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104 Burbage Road, London, SE24 9HE
View Full Details of School Outdoors DulwichLatest Reviews for School Outdoors Dulwich
13 August 2024
I was very happy when I got a space at School Outdoors for my son. I really wanted him to have the opportunity to connect with nature and spend as much time outside as possible before he starts school and has to follow a more structured education. I think School Outdoors offers a unique opportunity for a child born in a city. I love that the kids there need to use their imagination to find toys or build them from sticks. They are able to enjoy an 'analogue' childhood, where camaraderie and teamwork are key and freedom of thought is encouraged. The staff are very kind and know each child and their needs well. It is a lot like a summer camp that lasts all year round (although without the weather!). The bonfire pancakes and hot chocolate will surely remain a fond memory forever. My son attended for 3 days a week and I am very sad his adventure with the Forrest School is now over. In the era of screens and social media, it is a great alternative for our kids.
13 August 2024
The best nursery experience we have ever had as a family. The daily communication and photos from the staff to the parents are brilliant and my son, who is quite clingy, settled easily and now runs in every morning to say hello to everyone. The food is great and they have the perfect balance of learning, exploring and socialising. I honestly could go on and on about how incredible this nursery is! The teachers are experienced and clearly enjoy their work and spending time with the children.
06 August 2024
I've been thoroughly impressed with my daughter's experience at the outdoor nursery, especially during the summer months. The setting is perfect for children to explore and learn in the sunshine, surrounded by nature. The variety of activities keeps them engaged and continuously learning in a fun and dynamic way. The staff are exceptional - professional, warm, and genuinely passionate about their roles, which really enhances the children's experience. A highlight was the beautifully organised graduation ceremony for the children leaving in September. It was a touching and memorable event that celebrated their achievements in such a special way. As a parent, I appreciate the nursery's openness and the quality of interactions the staff have with both the children and parents. I highly recommend this nursery for anyone looking for a nurturing and vibrant outdoor learning environment for their child.
29 July 2024
Our son joined School Outdoors last year a couple of months after his second birthday, and has absolutely loved it. We were a little nervous about how the winter would go, but it was absolutely fine with the school providing a very clear list on the clothing needed, and once the kids are wrapped up they really enjoy the ability to be outside and play in the mud and rain and to enjoy the sunshine when it does come! Getting involved with such a wide variety of activities such as chopping wood, making fires for cooking on, understanding nature and helping to grow vegetables has helped him to learn a much wider range of skills (as well as the traditional learning of letters/numbers etc.), and he is very proud of telling us what he has been doing at the end of every day. The teachers are excellent, and keep us updated on our son's day via an app with lots of photos. His confidence has really grown over the time he has been there, and we are very pleased with our choice of nursery.
04 July 2024
A magical place and wouldn't change a thing. Our daughter has just finished 2 wonderful years here. The winters are not that bad! The kids are fine with being outside (with appropriate clothes) - it's just a mental thing for parents, which you get over quickly. Clothes-wise - sort yourself out with proper gear and decent wellies. Don't waste your time/money on rubbish gear as you'll eventually end up buying the good warm/dry stuff. Secondhand is fine - The kids rarely get sick as they're not cooped up inside! The staff are lovely and engaging. The kids go cycling on Mondays and were all riding normal bikes by the age of 3 - simply brilliant. The kids do drawing, colouring, arts and crafts, sawing, peeling, chopping, gardening, nature walks, and day trips, and all love nature, bugs, and mud. They are now fearless about bad weather! The kids are now all super adventurous and confident. There's a good bunch of parents (and social media groups of course)!
02 July 2024
We couldn't be happier with the School Outdoors - it's been an absolute pleasure to see how much our daughter loves it and watch her develop. The staff are wonderful and have endless energy and they create a safe, calm, fun environment where the children thrive. We have been so impressed with some of the activities and the way the school gets them to engage with nature and living outdoors. We couldn't recommend it more.
28 November 2023
Best choice ever! My son was so happy to be there and they looked after him very well. Everyone was always very welcoming and found ways to teaching him while playing. Outdoors was safe and relaxing environment and they are very well prepared for all weathers. Thanks everyone.
28 November 2023
My 3 children have been to a number of kindergartens in London as well as abroad. Without doubt, SOD is the best! The team of people are incredible - they love their work, they love the children and the children thrive as a result. It is a unique place, being an outdoors kindergarten, and all my children have benefited enormously. Thank you to all the staff that make this haven of children being children the unique place that it is.
