A Day in the Life with Benji and friends
Cultivating truth, beauty and goodness
We are opening New Zealand's first Classical Charlotte Mason school and will involve parents as true partners in their children’s learning journey.
We are delighted to be contracted by the Charter School Agency to open Twin Oaks in July 2025.
We are hiring
We currently have one vacancy for a New Zealand registered teacher to join our growing team during the establishment phase. This is an exciting opportunity for an excellent teacher who has strong classroom leadership skills and a willingness to learn and embrace the Classical Charlotte Mason pedagogy.
Contact us through the form below to request a Candidate Pack and an Application Form.
Discover hybrid learning
Let's create a true partnership with parents
Many parents want to take an active role in shaping their children's learning, but home education isn't an option for most. Twin Oaks Classical School aims to offer a unique solution to parents that's not currently available. Our hybrid school will operate across two campuses: three days a week in the classroom taught by excellent educators, with two days a week learning off-site under the direction of parents.
Our teachers will develop a personalised learning plan with parents, and will provide structured direction, guidance and support for parents so they are empowered to continue the child's learning at home.
The school will also organise monthly field trips for families, and regular events outdoors on non-classroom days, creating a vibrant community of like-minded families and rich learning experiences for children.
3 days a week in the classroom - 2 days a week learning with family
Discover a Classical Charlotte Mason Education
Training the mind. Forming character.
The Classical and Charlotte Mason methods of education are historically well-tested, knowledge-rich, and the fruit of these methods speaks for itself: young adults who can think clearly, reason intelligently and communicate effectively on a wide range of subjects. We are carefully fusing the very best of these approaches together to design an educational experience that can succeed in a mixed age classroom of 21st century New Zealand learners.
The Classical & Charlotte Mason methods emphasise training children to recognise what is true, to love and create what is beautiful, and to pursue the highest good, for self, family, community and country. These will remain our long-term goals as well. Although the Classical and Charlotte Mason methods can be delivered in a secular way, Twin Oaks will be distinctly Christian in character with a daily focus on spiritual formation in the Christian tradition.
Our programme will be among the most academically challenging in the country, yet our focus is on individual flourishing to prepare students to make a meaningful and effective contribution to New Zealand and the world, whatever they choose to do next.
Discover the four year Diploma
A new qualification for a new model of education
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Years 10 - 13, proposed start: term 1 2026
We are pioneering a new style of education in Aotearoa and that requires a different qualification. If Twin Oaks is successful in becoming a New Zealand Charter School, we will seek international accreditation in order to offer our year 13 graduates a fully accredited High School Diploma; this is a four year qualification which is standard throughout the United States and in many international schools. We will also prepare students to sit the SAT entrance exam in Auckland and any required AP examinations for their chosen course of study. The Diploma acts as a portfolio of all that our students will have learned over years 10-13, including their grade achievements.
This qualification pathway will enable our students to continue learning a rigorous, Classically-inspired curriculum whilst opening doors to study at national or international universities.
Our story so far
In 2021 two home-school mums began gathering other like-minded families in Auckland. A vibrant community grew and today 42 children attend the one day Scholé programme (with a number already graduated) which serves a range of families with children in years 1-10: some are home educating while others currently attend local schools. Scholé is based on an integrated Classical and Charlotte Mason approach to learning. We pack a lot into one day: history, mapwork, nature study, theology, art, copywork, Shakespeare, PE and much more! We are delighted that our application to form a Charter School has been successful and we look forward to welcoming many more families into our community.
What is a Charter School?
Under the new legislation, Charter Schools will be funded by the government so there are no high private school fees. They have freedom to teach and operate according to their unique Charter which also acts a contract with the government.
The Classical Trivium
The Trivium approach supports children's natural developmental stages
Grammar Stage
Years 1 -6
At this developmental stage children understand concrete concepts and are capable of quickly absorbing large amounts of information.
Primary aged children will be given extensive foundational knowledge in mathematics, grammar, Latin and history to learn and will be immersed in stories, tales and fables.
Logic Stage
Years 7-9
In the Middle school children typically develop the ability to think in abstractions and therefore we begin teaching Logic, alongside progression in maths, writing, Latin and world knowledge of history and geography. Children will be taught to reason well and form logical arguments.
Rhetoric Stage
Years 10-13
High school students will become fluent in expressing their ideas through intentional training in the arts of communication. This is the Rhetoric phase which assists young people in making connections across learning areas and teaches them how to logically articulate their ideas in a persuasive manner.
"The question is not -- how much does the youth know when he has finished his education -- but how much does he care? And about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set, and therefore, how full is the life he has before him?"
CHARLOTTE MASON
Classical Charlotte Mason learning also looks like...
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A literature-rich curriculum
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Daily narration to consolidate learning from readings
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Immersion in stories and fables e.g. Māori and Greek myths
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Learning history chronologically to make sense of the world
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Learning New Zealand history in context
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Daily instruction in mathematics
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Regular Nature Study and natural history study
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Scientific experiments and extensive scientific knowledge
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Short lessons develop the habit of paying attention
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Learning Latin from primary through to high school
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Learning Te Reo Māori and either Biblical Greek or Hebrew
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Immersion in the Arts and Art History
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Biographies and study of Plutarch's Lives
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Study of politics, philosophy and economics
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Formal study of Logic and Rhetoric
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Music appreciation with hymns, folksongs, waiata and composer study
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Debating and Socratic discussion
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Shakespeare from year 1 to year 13
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Learning valuable skills through handicrafts
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Study of Scripture, daily liturgy and karakia
We will open for years 1-9 in 2025 with years 10-13 to be opened in due course.
Our roll is closed for 2025 and 2026.
To join our mailing list and be updated about future roll openings, please get in touch.
We warmly invite teachers who may be interested in working with us to connect for an informal conversation or to request a Candidate Briefing. We are also keen to hear from Secondary teachers. Start date is negotiable for the right person.
© 2025 Twin Oaks Classical School