Surfing & Beach Education

Surfing
for Schools

Safe, fully managed surf and beach education days for all Canterbury schools

Years 1-13
10-140
From $22
Quick DETAILS
SURFING FOR SCHOOLS

Canterbury is one of the best placed regions in New Zealand to run school surf programs. Sumner, New Brighton, Waikuku, Spencer Park, Kaikoura, Timaru.

 

Great beaches within reach of most schools in the region, and a program that handles every last detail so teachers can focus entirely on their students.

 

We’ve been running school surf and beach education programs across New Zealand since 2002. We operate 100+ school groups every year and have an exemplary health and safety record.

 

We bring a full team of ISA qualified, first aid certified and surf lifesaving awarded instructors to every single day. You just tell us your dates and we do the rest.

SCHOOL PROGRAMS FROM $12.50 pp

Surfing for schools Christchurch surf lessons sumner new zealand
FULL DAY
BEACH EDUCATION PROGRAMS

From $12.50 per student (introductory) | From $25 per student (standard) | Years 1-13 | 9.45am – 2.00pm

 

Our most popular program and the one most Canterbury schools come back to year after year.

A fully structured day at the beach with students rotating through surfing, beach games and team building, and an optional surf rescue rotation. Up to 99 students managed simultaneously across three groups, with everything set up and ready to go the moment your bus arrives.

 

  • Up to 99 students across 3 rotational groups of 33
  • Groups rotate every 75 – 90 minutes across surfing, beach games and team building
  • Optional surf rescue rotation available
  • All equipment provided: premium learner surfboards, 4/3 wetsuits, rash vests, optional surf booties and hoods
  • Comprehensive beach safety and ocean awareness session woven through the day
  • Teachers and supervisors inducted and supported throughout
  • Available at Sumner, New Brighton, Waikuku, Spencer Park, Kaikoura, Timaru or a beach near you
Weekly Surf Elective

From $25 per student | Years 3-13 | Morning, afternoon or weekend sessions | Up to 66 students

 

A progressive weekly or fortnightly program that runs as part of your school timetable across a term or semester. Students develop real surfing skills and ocean confidence session by session, with the same instructors every week. The consistency is what makes it work. Curriculum-linked with NCEA Level 2 and 3 credit pathways available for senior students.

 

  • Progressive skill development across the full term
  • Same qualified instructors every week
  • Designed around your learning objectives and timetable
  • Up to 66 students per session
  • NCEA Level 2 and 3 credit pathways available
  • Aligned to the NZ Health and Physical Education curriculum
  • Available at Sumner & New Brighton & other selective Canterbury locations
Surfing for schools Christchurch surf lessons sumner new zealand
Surfing for schools Christchurch surf lessons sumner new zealand
SURF LESSON EXPERIENCE

From $25 per student | Years 1-13 | 1.5 or 2 hours | Available most days

 

A single surf session tailored to your group. Perfect as a standalone EOTC trip or combined with other beach activities. Students get a proper lesson from start to finish: beach safety briefing, land drills, in water coaching and riding real waves. For many students this is their first time on a surfboard and their first real connection with the ocean. It’s one of the most memorable days a class can have.

 

  • Available most days throughout the school year
  • Tailored to your year group and ability levels
  • All equipment provided
  • ISA qualified instructors throughout
  • Available at Sumner Beach primarily however can be delivered at New Brighton and all other locations
What every program includes
  • Full operational planning and all pre-day communication
  • ISA qualified, first aid certified, surf lifesaving awarded instructors
  • Premium learner surfboards, 4/3 wetsuits, rash vests and optional booties and hoods
  • Comprehensive beach safety and ocean awareness briefing
  • Surfing instruction tailored to ability level from complete beginners through to improvers
  • Beach games and team building activities at no extra cost
  • All RAMS, SOPs, Emergency Action Plans and Hazard Registers supplied
  • Child Protection Policy and Bully Prevention frameworks in place
  • Teachers and supervisors inducted and supported throughout the day
  •  
  • Students arrive at the beach and are welcomed by our instructors, the day is fully set up and ready to go from the moment you arrive
  • Every student is active from start to finish, our rotational format means no one is ever sitting around waiting
  • Groups are sized and structured to match your class, ensuring every student gets real attention and genuine in, water time
  • Sessions are progressive and ability based, complete beginners and more confident students are all catered for and all challenged appropriately
  • Beach safety and ocean education is woven through every part of the day, not just tagged on at the start
  • Teachers and supervisors are briefed and supported throughout, you’ll know exactly what’s happening and where your students are at all times
  • The day finishes with a group debrief, tired and happy students, and everything packed up by our team

Surfing

 

Every student gets in the water. Our instructors work with all ability levels, from kids who’ve never seen a surfboard to those who want to push further. The goal is simple: every student learns to surf, rides waves, and walks away with a genuine sense of achievement.

 

Beach Education

 

Students learn to read the ocean, understand coastal environments and develop a real respect for the water. It’s practical, engaging and genuinely eye opening for students who’ve grown up near the coast but never really understood it. This is woven naturally into the day.

 

Beach Games and Team Building

 

High energy, seriously fun, and more educational than it looks. Our beach activities are designed to build communication, problem solving and team dynamics,  students don’t realise how much they’re learning because they’re too busy competing. Adjusted based on age, conditions and the energy of the group on the day.

 

Surf Rescue

 

One of the most powerful rotations we run. Students get real, hands on ocean safety experience that goes well beyond a classroom safety talk. Builds leadership, decision making and genuine confidence in the water. Adapted for age and ability.

Canterbury schools are well served. Our operating locations cover the region from north to south and we can work with most coastal settings beyond these if required.

 

  • Sumner Beach, Christchurch – our primary location, ideal for most Christchurch schools
  • New Brighton Beach, Christchurch – excellent for north or east Christchurch schools
  • Waikuku Beach – a great option for schools north of the city
  • Spencer Park, Spencerville – sheltered and well suited to localised schools or those on camps in the area
  • Kaikoura – we travel to you for day programs and camps
  • Timaru – Caroline Bay, ideal for south Canterbury schools
  • Gore Bay – a beautiful and uncrowded option for schools in the Hurunui district

 

If your school is near the coast and not on this list, get in touch. We’ll work it out.

From first contact to day on the beach it’s a straightforward process and we manage most of it.

 

  1. Connect. Get in touch by phone, email or enquiry form. Give us a rough idea of your year groups, number of students and preferred dates. We’ll come back within 1 or 2 business days with a program recommendation and quote.

  2. Plan. Once you’re happy we lock in the details, confirm the location and send everything you need: RAMS documentation, day of logistics and more

  3. Deliver. Arrive at the beach and hand your students over. Our team manages everything from the safety briefing through to rotations, equipment and in-water coaching. Teachers and supervisors are inducted at the start and supported all day.

New Zealands most experienced school surf program provider.

  • Operating since 2002 with no notifiable health and safety incidents
  • 100+ school groups per year, references available on request
  • Surfing NZ approved surf school
  • WorkSafe compliant under the Adventure Tourism Act
  • EOTC compliant, full documentation supplied
  • NZQA aligned programs available for senior students
  • Qualmark Gold accredited
  • Child Protection Policy and Bully Prevention frameworks in place
  • ISA qualified instructors, first aid certified and Community Surf Lifesaving Award holders
  • Introductory pricing available for first-time school bookings

Meet our instructors

Our qualified instructors bring experience, energy and genuine passion for your school & students

what teachers say

Trusted by Canterbury schools.
Programs teachers book again and again.

Christchurch reviews Christchurch surf lessons sumner new zealand
Not once was I worried about their safety. Your instructors acted with calm professionalism and were always alert and following the highest safety measures. We cannot thank you enough for bringing this awesome sport into our school.
★★★★★


Rachel T
Year 5-6 Teacher
Christchurch reviews Christchurch surf lessons sumner new zealand
We booked the full day program for 80 students and it ran like clockwork. Every group was active, every student was challenged at the right level and the beach games between surf sessions kept the energy high all day. The logistics were handled completely. I barely had to do anything except watch my students have the time of their lives.
★★★★★


Andrew M
Deputy Principal
Christchurch reviews Christchurch surf lessons sumner new zealand
What an experience for kids who would never otherwise get a chance to surf. The next day we spent the whole morning talking about ocean safety and watching surf videos. The questions kept coming. Truly unforgettable. Booked again for next year already.
★★★★★


Samantha K
Intermediate School
Christchurch reviews Christchurch surf lessons sumner new zealand
Great quality coaching, instructors who genuinely connected with our students and zero stress from an organisation point of view. The RAMS and documentation was all ready to go, which made getting board approval straightforward. Looking forward to making this an annual event.
★★★★★


Chris L
Physical Education Head, Secondary School
Christchurch reviews Christchurch surf lessons sumner new zealand
We brought a group with some complex needs. The team adapted without missing a beat and every single student participated and succeeded at their own level. That's not easy to do and it was handled brilliantly.
★★★★★


Jo W
Specialist Primary School

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