We look at the world once, in childhood. The rest is memory.
“Nostos” by Louise Glück
Our Values
The magic of childhood - its boundless curiosity and special sweetness - are what The Field School nurtures and celebrates. Caring educators, natural beauty, and rich Mediterranean culture are the foundation of our offering and approach.
Seasonal programs at The Field School of Hvar present math, language, science, history, and other academic disciplines as critical tools for appreciating joyful and exciting real world experiences.
Our goal is to inspire wonder, which is the beginning of an intellectual life, by activating the multiple benefits that children draw from time spent in nature, collaborative play, and creative pursuits. There are no worksheets, no textbooks, and no screens.
Program Overview
Schedule
The Field School is a drop-off program. It runs 35 hours per week, Monday through Friday, except for the Early Years program, which is 20 hours per week in summer and full-time in the fall. Children bring their own meals or parents can purchase a boxed lunch.
In summer, the program begins at 2pm and ends at 9pm, except for Early Years, which runs from 5pm to 9pm. This schedule aligns with the rhythms of the season in the Mediterranean: avoiding the heat of the day, operating while cultural sites are open, offering childcare during working hours for many families, and wrapping up as public gatherings are getting started. Families usually stay out late, sleep late, swim, have a large lunch, and then rest in the morning and midday.
In the fall, the program begins at 10am and ends at 5pm.
Typical Day
A typical day begins with a welcome circle where learners check in and guides present the day’s topic. Groups head outdoors as soon as possible, to hike or swim, record observations about wild plants and animals in their nature journals, perform plays or practice crafts, garden and cook, visit museums, and more. All groups take some time for meals each day, and children in the Early Years program sleep or rest in the afternoon. Children in Primary Years take a weekly field trip, such as an all-day hike, boat trip, or excursion to a nearby town.
The largest chunk of each day is spent working towards a project or projects, which could be a performance, a friendly competition, or a mini social enterprise. Past projects have included a 20-minute production of Shakespeare’s Tempest, a wacky boat regatta, and a home-made, learner-led banquet for the entire school community.
In summer 2026, each session will have a different theme, which will shape the project in that session. Themes and their lead practitioners will be announced in January. Themes could include ceramics, sailing, nature journaling, or mountaineering.
Ages & Ratios
The Field School of Hvar serves a maximum of 37 children from age 2 to 18 at any given time.
Early Years serves 9 children ages 2 to 4 with two guides. Younger children are in at ratio of 3 children to 1 guide; older children are in a ratio of 6 children to 1 guide. Parent attendance is optional and based on the child’s tolerance for separation.
Three Lower Primary sections serve 24 children ages 5 to 10 in a ratio of no more than 8 children per guide.
One Upper Primary section serves 12 children ages 11 through 14.
Drop-off and Locations
Drop off is at the Field School’s Learning Center in the Fontana Resort (see more about accommodations). It is a 220sm classroom with a wraparound terrace overlooking the sea. There is a coworking space for parents adjacent to the Learning Center.
The Field School mostly takes place outside on beaches, forests, orchards, and in our local villages. It is important that both children and parents are comfortable with the challenges and opportunities offered by natural environments, including insects, water, rocks, and weather.
Occasionally Field School program take place in beaches, farms, and historical sites that are not within walking distance of the Fontana. The Field School works with trusted transportation partners for water and ground transportation. Children are never out of the presence of a Guide or chaperone.
A Field Journal
At the outset of each session, every child receives a journal. We encourage children to use these tools as an extension of their thinking, using quantitative, verbal, and visual tools of observation. The journal is not a private record like a diary, but a platform to share ideas and memories.
After children leave The Field School, they keep their journals as a detailed memento of their friendships, favorite moments, and the way they felt on the island.