28 July 2023
Forest school is magical. Our son absolutely loves it here - he started when he was just over two years old and settled very quickly and loves the setting so much. Compared to indoor nursery, he has not been ill nearly as much as the fresh air really does help in all sorts of ways. The setting is absolutely beautiful - tucked away behind tons of trees and greenery, the kids get to do different things every day. The winters can be tough - more so for the adults than kids, our son was fine but the laundry and pickups are a bit more complex in the dark / mud (but this all comes with the territory of forest school). I wish there were primary schools in the area that followed the forest school curriculum because it really is amazing and our son is so happy, confident and sleeps like a dream after all day outdoors.
28 July 2023
My son loves attending School Outdoors Dulwich. The communication from management and from staff day to day is excellent. I always feel in the loop and informed with day to day nursery life. I love getting photos and videos of my son cooking on an open fire, tie-dying, using tools and playing with friends. The different activities each day are amazing. Each member of the team are brilliant and all of them know my son on a really individual basis. My son had some challenges and the staff were amazing at supporting him and working with me as a team. I’ll be so sad when he has to leave.
24 July 2023
Forest School has been such a wonderful experience for my daughter. She started when she turned three and enjoys it much more than her previous (largely indoor) nursery. She has made great friends, learnt skills we would have never taught her ourselves, and become more resilient. The current team of educators are fantastic; they are great role models for her and are very attentive and thoughtful. Winter had its challenges, largely from a practical point of view (so much mud!), but my daughter was much less bothered by the cold and wet weather than I expected her to be. I remember once feeling guilty on a very rainy day and going to pick her up a bit early, only to find her desperate to stay and splash in puddles for longer!
01 March 2023
We absolutely love School Outdoors Dulwich! We moved to Herne Hill in May 2022, and forest school has been by far the best thing about moving here for us. We wanted our child to attend a forest school because he was prone to breathing problems whenever he caught a cold at nursery - we thought being in the fresh air could solve that, and having both grown up in the countryside, we liked the idea that this was a great natural gift whilst living in London. It has been everything we hoped for and more. The staff are lovely, the site feels like a magic little fairy den, and our son begs to go on his days off! You can tell when you see the kids, how much they are benefitting - there's a freedom and special aliveness about kids when they're spending a lot of time out in nature. My family have all noticed that since he started at forest school, he has grown in confidence and overall happiness. He sings their songs all the time and is constantly telling me about nature on our walks. Thank you to the manager and all!
04 November 2022
My daughter has been at the Forest School since February; she loves it, and we do too! The staff are professional, caring, energetic and kind. They have a great relationship with my daughter, and she comes home full of excitement about what they do each day. Like some other preferences, having a proper Forest School in London is such an amazing facility; I wish it existed when my son was younger. Communication with parents (through the management and on-site at drop off/pick ups) is great, and since we have been at the forest school, the management has implemented improvements, which are so great to see. We really get the sense that there is a strong commitment to making the Forest School a great success for all. Everyone talks about the winter weather but also a massive shout out to the management of the extreme heat in the summer - the kids were kept cool and happy in their little glade - idyllic!
26 October 2022
I've dreamed of putting one of my kids in forest school ever since I read about the concept in a magazine article years ago. But true forest school programs were hard to come by at the time. So what a dream come true when I discovered a program right here in Dulwich. I've eagerly awaited having my daughter turn two, so we could finally enrol! She's been there only for five weeks, and already, we are so happy with our decision. She looks so happy in her photos playing with leaves, cooking outdoors, and mixing things; she just looks soo happy. I didn't see such big smiles on her face at her previous nursery. Each day when I pick her up, she is covered in mud and just as happy as can be. Like a pig in mud. What better testament is there to the quality of a program for a 2-year-old! The teachers are engaging, very caring, and give me detailed reports of her day. The surroundings are just lovely, and all that's needed for the little ones' comfort is well thought of. The manager and the team do a great job!
