The school's deputy principal, Tim Young, said the field's ski and snowboard programme ran for five weeks.
"We leave school at 9.30am [on Friday], we're skiing by 10.30am, we have lessons at midday and finish about 1.30pm and we're on the bus at 2.20pm, then go home for the weekend."
The ski excursion is part of the school's physical education programme and it would "be a shame" not to utilise the ski area in such a way, Mr Young said.
"For us to do it in the 9[am] to 3[pm] school day ... and have four hours on the snow is pretty good."
Pupils were divided into groups according to their ability.
During the programme their goal was to move up a level.
Although the pupils might be unaware their outing was educational, they were learning various social self-competencies, such as independence and looking after equipment, while sliding down the slopes, Mr Young said.
NZSki chief executive James Coddington said "every single" local school visited NZSki fields each season. The company provided a package deal to local children to help make learning to ski or snowboard more affordable.
"Not all families can afford to ski." NZSki instructors felt privileged to teach local children, who "were equally as excited and passionate about our mountains", he said.
While the more senior pupils headed to the mountains, Arrowtown's junior pupils are found skating at the Queenstown Ice Arena.
"The ice skating arena is fantastic to manage a group of kids at and they learn the skills needed ... balance and steering," Mr Young said.
All pupils, staff and attending parents enjoyed the physical education programme, and certainly "no-one's stressed after a Friday school skiing".
