Daylesford Dharma School

What Daylesford Dharma School does

Daylesford Dharma School is a not-for-profit independent primary school founded in 2009 in Daylesford, Victoria, Australia. It operates as Australia's first registered school to teach the Australian Curriculum through a Buddhist philosophical framework, serving children from Foundation to Year 6 (ages 5–12) across three multi-age composite classes (Wisdom Garden for Prep–Y2, Friends on the Path for Y3–Y4, and Noble Guides for Y5–Y6). The school's core offering is the proprietary Australian Dharma Curriculum — a daily wellbeing and social-emotional program structured around seven pillars of mindfulness, compassion, and awareness development — supplemented by a weekly one-day Bush School nature-immersion program at Cornish Hill Reserve, daily mindfulness and meditation practices, Karma Yoga, and student-led Inquiry projects across four annual themes (Wellbeing, Social Harmony, Environmental Balance, Cultural Diversity). Specialist programs include Chinese (Mandarin), violin ensemble, performing arts, visual arts, and health/physical education; the school also runs a fortnightly Pathway to Prep transition program for 4–5-year-olds.

The school is governed by a volunteer Board under Principal Andrea Furness (a returning founder) and employs approximately 11 teaching and non-teaching staff, including a PhD-qualified Bush School Consultant and a PhD-qualified classroom teacher. It operates on a Low Fee Paying School designation with sliding-scale tuition, accepts concession and health care cards, and augments revenue through perpetual scholarships from the Hsing Yun Education Foundation endowment, community grants (The Daylesford Foundation, Community Bank Daylesford District, Rotary Club of Daylesford), and individual bequests. The stated strategic intent is to extend the school into a secondary level (Year 7) in 2030 as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, with current primary students forming the founding secondary cohort. Geographic scope is regional Victoria, with a single 22-acre campus on Dja Dja Wurrung country; there is no disclosed technology platform, app, or digital product.

Name

Daylesford Dharma School

Legal name

Daylesford Dharma School

Website

https://dharmaschool.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Daylesford Dharma School is a not-for-profit independent primary school in Daylesford, Victoria, Australia, serving Foundation to Year 6 children (ages 5–12) through a proprietary Australian Dharma Curriculum that integrates Buddhist philosophy with the Australian Curriculum, complemented by a weekly Bush School nature-immersion program. The school plans to open an IB secondary school in 2030.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

Keywords

• Independent primary education
• Mindfulness-based learning
• Bush school curriculum
• Buddhist philosophy education
• Holistic education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Daylesford

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Independent school fees charged to families for primary education. Designated as Low Fee Paying School. Sliding scale fee structure designed to respond to cost-of-living pressures. Accepts concession and health care cards with payment plans available.
2. Scholarships and Bursaries: Perpetual tuition scholarships from Hsing Yun Education Foundation Endowment provided to families who cannot afford independent school education. Bursary program allows families to exchange volunteering skills against fee payment.
3. Community Grants and Donations: Various grants from organizations including The Daylesford Foundation, MiniLit tutoring program, Breakfast Club program, Community Bank Daylesford District, Rotary Club of Daylesford, and anonymous benefactors. Bequests from individuals supporting garden and program development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Daylesford Dharma School is an independent not-for-profit primary school that delivers Foundation to Year 6 education by integrating the Australian Curriculum with Buddhist philosophy through its proprietary Australian Dharma Curriculum, daily mindfulness practice, weekly Bush School nature immersion, and inquiry-based project learning. The school enrolls families through a direct enrollment pathway with sliding-scale tuition fees, scholarships, bursaries, and a separate Pathway to Prep transition program for pre-school children.

Product overview

Daylesford Dharma School is Australia's first registered Buddhist philosophical primary school offering a holistic education program from Foundation to Year 6. The school operates as a not-for-profit independent primary school integrating the Australian Curriculum with Buddhist philosophy through its core offerings: the Australian Dharma Curriculum (daily wellbeing and mindfulness program), Bush School Curriculum (weekly nature immersion), and three composite class structures (Wisdom Garden, Friends on the Path, Noble Guides). The school also offers specialist programs in Chinese language, performing arts, visual arts, and physical education. A Secondary School program is planned for 2030 as an IB World School. Additional offerings include the Pathway to Prep transition program, Karma Yoga, and Inquiry-based project learning, all designed to cultivate compassion, wisdom, and mindfulness alongside academic excellence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Daylesford Dharma Secondary School: Planned secondary school program to open in 2030 for Year 7 students, designed as an International Baccalaureate (IB) school continuation of the Dharma School ethos.