26 October 2022
My daughter loves School Outdoors. It gives her the opportunity to do things I remember doing as a child but are just not part of city life - picking blackberries, climbing trees, spotting wildlife, cooking marshmallows over a fire etc. The teachers are great too, and she has good relationships with them all. They also take genuine pleasure in watching her develop and have been quick to step in when she's needed a little more support. I was worried when she started (in January) that she would freeze to death. However, the weather only seems to bother the parents, and she spends most of the day stripping off all of the layers we've grilled her to put on each morning! She comes home covered head to toe in mud more times than I can count and always seems to have had an amazing time. It wouldn't be a balanced review without mentioning negatives - I can think of one - on School Outdoors days, my bathroom looks like a swamp. We are sending her younger brother to join her in January, which says it all!
26 October 2022
School Outdoors Dulwich has been transformational for my daughter (2 years old). The staff are so caring and attentive, and she has settled in very well. At her previous indoor nursery, she struggled with the transitions and being left. Now she couldn't be more settled and is more confident and secure than I have ever seen her. We still keep seeing positive changes week by week, and she is so proud of all the new skills she is learning! I absolutely love starting my day at their site and with a short walk in such lovely woodland surroundings.
13 October 2022
My child has had an incredibly happy two years at School Outdoors Dulwich; given that they started in 2020 during the pandemic, School Outdoors Dulwich gave my child an opportunity to have a normal (better than normal, actually) early years experience. They have developed into a confident, resilient little child with a love of nature and a sense of adventure for exploring the outdoors, which come from their time at forest school. The staff are fantastic and have supported my child and us on their journey, working with us positively when we encountered difficulties with toilet training last year. We get regular feedback on my child's progress against early years development, and also really value the daily updates and photos. My child left to start school in September, but we will be back in School Outdoors Dulwich for holiday camp as we value this unique outdoor setting and are glad they can continue to benefit from it as they grow up.
18 May 2022
My daughter has absolutely loved her experience at School Outdoors and looks forward to her days so much. It’s a beautiful setting, and I feel very fortunate being able to do drop-offs and pick-ups at such a beautiful location! She has become knowledgeable about nature and has developed a love of nature whist in this setting to support her choices in the future. The staff have been fab and always responded quickly to any requests as well as keeping us up to date with any relevant information. For anyone with a love of the outdoors who is looking to give that experience to their children whilst living in a city, then this setting is perfect - I would recommend it highly!
13 October 2021
School Outdoors Dulwich is an excellent idea - a forest school in London where children can play outdoors all day, learn woodworking and how to make a fire, and build things out of what they find around them! In many ways, the execution is lacking though. The staff were excellent, for example, and developed deep and lasting relationships with our children that we all really appreciated. They did not seem to be well supported by management, however, and turnover is very high (if you missed a couple of weeks on holiday you would often come back to find 1-2 people had left). This constant flux was jarring for both children and parents. Related, the site needs some investment, especially provisions for winter when it becomes very wet, but there seems like a lack of willingness to invest in proper facilities. Reading between the lines, I got the distinct sense that this has been contributing to the turnover issue, with staff not feeling particularly supported or well looked after.
07 September 2021
My son attended forest school for nine months. He absolutely loved it and always came home very happy and full of tales of what he'd been up to. He learnt so much about independent play and working in a practical way. The staff were friendly and caring; though staff turnover was high - he didn't seem to mind. The management was helpful and approachable.
Latest Reviews for School Outdoors Dulwich
13 August 2024
I was very happy when I got a space at School Outdoors for my son. I really wanted him to have the opportunity to connect with nature and spend as much time outside as possible before he starts school and has to follow a more structured education. I think School Outdoors offers a unique opportunity for a child born in a city. I love that the kids there need to use their imagination to find toys or build them from sticks. They are able to enjoy an 'analogue' childhood, where camaraderie and teamwork are key and freedom of thought is encouraged. The staff are very kind and know each child and their needs well. It is a lot like a summer camp that lasts all year round (although without the weather!). The bonfire pancakes and hot chocolate will surely remain a fond memory forever. My son attended for 3 days a week and I am very sad his adventure with the Forrest School is now over. In the era of screens and social media, it is a great alternative for our kids.
13 August 2024
The best nursery experience we have ever had as a family. The daily communication and photos from the staff to the parents are brilliant and my son, who is quite clingy, settled easily and now runs in every morning to say hello to everyone. The food is great and they have the perfect balance of learning, exploring and socialising. I honestly could go on and on about how incredible this nursery is! The teachers are experienced and clearly enjoy their work and spending time with the children.
