Tihoi Venture School

"In this unique and challenging environment, through the medium of community living, a quality academic programme and wide ranging outdoor pursuits we aim to provide the best possible opportunities to promote the personal and social development of our students."

Tihoi Venture School, based on the Australian Timbertop model, is unique in the New Zealand education environment and is the “jewel in the crown” of the St Paul’s Collegiate School experience.

Established 30 years ago, Tihoi Venture School has been the home to about 3,000 Year 10 boys to date. These boys spend 18 weeks at the Tihoi Venture School campus and part of their Year 10, St Paul's Collegiate School education, combining academic education alongside outdoor pursuits activities to provide a "best for boys" learning environment.

"At Tihoi Venture School students learn to appreciate the greatness of New Zealand's outdoors. They learn to live with their peers, but most of all they learn to live with themselves."

Adolescent boys learn largely through action and consequence. The opportunity for boys, at this stage of their life, to be learning in and from the environment they live in, stripped of all the elements of modern society such as television and mobile phones helps them come face-to-face with who they are and what they are capable of.

The outdoor pursuits element of the Year 10 St Paul's Collegiate Tihoi Venture School education programme takes boys out of their comfort zone and, along with the communal living, regular schooling and outdoor experiences, the young men develop into independent, responsible and contributing members of society.

The academic learning programme of Tihoi embraces this philosophy and maximises use of the campus and the environment it is located in as a learning tool in itself.

The Tihoi experience is rugged up in an education programme embracing the Christian values and virtues of the St Paul's Collegiate School, Anglican ethos.

Tihoi Venture School has been awarded:

• Best New Zealand Outdoor Programme 2003
• Gained 'OutdoorsMark' 2004
• Best New Zealand Outdoor Facility 2007