What we stand for.
1
our VISION
We want every child to be inspired by and connected to nature, growing up to be a responsible, eco-conscious citizen of the world.
2
Our mission
To nurture every child in a safe and holistic environment, fostering their innate curiosity and natural love of learning. To help children develop respect and awareness for themselves, others and the world around them, making a lasting impact on their sense of identity, purpose and capability.
3
Our inclusivity
At Woodland Wanderers, we learn that people may look, live, think and speak differently, but all should be treated with equal respect.
About Us
Creating through play. Connecting with nature. Caring for our planet.
We are Woodland Wanderers. And we can’t wait for you to join us.
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Co-founded by Asha and Rupa, we’ve packaged our core beliefs and values into a bespoke pedagogy that nurtures your little ones, in our beautiful, well-ventilated, home-from-home environment. We’ve developed a curriculum that really encourages all children to be their best selves, to celebrate differences and care for the world around us.
What’s important to us?
We care deeply about Early Years education and the impact this has on the rest of your child’s life. We’re passionate about the Montessori method (more on that here) and incorporating this into our forest school (and more on that here). We bring the benefits of both disciplines, together with the kindness of nurture and tranquillity of nature, in an exciting setting which has sustainability at heart. From our handmade wooden toys to our nutritious and wholesome vegetarian menu, we don’t just talk the talk – we walk the walk. Our ethos is planted in everything we do, and grows with us, beyond the four walls of our classroom. Because it’s these things that really drive us to work with purpose, providing a natural and healthy environment for your children to grow.
Our secret ingredient: Community
On Myddleton Road we are a close-knit community built on connection, sharing and resourcefulness. We look after each other and the world around us. Our children play a key role in this, from litter-picking to a weekly trip to the local shops to stock up on snacks. From our classroom, cultural capital is woven into the fabric of each day, encouraging the children to look out onto Myddleton Road and engage with their neighbours. It’s our outward-facing, community-focused vibe that sets us apart.
How we started.
Hello! We are Asha and Rupa and, together, we have created Woodland Wanderers.
We are united by a deep passion for child development. When we couldn’t find the holistic and balanced early years provision we craved for our own children, we created it. Inspired by Paula Woodman (founder of Woodentots*), we wanted somewhere to nurture our citizens of tomorrow into mindful, well-balanced and confident members of the community, whilst learning through play and connecting with nature.
Woodentots is our sister nursery, our beautiful baby unit just a few doors down from Woodland Wanderers. Established by Paula Woodman in 2017, Asha and Rupa took the reins in September 2021 and it continues to thrive as part of our nursery family.
Asha
Asha fell in love with Early Years education following a role as a governor at a local school. This made her realise she wanted to make an impact adopting the values she holds dear. One of those values is sustainability, which she recalls being a big part of her childhood. She grew up in a ‘no waste’ culture and her favourite memories are those of imaginative play with her brother, using cardboard boxes from her parents’ shop. Obsessed with all things natural, she loves the outdoors and is passionate about nature-based learning. In her spare time, you’ll find her listening to TED talks and her favourite tunes at any given opportunity. Cooking doesn’t light her up, so you’ll find her doing so as efficiently as possible (think functional), if at all!
Rupa
Rupa, on the other hand, is passionate about food and nutrition – she loves cooking up a treat for your tastebuds. She is zealous about child development in the 0-6s and how, as an educator, she can influence positive habits and behaviours at this key stage in life. Her goal was to create an unrivalled childcare offering built around her key values. She is excited about how the exceptional synthesis of the three disciplines offered at Woodland Wanderers can have the meaningful impact she has always aspired to. She is a keen runner, and you might bump into her listening to an inspirational podcast on one of her 10k runs.
Let’s hear it for the
baobab tree!
Our logo features the baobab tree, also known as the tree of life. It’s a pretty remarkable tree; it provides nutrition and shelter, and every single part of it is usable so it produces no waste. It bears nutrient-rich fruits – the only fruit in the world that dries naturally on its branch – giving them a shelf life of three years without any additives or preservatives. Some call it the bottle tree, because of its ability to hold up to 1,200 gallons of water in its trunk and it’s likely to resist the warming of the earth as it thrives in hot, arid climates. We used this tree in our logo as it represents everything we want our nursery to be – nourishing, bountiful and resourceful.