06 August 2024
I've been thoroughly impressed with my daughter's experience at the outdoor nursery, especially during the summer months. The setting is perfect for children to explore and learn in the sunshine, surrounded by nature. The variety of activities keeps them engaged and continuously learning in a fun and dynamic way. The staff are exceptional - professional, warm, and genuinely passionate about their roles, which really enhances the children's experience. A highlight was the beautifully organised graduation ceremony for the children leaving in September. It was a touching and memorable event that celebrated their achievements in such a special way. As a parent, I appreciate the nursery's openness and the quality of interactions the staff have with both the children and parents. I highly recommend this nursery for anyone looking for a nurturing and vibrant outdoor learning environment for their child.
29 July 2024
Our son joined School Outdoors last year a couple of months after his second birthday, and has absolutely loved it. We were a little nervous about how the winter would go, but it was absolutely fine with the school providing a very clear list on the clothing needed, and once the kids are wrapped up they really enjoy the ability to be outside and play in the mud and rain and to enjoy the sunshine when it does come! Getting involved with such a wide variety of activities such as chopping wood, making fires for cooking on, understanding nature and helping to grow vegetables has helped him to learn a much wider range of skills (as well as the traditional learning of letters/numbers etc.), and he is very proud of telling us what he has been doing at the end of every day. The teachers are excellent, and keep us updated on our son's day via an app with lots of photos. His confidence has really grown over the time he has been there, and we are very pleased with our choice of nursery.
04 July 2024
A magical place and wouldn't change a thing. Our daughter has just finished 2 wonderful years here. The winters are not that bad! The kids are fine with being outside (with appropriate clothes) - it's just a mental thing for parents, which you get over quickly. Clothes-wise - sort yourself out with proper gear and decent wellies. Don't waste your time/money on rubbish gear as you'll eventually end up buying the good warm/dry stuff. Secondhand is fine - The kids rarely get sick as they're not cooped up inside! The staff are lovely and engaging. The kids go cycling on Mondays and were all riding normal bikes by the age of 3 - simply brilliant. The kids do drawing, colouring, arts and crafts, sawing, peeling, chopping, gardening, nature walks, and day trips, and all love nature, bugs, and mud. They are now fearless about bad weather! The kids are now all super adventurous and confident. There's a good bunch of parents (and social media groups of course)!
02 July 2024
We couldn't be happier with the School Outdoors - it's been an absolute pleasure to see how much our daughter loves it and watch her develop. The staff are wonderful and have endless energy and they create a safe, calm, fun environment where the children thrive. We have been so impressed with some of the activities and the way the school gets them to engage with nature and living outdoors. We couldn't recommend it more.
28 November 2023
Best choice ever! My son was so happy to be there and they looked after him very well. Everyone was always very welcoming and found ways to teaching him while playing. Outdoors was safe and relaxing environment and they are very well prepared for all weathers. Thanks everyone.
28 November 2023
My 3 children have been to a number of kindergartens in London as well as abroad. Without doubt, SOD is the best! The team of people are incredible - they love their work, they love the children and the children thrive as a result. It is a unique place, being an outdoors kindergarten, and all my children have benefited enormously. Thank you to all the staff that make this haven of children being children the unique place that it is.
28 July 2023
Forest school is magical. Our son absolutely loves it here - he started when he was just over two years old and settled very quickly and loves the setting so much. Compared to indoor nursery, he has not been ill nearly as much as the fresh air really does help in all sorts of ways. The setting is absolutely beautiful - tucked away behind tons of trees and greenery, the kids get to do different things every day. The winters can be tough - more so for the adults than kids, our son was fine but the laundry and pickups are a bit more complex in the dark / mud (but this all comes with the territory of forest school). I wish there were primary schools in the area that followed the forest school curriculum because it really is amazing and our son is so happy, confident and sleeps like a dream after all day outdoors.
28 July 2023
My son loves attending School Outdoors Dulwich. The communication from management and from staff day to day is excellent. I always feel in the loop and informed with day to day nursery life. I love getting photos and videos of my son cooking on an open fire, tie-dying, using tools and playing with friends. The different activities each day are amazing. Each member of the team are brilliant and all of them know my son on a really individual basis. My son had some challenges and the staff were amazing at supporting him and working with me as a team. I’ll be so sad when he has to leave.
