Cities / Bali / Bali Earth School
Bali Earth School
A small project-based primary in Ubud, run by founder Ibu Tere, that pitches itself as the bridge between a free-flowing nature school and recognisable academics.
In brief
A small project-based primary in Ubud, run by founder Ibu Tere, that pitches itself as the bridge between a free-flowing nature school and recognisable academics.
The model is holistic and outdoor-leaning. Open spaces, animals, a working garden where children grow fruit and vegetables, and a Friday excursion programme built around adventure and Balinese culture. Families who want something gentler than Cambridge or IB but more structured than fully unschooled tend to land here.
Parent voice on the school is warm but limited. Children are described as happy in the mornings, teachers as nurturing and disciplined, leadership as deeply hands-on. The school is also vocal about a no-tolerance line on bullying and racism. Capacity is small, signal is thin, and almost everything visible online traces back to the school's own channels. Worth a campus visit before committing, especially for families coming in from a more traditional system.
Reviews
A young Peliatan micro-school built around project-based learning, with classes capped in the single digits and a campus tucked between rice fields and a small river off Jl. Raya Andong. The founder trained at High Tech High in San Diego and has tried to graft that PBL model onto an Ubud setting that also leans on Jolly Phonics for early literacy and weekly Friday excursions for the wider curriculum. Families landing in Ubud for a season tend to pick it for the flexibility and the warmth of the team rather than for paperwork or prestige.
Positives
- Small classes and individual attention. Classes sit around three to five children, with native English-speaking teachers and Indonesian and Balinese in the mix. Parents describe teachers as warm and nurturing, with discipline that doesn't tip into rigidity.
- Project-based, screen-light learning. The PBL frame is genuinely the spine of the week, anchored by Friday excursions into culture and nature rather than worksheets. The classroom is mostly screen-free and the campus, ringed by rice fields and forest, does a lot of the work.
- Flexible enrolment for nomad families. Children can join mid-term or for a four-week block, which suits the Ubud rhythm of families passing through for a season.
Considerations
- New school, thin track record. Founded in 2023 with no external accreditation and a small enrolment, so there is no graduation pipeline, no exam history, and no third-party inspection to lean on. The school is essentially the founder's vision in its early years.
- Fees are not public. Tuition is quoted on enquiry rather than posted. Comparing costs against Green School, Wood School or SPARK takes a direct conversation.
- Not a credentialed pathway. Ages 4 to 15 only, with no IGCSE, IB or formal exit qualification on offer. There is no built-in pathway to a recognised transcript for the next school.
Leadership
Ibu Tere
As the founder of Bali Earth School, Ibu Tere has dedicated her life to creating a nurturing environment for children that combines strong academics with real-world learning experiences. With over 20 years in organizational development and a passion for education, she aims to foster independent thinkers who appreciate life and beauty.
Location
Jl. Raya Andong No.9, Peliatan, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia