What sets us apart
Woods is a small school, and we like it that way. We take children from 18 months right through to Year 3. That means a child can start with us in Seedlings and stay until they're seven or eight, in classes of no more than 18, with adults who know them well. Our Kindergarten isn't a nursery attached to a big school, and our Junior School isn't an afterthought. Both are built around the same belief: children learn best through play, curiosity and plenty of time outdoors.
We're lucky with our setting. The campus sits within six acres of indigenous forest, and we use it properly. Children measure tree trunks in maths, run science investigations in the forest and tend the shamba, and they spend far more of their day outside than at a desk.
In Kindergarten, play is how children learn. They build early language, number sense and friendships through hands-on exploration, and phonics, reading and writing begin gently in FS2. In our Junior School, English and maths are taught every day, and play and the outdoors stay part of the week. STEAM runs right through the school, from simple experiments with our youngest to proper investigations by Year 3. We care just as much about how children get on with each other, how they handle big feelings and how strong and confident they feel in their own bodies.
Nature Based Learning
At Woods, the outdoors serves as an extension of classrooms. Our teachers will utilize the surrounding forest to support a wide range of learning activities, from exploring insect life and identifying local plants to conducting experiments or observing animal behavior. Dedicated bird hides will provide opportunities for children to try to observe birdlife, perhaps even inspiring the next generation of budding ornithologists.
At our school, nature also serves as both inspiration and medium for our art curriculum. Children use leaves, bark, and flowers to create unique artworks. We encourage outdoor painting, nature collages, and even sculpting with natural materials.
Holistic Learning
At Woods, we believe education is more than just learning to read, write, and count. We embrace a holistic approach that nurtures the whole child, recognizing that academic success is intertwined with social-emotional well-being and physical health. We aim to support children develop strong social skills, cultivate emotional resilience, and engage in regular physical activity. We also prioritize healthy eating habits, ensuring children have access to nutritious food and snacks throughout the day.
STEM
At Woods, we believe that fostering a love for STEM should start early. We integrate STEM learning across all age groups, even with our youngest learners. Through engaging and age-appropriate activities, children will have the opportunity to explore the wonders of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Exciting (and safe!) experiments will spark curiosity and encourage critical thinking, helping children understand the world around them and develop a lifelong passion for discovery and innovation.
Creative Arts
At Woods, art is about the joy of making, not about a perfect end result. We care far more about the process than the product: getting messy, trying things out, mixing colours just to see what happens, and feeling proud of something that's entirely your own. There's no "right" way to paint a tree here.
Children work with all kinds of materials, from paint and clay to the leaves, bark, seeds and flowers they collect around our forest campus. Creativity doesn't stop at art either. It's in their imaginative play, storytelling, music and making.
For our youngest children, art is all about exploring: squishing, smearing, tearing, sticking and finding out what colours and textures can do. Crafts like cutting, threading, gluing and peeling stickers are also brilliant for building strong little fingers, ready for holding a pencil and writing later on.
As children get older, they learn new techniques, try out different materials, and start planning and developing their own ideas. The focus is still on curiosity and enjoying the process, but with growing skill and confidence.
Shamba-time
In addition to their class learning spaces, all children at Woods will have the opportunity to cultivate a shared "shamba," a small garden patch where they will learn to grow and care for a variety of vegetables and plants.
This hands-on experience will not only teach children about gardening but also encourage a sense of responsibility and teamwork.
Languages
At Woods School, we recognise that we live in an increasingly multicultural world and are committed to developing our students into global citizens. Language acquisition is a key part of this. We begin teaching Kiswahili from our youngest groups, using methods like singing Kiswahili songs to introduce the language in a fun and engaging way. This foundation is built upon as children progress through the school.
In line with the British curriculum, we formally incorporate French into our classes from Year 2 onwards. However, recognising the importance of French in the African context, we begin preparing children for this from Year 1 through engaging activities like singing French songs.
We also offer extracurricular French classes to younger groups. Looking ahead, we also intend to offer Mandarin as an extra-curricular activity, further enriching our students' linguistic skills and preparing them for a global future.
