How to Start a Nature-Based School (Forest School): What No One Tells You Before You Begin

by Barbara Manconi-Smith Co-founder of A.W.E. schools

If you're searching for how to open a nature-based school or how to start a forest school, you're not alone.

Across the world, parents are leaving conventional education systems and seeking something different — something more human, more grounded, more future-ready.

But here is what most people don’t tell you:

Opening a forest school is not just about loving the outdoors.It’s about building a methodology strong enough to prepare children for a world that doesn’t exist yet.

At A.W.E. (Advanced Wholistic Education), we have walked this road — first alone, and now alongside founders across multiple countries. If you are considering starting your own nature-based school, this guide will help you understand what truly matters.

Step 1: Clarify Your Educational Philosophy

Many forest schools begin with passion. That passion is powerful — but it is not enough.

You need to answer:

• What makes your school different from homeschooling in the woods?

• What is your proprietary framework?

• How will your curriculum prepare children for artificial intelligence, social media, and rapid global change?

• What outcomes define success beyond test scores?

Most nature-based schools focus on outdoor exposure. At A.W.E., nature is not an accessory — it is integrated into a neuroscience-informed, emotionally intelligent framework designed to build what we call The Human Advantage.

Before opening your school, define your pillars.

Step 2: Build (or License) a Proven Curriculum

Here is where many founders struggle.

You can:

• Create your own curriculum from scratch (high risk, high time investment), or

• Join a forest school franchise or affiliate network that provides a tested model.

When we built our first school in Ojai, California, we started with 7 students. Within three years, we grew to nearly 40 through word of mouth alone. But we built the system through trial, error, iteration, and lived experience.

Today, A.W.E. founders do not have to reinvent that wheel.

Our proprietary Literacy Reimagined™ Framework integrates:

• Neuroscience

• Nature-based experiential learning

• Emotional intelligence development

• Somatic awareness

• Critical thinking and consciousness education

If you are exploring forest school franchises or affiliate programs, ask:

• Is there a proprietary methodology?

• Is it research-informed?

• Is there founder mentorship?

• Is there a clear business blueprint?

Passion is essential. Structure is survival.

Step 3: Understand the Business Model

Opening a nature-based school is not just an educational act — it is a business.

You must consider:

• Licensing and legal compliance in your region

• Insurance and land access agreements

• Enrollment strategy

• Parent communication systems

• Tuition models

• Staffing and educator training

• Community-building practices

Many forest schools close not because of lack of vision — but because of lack of operational structure.

This is why A.W.E. operates through an affiliate model rather than a loose network. Founders receive:

• A complete business blueprint

• Enrollment and launch strategy

• Educator training framework

• Parent onboarding systems

• Ongoing mentorship

• Access to a global community of A.W.E. founders

If you are searching for how to open a forest school successfully, understand this: education and operations must be equally strong.

Step 4: Prepare for the Future, Not the Past

The world your students will enter is not the world we grew up in.

Artificial intelligence, automation, and algorithmic influence are accelerating. The schools that thrive will not simply move children outdoors — they will build deeply human capacities that machines cannot replicate.

At A.W.E., we prepare children to:

• Think critically

• Regulate emotionally

• Collaborate authentically

• Understand themselves deeply

• Use technology as a tool — not become shaped by it

This is the difference between a nature-based experience and a future-ready educational model.

Why Founders Choose A.W.E. Instead of Starting Alone

Most forest school founders begin independently. We did too.

But today, educators who feel called to open a school often choose to become A.W.E. Founding Partners because:

• They launch with a proprietary curriculum.

• They receive direct mentorship from experienced founders.

• They join a growing global network.

• They build with structure, not guesswork.

• They align with a mission bigger than themselves.

If you are researching forest school franchises or affiliate education models, consider this:

You can build alone.Or you can build with a framework that has already proven itself across communities and cultures.

Is This the Moment to Open Your Nature-Based School?

If you feel called to create something different in your community, it is likely because your community needs it.

The demand for alternative education is not slowing down. Parents are asking better questions. Children deserve better answers.

If you are ready to explore becoming an A.W.E. Founding Partner and opening a nature-based school under a proven framework, we invite you to begin the conversation.

Learn more about launching an A.W.E. School → theaweschools.com/launchAWEschool

A.W.E. — Advanced Wholistic Education.Building the Human Advantage for a world yet to come.