 coverage by 2026.

Name

The Nature School

Legal name

The Nature School Inc.

Website

https://tns.nsw.edu.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Nature School is a not-for-profit independent school in Port Macquarie, NSW, delivering nature-based K-10 education across Little Explorers Playgroup (ages 0-5), Primary, and NESA-accredited Secondary programs with RoSA eligibility. It serves Australian families seeking small-class, inquiry-led, outdoor-focused schooling and is currently waitlisted across year levels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent K-10 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Outdoor / Nature-Based Nursery & Forest Playgroups (EDACACAH)

Keywords

• Nature-based education
• Primary schooling
• Secondary schooling
• Outdoor learning programs
• Early childhood playgroup

Headquarters

HQ city

Port Macquarie

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. School Tuition Fees: The school is an independent non-government school reliant on parent-paid fees. Fee schedules are available upon request but not publicly disclosed on the website. Secondary school fees cover technology, camps, excursions, resources and stationery.
2. Donations to Building Fund: Tax-deductible donations to the TNS Building Fund used for land/bush purchase, scholarships, expeditions, regeneration and sustainability projects, and an offsite Field Studies Centre/Campsite.
3. Playgroup Program Fees: Little Explorers Playgroup runs in 6-week termly blocks with bookings via Trybooking. Each ticket covers a family including all resources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Nature School is an independent not-for-profit school delivering the NSW Curriculum through nature-based, inquiry-led learning for students from Kindergarten through Year 10. It operates three interconnected programs: Primary School (K-6, max 18 students per class), Secondary School (Years 7-10, NESA Registered and Accredited, max 20 students per class, leading to RoSA), and Little Explorers Playgroup (ages 0-5) run in 6-week termly blocks. The school is located at a single Port Macquarie campus and is consistently waitlisted across all year levels.

Product overview

The Nature School is a progressive independent school offering three interconnected programs: Primary School (Years K-6), Secondary School (Years 7-10), and Little Explorers Playgroup (ages 0-5). The school delivers the NSW Curriculum through nature-based, inquiry-led learning approaches. Primary and Secondary programs are NESA-registered and accredited, with students graduating with RoSA at Year 10. The school emphasises small class sizes, outdoor education, field studies, and community connection, with programs designed to grow together as the Secondary cohort expands to full Years 7-10 by 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Nature School Primary A fully registered independent primary school (Kindergarten to Year 6) delivering the NSW Syllabus with a nature-based education approach, inquiry-based learning, and small class sizes of maximum 18 students. It is targeted at families seeking an alternative to traditional primary schooling in the Port Macquarie region.
• The Nature School Secondary A NESA-registered and accredited secondary school (Years 7-10) delivering the NSW Syllabus through nature-based learning, fortnightly Field Studies days, and electives. Students graduate with a Record of School Achievement (RoSA) at the end of Year 10. Class sizes are capped at 20 students.
• Little Explorers Playgroup A nature play program for children aged 0-5 years and their families, providing guided sessions in natural spaces where families can explore outdoor environments and network with other nature-oriented families. Sessions run in 6-week termly blocks booked through Trybooking.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Birpai Elders and CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school acknowledges the Birpai people as traditional custodians of the land. TNS seeks to foster authentic relationships with Birpai Elders and focuses on local Indigenous knowledge through story, song and Language (Gathang). Regular visits from Aunty Ang (Birpai artist), Arly McInerny (Birpai consultant), and occasional visits from Uncle Bill (Birpai Land Council). Teaching staff incorporate Acknowledgement of Country into all Adventure Days.
• National Parks and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular visits with a National Parks and Wildlife Ranger to local bushland and reserves, learning about the local natural environment and connecting this with the curriculum.
• Community Experts and ProfessionalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school works with experts from various fields within the community for students to engage with, enhancing the learning experience through real-world connections.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Green School Bali: Internationally recognised nature-based K–12 school in Bali with sustainability and outdoor learning at the core. Comparable as a high-profile nature-based independent, though in a different geography and with a much larger operating footprint.

Direct peers

• Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School: Independent Steiner school in Sydney offering K–12 with strong outdoor learning, environmental education, and integrated curriculum. Comparable as an alternative-pedagogy NSW independent school competing for similar nature-oriented families.
• Kinma School: Progressive independent K–6 school in Sydney with a child-led, nature- and community-oriented philosophy. Highly comparable to The Nature School's Primary program in pedagogy, small class sizes, and parent-driven enrolment culture.
• Linuwel Steiner School: Steiner independent school in Newcastle/Lake Macquarie (NSW) offering K–12 with nature and craft-based pedagogy. Comparable regional NSW alternative independent competing in similar catchment dynamics.
• Mumbulla School for Rudolf Steiner Education: Independent Steiner school on the NSW South Coast offering K–6 with nature- and play-based pedagogy. Comparable in scale, regional positioning, and outdoor-immersed curriculum to TNS Primary.
• Lorien Novalis School: Steiner-based independent school in the Dural/Hornsby region (NSW) with nature-immersed curriculum and small class sizes. Closely comparable alternative-education independent with outdoor learning emphasis.
• Sydney Forest School: Outdoor/nature-based early learning and primary programs in Sydney running under a forest-school model. Comparable in pedagogy (child-led, nature-immersion) and target demographic to TNS Primary and Little Explorers programs.

Others

• Steiner Education Australia: National peak body representing Steiner/Waldorf schools in Australia. Adjacent ecosystem player whose member schools are direct competitors for nature-oriented, alternative-education families.
• Outdoor Education Australia: National peak body for outdoor education in Australia, of which Catherine Shaw is a Board Director. Ecosystem enabler — not a competitor — but influential in shaping the outdoor-education category in which TNS competes.

Broad incumbents

• Aspect (Autism Spectrum Australia) Schools: Network of independent special-education schools across NSW and Australia. Comparable as a registered/credentialed non-government school operator at greater scale, though serving a different student population.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheNatureSchoolPMQ
• Instagraminstagram.com/thenatureschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Nature School