School as you’ve never seen it.

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Forget crowded corridors and rigid timetables. Our new Upper School opens September 2025

Year 7 at Open Air: Not Your Typical Secondary School

Where lessons happen out in the real world, curiosity leads the way and every student is known by name.

Opening September 2025 — spaces limited.

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We built Upper School because most “secondary” ideas are broken.

Year 7 often means losing childhood, being desk bound, and feeling invisible. We reject that.

At Open Air, Year 7 means discovering what you care about, figuring out how you learn, building things, asking big questions - all in nature and community.

That’s also why we chose IB MYP; not because it’s trendy, but because it lets our ethos live.

Why we built an Upper School…

Most Year 7s enter schools where they’re expected to sit still, follow the system and fade into the crowd. We believe adolescence should start differently; with curiosity, creativity and confidence.

That’s why we’ve reimagined secondary education. Open Air’s Upper School is built for young people who want more than just exam prep.

Global Thinking - Local Roots

We use the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) as our framework, delivered the Open Air way: outdoors, project-based and deeply personal.

What this means for your child:

  • Hand holding a clear light bulb against a multicolored sky with pink and blue hues.

    Critical thinkers: Through Theory of Knowledge, they learn how to question everything.

  • Multiple hands resting on a tree trunk in a forest setting.

    Doers, not just learners: With Creativity, Activity, Service, they design and lead projects that matter.

  • Person holding a compass outdoors with mountainous landscape in the background.

    Researchers: They dive deep into independent projects, building the skills universities and employers love.

Silhouettes of five people standing on a rock formation against a sunset sky, with mountains in the background.

We don’t teach for tests. We teach for tomorrow.

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Traditional School doesn’t consider the dancer, the athlete. Find out more about our Athlete Development Program

Learn more about Beyond Ascent

The International Baccalaureate is aspirational…

Here’s why MYP is perfect for Open Air students:

Personalised and Project-Based Learning

The MYP allows students to take ownership of their learning through inquiry-based and project-based learning approaches. This is particularly powerful for students who want to delve deeper into subjects that inspire them. With opportunities for independent research and interdisciplinary projects, students can explore their passions while developing a diverse set of skills. Our outdoor school setting gives students the unique chance to engage in hands-on projects that blend academic rigour with real-world experiences.

Encouraging Aspiration, Joy and Thriving

At Open Air, we are committed to creating an environment where students can aspire, thrive and find joy in learning. The MYP’s flexible, student-centred approach gives them the space to push themselves while still nurturing their emotional and social well-being. Our outdoor learning environment adds to this by fostering resilience, creativity, and a strong connection to the world around them, ensuring that every student has the chance to flourish holistically.

Preparation for Future Success

The MYP serves as an excellent foundation for students aiming for higher academic challenges, such as advanced educational pathways. Its emphasis on time management, research, and collaboration equips students with the tools to succeed in any future academic or career endeavour. Students find themselves well-prepared, confident and excited to tackle new challenges and opportunities.

Be Part of Our First Upper School Cohort

This September, we welcome our first Year 7 students into Open Air’s Upper School. It’s a rare opportunity to be part of a founding cohort shaping what secondary education can look like.

Places are strictly limited.

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Read about the IB curriculum subjects here:

Open Air Education is a Candidate School* for the Middle Years Programme. This school is pursuing authorisation as an IB World School. These are schools that share a common philosophy—a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that Open Air Education believes is important for our students. *Only schools authorised by the IB Organisation can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme, or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorisation will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit www.ibo.org

IB Curriculum

The first Year 7 cohort at Open Air won’t just join a school; they’ll shape one.

FAQs

  • This is not just a forest school. This is an Open Air School. Forest School forms part of our outdoor learning, and we are a school within a National Nature Reserve, but we are so much more. We deliver a broad and balanced, rich, full curriculum.

  • We don’t see these as separate. The IB framework allows us to weave together academic challenge, sports and physical activity, creative expression and personal growth. A maths lesson might connect to environmental science; a design project might link to history. Students are stretched intellectually, but not at the expense of their wellbeing; in fact, the balance makes them thrive.

  • We go outside in every season, but we’re smart about it. Learning outdoors isn’t about braving blizzards; it’s about using nature as a classroom year-round. In winter, you might see students measuring frost patterns in science, writing poetry about the changing landscape, or doing short bursts of outdoor activity before coming inside to analyse their findings. Rain and cold are part of resilience and our students learn to embrace them.

  • We use AI tutors and adaptive tech as personalised learning companions; never replacements for teachers. This means your child gets instant feedback, stretches at their pace and gains skills that prepare them for a digital future. Teachers then use this insight to tailor support. It’s the best of both worlds.

  • Small doesn’t mean lonely. In fact, our students often build deeper, more supportive friendships because they’re not lost in the crowd. Plus, we connect with the Independent Schools Association, partner schools, sports clubs, and community projects to give them a rich social mix beyond our own gates.

  • Homework at Open Air Upper School is purposeful, not pointless. Instead of endless worksheets, students might be asked to prepare for a debate, research for a project, or reflect on their learning. We want them to balance school with family, hobbies, and rest, because that’s where real growth happens.

  • Our school offers the IB Middle Years Programme across Upper School. In addition, students will be entered for GCSE English and Mathematics, ensuring they achieve nationally recognised qualifications alongside their MYP studies.

  • Yes. But not at the expense of joy and curiosity.

  • No. Outdoor learning is for everyone. It’s not about loving mud; it’s about using the world around us to make learning real. That means the dene, the local leisure centre & library, the city, The Beacon of Light, Baltic, everywhere we go; the world is our classroom!

  • Yes. The IB MYP is recognised as equal to (and often more advanced than) Key Stage 3 and early GCSE preparation. By the time our students move into the exam years, they’ll not only be ready for the assessments; they’ll be confident, resilient learners who know how to think critically and independently.

Ready to See Year 7 Differently?

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