What happens when curriculum-linked environmental education meets a predator-free island sanctuary?
Our environmental education programme brings conservation education to life for Auckland school trips, so students can collect real field data, spot native wildlife, and return to school ready to take action for nature.
More than a one-off trip
Our programme is designed as a three-part learning journey: a pre-visit classroom session, a Rotoroa Island field day, and a post-visit follow-up. It’s grounded in experiential learning and supports Education outside the classroom (EOTC) by linking hands-on learning with reflection and action, creating genuine “experiential learning opportunities” in an outdoor learning setting. Students build background knowledge and questions before they arrive, learn through investigation on the island, then reflect afterwards and apply their learning through sustainability education and local action back at school. Students use a journal to record observations and field data, supporting science learning while also building maths skills through measurement and data collection, and literacy through reflection and communication. To our knowledge, no other Auckland programme offers this same pre-visit / island-visit / post-visit model.
“Students learn best when preparation, meaningful experience, reflection, and action are connected.” David A Kolb
What we improved in 2025
- Better student journals to support preparation, field notes, data collection, bird spotting and reflection.
- Streamlined Choice Boards (now 4 themes) so pre-visit learning is focused and teacher-friendly.
- Stronger links to school values, teamwork and real-world conservation outcomes.
- More hands-on wetlands science: water clarity, temperature and macroinvertebrates.
- More accessible walk options, including an additional flatter route. • New “wow” factor: eDNA in the wetlands, connecting students with modern conservation tools.
- Teacher Open Day + new video to promote the programme and support teachers planning.
Impact snapshot
- 2025 reach: 1,422 learners across 14 schools (Term 1 and Term 4 delivery).
- Equity of access: 113 learners attended through sponsorship support in Term 4.
- 2026 (so far): Term 1 delivered to 200 students across two returning schools; Term 4 has 800+ students booked, with three schools currently provisional (on track to exceed 1,000 students if all confirm).
- Conservation Week (April): “Conservation in the Classroom” reached 14 schools and 1,100+ students at no charge—supporting teachers and introducing more schools to Rotoroa’s conservation learning.
What students experience on Rotoroa
On the island, students take part in biodiversity education through hands-on conservation learning across forest, wetlands and coastal environments with experienced educators—an authentic example of “education outside the classroom”.
They collect simple field measurements, explore predator-free conservation, and have even been introduced to eDNA as a real-world example of modern monitoring. Just as importantly, time in a thriving sanctuary helps with “connecting students with nature”—something that can be hard to replicate in the classroom.
For many learners, the ferry ride and time at the beach or rockpools are just as memorable as the science.
Watch: what a visit looks like
We created a short video to help schools (and families) see what the day involves, especially for students who may be visiting Rotoroa Island for the first time.
- Programme video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwW3jiUSqdk
- School visit videos: https://youtu.be/bWMfjEZBlwM?si=MDq7J-typosnRHdt
- School visit videos: https://youtu.be/-m-xKybuzes?si=CVGnsQD-6ccRgs7g
