🌿 Growth, Muddy Moments & Meaningful Conversations

As winter begins to soften (just a little!), the past month has been full of movement — across training rooms, woodland spaces, conference halls and leadership meetings.

From national training delivery to muddy Mondays in Bowring Park, it has been a month that truly reflects what Journeys, Leaves & Seeds is all about — connecting research, reflection and real-life community practice.

🎓 Supporting Communication & Literacy Through Outdoor Learning

I was delighted to deliver a two-part online workshop for a DfE English Hub exploring:

How outdoor learning supports communication, language and literacy development.

Across both sessions, we explored:

• The role of embodied experience in vocabulary development

• How sensory play builds narrative thinking

• The link between movement and early writing foundations

• Creating language-rich outdoor environments

The engagement from schools across the network was inspiring — thoughtful questions, reflective discussion and a shared commitment to meaningful early literacy experiences.

✨ NDNA Cymru – The Magic of Outdoor Learning for 0–3

What a fabulous event this was.

Delivering “The Magic of Outdoor Learning for Under 3s” for NDNA Cymru felt incredibly special — particularly as I was also commissioned to create an exclusive resource for practitioners and leaders attending.

🌿 Six Outdoor Reflective Practice Cards were developed to extend professional thinking beyond the conference — encouraging deeper reflection on:

• Sensory exploration

• Movement and brain development

• Risk and resiliencem

• Adult interaction outdoors

• Environment as the third teacher

• Observation through a different lens

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and it was a joy to see practitioners leaving not only inspired — but equipped. Here's an example below:

🌧️ Frost, Mud, Wind… and Joy

Our weekly Monday Forest School sessions at Bowring Park have continued — through frost-tipped mornings, sideways rain, sticky mud and icy winds.

Because childhood (and community) doesn’t pause for weather.

We’ve:

• Jumped in puddles

• Cooked on the fire

• Created winter crafts

• Shared stories in the woodland

• Built confidence and friendships

A local photographer, Anna, (Instagram annaphotography1993) joined us for one session and beautifully captured those candid muddy moments — the laughter, the concentration, the togetherness. These images are a powerful reminder of why outdoor spaces matter.

📅 Easter holiday dates and April–June sessions will be live very soon.

💛 Listening to Mothers – Shaping Our Women’s Well-Being Project

Over the past month, we have been consulting with our followers and families about a new Women’s Outdoor Well-Being Project launching this Spring.

Our Directors and Parent Advisory Board met last week to review the responses. What you shared was powerful.

Here’s just a glimpse of what we heard:

• Many mums described feeling isolated, emotionally exhausted and “running on empty.”

• A significant number shared that they rarely prioritise their own well-being.

• The majority expressed a desire for:

  • Calm, non-judgemental spaces

  • Time outdoors to reset

  • Connection with other women who “just get it”

  • Gentle movement and reflective conversation

• Several respondents said they hoped to gain:

  • Renewed confidence

  • A sense of identity beyond motherhood

  • Practical strategies for managing stress

Your voices — and the lived experiences of our Parent Advisory Board — are shaping this project from the ground up.

We are committed to designing sessions that feel:

🌿 Safe

🌿 Restorative

🌿 Strength-building

🌿 Community-led

More details will be shared very soon.

🌱 We’re Recruiting – Forest School Assistant

We are advertising for a Forest School Assistant to join our Monday sessions from 13th April.

This will be a fixed-term contract, with more details coming shortly.

If you are passionate about outdoor learning, community work and supporting children in nature — I would love to hear from you.

🏫 School Improvement Work

Alongside community delivery, January to March has included continued School Improvement Partner visits to two schools on their development journey.

One particular setting — a multi-site provision with four schools under one registration — required over three days of review, alongside a full day of detailed reporting.

This work continues to sit at the heart of my professional practice: supporting leadership teams to strengthen quality, provision and outcomes for children.

🌼 Be Part of What’s Growing

This Spring holds so much possibility — and I would love for you to be part of it.

Here’s how you can get involved:

🌿 Book a Forest School Session

Easter and April–June dates will be released soon — keep an eye on our website and social media.

🌿 Express Interest in the Women’s Outdoor Well-Being Project

If you shared your voice in our consultation — thank you.

If you didn’t but feel this might be for you — please reach out. Your voice still matters.

🌿 Apply to Join Our Team

Interested in becoming our Forest School Assistant from 13th April? Get in touch to request further details.

🌿 Commission Training or Consultancy

If you are a school, early years setting or organisation looking to strengthen:

• Communication & language development

• Outdoor pedagogy

• Reflective leadership practice

• School improvement systems

I would love to work with you.

🌿 Stay Connected

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This community is growing because of you.

Let’s keep planting seeds — together.