Products and services

• Foundation to Year 6 Primary Education Program Full-time primary schooling from Foundation to Year 6 integrating the Australian Curriculum with Buddhist philosophy, daily mindfulness practice, multi-age composite class structure, evidence-based literacy, and small class sizes. Offered to families seeking holistic alternative education for children aged 5-12.
• Australian Dharma Curriculum Proprietary daily wellbeing program linked to Australian Curriculum General Capabilities, built on Buddhist philosophy and structured around seven pillars of awareness development (Interdependence, Impermanence, Mindful Intentions, Understanding Perceptions, Transforming Thoughts & Emotions, Cultivating Empathy, Compassion through Action). Term inquiry themes cover Wellbeing, Social Harmony, Environmental Balance, and Cultural Diversity.
• Bush School Curriculum Weekly one-day nature immersion program at Cornish Hill Reserve (Hepburn Region) providing experiential, place-based learning that integrates environmental, cultural, social, and historical aspects of local places. Includes River Detectives citizen science program (since 2014), wetlands habitat projects, and native plant revegetation.
• Pathway to Prep Transition Program Fortnightly transition program for children aged 4-5 years, running for 10 weeks on Fridays from 10-11:30am. Creates a safe, play-based learning experience with age-appropriate mindfulness and creative activities to build familiarity with the school before formal Prep enrollment. Enrollment fee is $50 per child; limited to 15 students per intake.

Quantifiable outcome

• Academic achievement exceeds Australian standards
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Quang Minh TemplecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuddhist community partner. Founding supporter of Shakyamuni Buddha Statue. Listed as Golden Dharma Wheel Supporter. Cultural and spiritual connection supporting Buddhist philosophy integration.
• Konchok Buddhist CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome of founding monk Geshe Konchok Tsering who co-founded the school vision. Shakyamuni Buddha Statue benefactor. Core philosophical mentor for Buddhist educational approach.
• Bao Lin Chan Monastery (Chung Tai Zen Centre of Melbourne)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuddhist community partner and bequest donor (Kaye Walters bequest to garden). Golden Dharma Wheel Supporter. Contributing to school community and philosophical development.
• Friends of Cornish HillmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental partnership for Bush School program. Students involved in creating wetlands habitat project at Cornish Hill Reserve during weekly Bush School curriculum.
• Hepburn Shire CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiodiversity Officer Brian Bainbridge supports Bush School program. Bike Hub equipment grant provider.
• Daylesford CFA (Country Fire Authority)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaptain Glenn provides expert feedback on student bushfire preparedness projects. Supports Stop the Burn Expo student learning about bushfire preparation.
• North Central Catchment Management AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOversees River Detectives citizen science program. Awarded school Regional Recognition Award in 2023 for contribution to Regional Catchment Strategy goals.
• Federation UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLearning Manager Tanya Wiggins works at Federation University mentoring pre-service teachers. School serves as placement site for education students.
• Independent Schools VictoriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents contribute work to Independent Schools Victoria Annual Poetry Prize Contest.
• Words in Winter Literary FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents regularly contribute poetry and creative writing to Daylesford's local literary festival.
• International Baccalaureate (IB) OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDaylesford Dharma Secondary School (opening 2030) will be an IB School offering globally recognized International Baccalaureate programs. Part of global IB school community.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Emerging players

• Buddhist Library & Meditation Centre (Bodhi Education): Adjacent Buddhist community organization in Sydney offering children's meditation and ethics programs. Comparable as a Buddhist-inspired educational provider for young learners, though operating as community programming rather than a registered school.

Regional players

• Samford Valley Steiner School: Independent Steiner school in Queensland offering K-6 with nature-based learning. Comparable to Daylesford in scale, philosophy-driven pedagogy, and regional/rural setting, though operating outside Victoria.
• Perth Waldorf School: WA-based Steiner/Waldorf K-12 school offering a comparable holistic, philosophy-based independent education. Similar composite-class and nature-embedded pedagogy, though serving a different geographic market.

Direct peers

• Sophia Mundi Steiner School: Inner-Melbourne Steiner school offering K-12 with an embedded social justice and sustainability ethos. Comparable as a small, philosophy-led Victorian independent school combining mainstream curriculum with contemplative and ecological learning.
• Lorien Novalis Steiner School: Independent Steiner/Waldorf K-12 school in the Hills District of NSW. Directly comparable as a values-driven, philosophy-based independent school with composite classes and nature-embedded curriculum, though geographically separate from Daylesford.
• Kinma School: Small independent primary school in Sydney's Northern Beaches emphasizing child-led, play-based and holistic learning. Comparable as a small-scale, values-driven independent primary with a non-mainstream pedagogical approach.
• Melbourne Rudolf Steiner School: Independent K-12 school in Melbourne applying Rudolf Steiner/Waldorf philosophy. Comparable as an alternative-philosophy independent primary school serving families seeking holistic, non-mainstream education in Victoria, though using a different philosophical framework.
• The Dharma School Brighton: The most direct peer — a Buddhist-philosophy-inspired independent primary school in Brighton, Melbourne. Shares the same Dharma educational philosophy, daily mindfulness practice, and composite class structure. Annshar Wolfs, a current Daylesford specialist teacher, previously taught at this school, evidencing tight community overlap.
• Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School: One of Australia's longest-established Steiner schools, offering K-12 with IB in senior years. Closely comparable to Daylesford's planned IB secondary path and its philosophy-anchored independent model.

Others

• Federation University (Mt Helen): Regional Victorian university where the Daylesford Dharma Learning Manager Tanya Wiggins teaches and mentors pre-service teachers. Listed as a placement partner for the school — relevant for talent pipeline and curriculum development rather than direct competition.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DaylesfordDharmaSchool
• Instagraminstagram.com/daylesforddharmaschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/daylesford-dharma-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Daylesford Dharma School