Our mission

To allow children time to explore, play and follow their interests outdoors in a supportive environment
To ensure that children know that they are capable individuals but also an important part of a wider community where they play an important role and can make a difference.
To ensure that children feel heard and, above all else, loved and respected.
To learn alongside children in their interests, rather than presenting them with topics and simply dictating facts to them.
To give children the confidence to be in charge of their own learning.
To allow children to manage their own risk.
To start from a position of trusting children rather than presuming they will make wrong choices.
To help them grow into respectful, curious, confident and imaginative citizens of the world.

Our ethos

Outdoors

A calm and natural outdoor environment provides an ever-changing landscape for children to explore. Visiting the same space regularly and for extended periods allows children to notice something new each day and encourages them to go deeper into their play and learning in this real world classroom. Surrounded by nature and without conventional toys, children learn to use their imagination and get creative in adapting their surroundings to their play.

Find out more on the benefits of being outdoors

Play

Play is such an important part of life but especially for young children. In fact it is one of their rights as set out by the United Nations. Play is an integral part of their growth, learning and understanding of the world. With ample time and little pressure a child's imagination can go anywhere. Play also greatly aids their social and emotional skills, a child's brain development, problem solving skills and overall health.

Find out more on the importance of play

Inquiry learning

Quite simply we learn best if we are interested in the topic. Through free play the children will clearly show the educators their areas of interest. The educators can then plan to deepen this learning in many ways. This may look like asking simple, thought provoking questions to the children during their play right through to adapting the surroundings to aid their curiosity.

Find out more on inquiry learning