Approach
Our Approach
We take a child-centered approach to learning, where exploration fuels everything we do. By nurturing curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving in a safe and supportive environment, we help children develop the confidence and skills they need for lifelong learning. Whether in our newly refurbished nursery and preschool rooms, expansive garden, or forest, our spaces encourage connection, resilience, and independence.
Our approach blends free play, guided play, and teacher-led activities, ensuring every child has the opportunity to learn in a way that suits them best.
Styles of Learning
Free Play
Child-led exploration is at the core of our approach. Teachers observe uninterrupted play, allowing children to engage with thoughtfully designed areas like reading corners, mud kitchens, arts and crafts, music, and tree climbing, fostering creativity, independence, and joy.
Guided Play
Teachers enhance child-initiated play by scaffolding activities, creating rich learning opportunities. Through games and nature adventures, children’s curiosity, exploration, and growth are encouraged.
Teacher Led
Structured, teacher-led activities like sensory exploration and forest school experiences (e.g., campfires) offer hands-on learning and opportunities for skill-building.
Our approach
At Outdoor Owls we use an organic, play-based approach set outdoors following the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) learning framework set by Ofsted (see here).
Our educational philosophy is child-led and guided by a couple of core principles. Firstly, we focus on what your child can do, not what they can’t. Secondly, we refrain from telling your child ‘what’ to think but rather facilitate them in ‘how’ to think.
By following these principles and not wrapping children in cotton wool, we believe your child will leave us strong and prepared for future learning and the rest of their lives.
Watch Our Learning Styles in Action
Our methods
We have taken a sprinkle of inspiration from a mix of different play-based pedagogies to inspire our practice including Froebel, Reggio Emilia, Montessori, Steiner, and Forest Schools. We don’t constrict ourselves to one approach but rather prefer to tailor aspects to suit each unique child’s imagination and curiosity.
We use the outdoors as a powerful open-ended setting filled with natural resources. Hence we draw a lot from ‘Forest School’ methods which are set up to allow children to lead with their innate curiosity.
Our teacher to child ratio is 1:4 for 2 year olds and 1:8 for 3-5 year olds and different child ages are mixed together. This means children get a necessary amount for educator support and are able to watch and learn through others at different learning stages. As your child gets older with us they are able to take lead in supporting younger children around them. This helps to build your child’s confidence and cognitive flexibility.