24 July 2023
Forest School has been such a wonderful experience for my daughter. She started when she turned three and enjoys it much more than her previous (largely indoor) nursery. She has made great friends, learnt skills we would have never taught her ourselves, and become more resilient. The current team of educators are fantastic; they are great role models for her and are very attentive and thoughtful. Winter had its challenges, largely from a practical point of view (so much mud!), but my daughter was much less bothered by the cold and wet weather than I expected her to be. I remember once feeling guilty on a very rainy day and going to pick her up a bit early, only to find her desperate to stay and splash in puddles for longer!
01 March 2023
We absolutely love School Outdoors Dulwich! We moved to Herne Hill in May 2022, and forest school has been by far the best thing about moving here for us. We wanted our child to attend a forest school because he was prone to breathing problems whenever he caught a cold at nursery - we thought being in the fresh air could solve that, and having both grown up in the countryside, we liked the idea that this was a great natural gift whilst living in London. It has been everything we hoped for and more. The staff are lovely, the site feels like a magic little fairy den, and our son begs to go on his days off! You can tell when you see the kids, how much they are benefitting - there's a freedom and special aliveness about kids when they're spending a lot of time out in nature. My family have all noticed that since he started at forest school, he has grown in confidence and overall happiness. He sings their songs all the time and is constantly telling me about nature on our walks. Thank you to the manager and all!
04 November 2022
My daughter has been at the Forest School since February; she loves it, and we do too! The staff are professional, caring, energetic and kind. They have a great relationship with my daughter, and she comes home full of excitement about what they do each day. Like some other preferences, having a proper Forest School in London is such an amazing facility; I wish it existed when my son was younger. Communication with parents (through the management and on-site at drop off/pick ups) is great, and since we have been at the forest school, the management has implemented improvements, which are so great to see. We really get the sense that there is a strong commitment to making the Forest School a great success for all. Everyone talks about the winter weather but also a massive shout out to the management of the extreme heat in the summer - the kids were kept cool and happy in their little glade - idyllic!
26 October 2022
I've dreamed of putting one of my kids in forest school ever since I read about the concept in a magazine article years ago. But true forest school programs were hard to come by at the time. So what a dream come true when I discovered a program right here in Dulwich. I've eagerly awaited having my daughter turn two, so we could finally enrol! She's been there only for five weeks, and already, we are so happy with our decision. She looks so happy in her photos playing with leaves, cooking outdoors, and mixing things; she just looks soo happy. I didn't see such big smiles on her face at her previous nursery. Each day when I pick her up, she is covered in mud and just as happy as can be. Like a pig in mud. What better testament is there to the quality of a program for a 2-year-old! The teachers are engaging, very caring, and give me detailed reports of her day. The surroundings are just lovely, and all that's needed for the little ones' comfort is well thought of. The manager and the team do a great job!
26 October 2022
My daughter loves School Outdoors. It gives her the opportunity to do things I remember doing as a child but are just not part of city life - picking blackberries, climbing trees, spotting wildlife, cooking marshmallows over a fire etc. The teachers are great too, and she has good relationships with them all. They also take genuine pleasure in watching her develop and have been quick to step in when she's needed a little more support. I was worried when she started (in January) that she would freeze to death. However, the weather only seems to bother the parents, and she spends most of the day stripping off all of the layers we've grilled her to put on each morning! She comes home covered head to toe in mud more times than I can count and always seems to have had an amazing time. It wouldn't be a balanced review without mentioning negatives - I can think of one - on School Outdoors days, my bathroom looks like a swamp. We are sending her younger brother to join her in January, which says it all!
26 October 2022
School Outdoors Dulwich has been transformational for my daughter (2 years old). The staff are so caring and attentive, and she has settled in very well. At her previous indoor nursery, she struggled with the transitions and being left. Now she couldn't be more settled and is more confident and secure than I have ever seen her. We still keep seeing positive changes week by week, and she is so proud of all the new skills she is learning! I absolutely love starting my day at their site and with a short walk in such lovely woodland surroundings.
13 October 2022
My child has had an incredibly happy two years at School Outdoors Dulwich; given that they started in 2020 during the pandemic, School Outdoors Dulwich gave my child an opportunity to have a normal (better than normal, actually) early years experience. They have developed into a confident, resilient little child with a love of nature and a sense of adventure for exploring the outdoors, which come from their time at forest school. The staff are fantastic and have supported my child and us on their journey, working with us positively when we encountered difficulties with toilet training last year. We get regular feedback on my child's progress against early years development, and also really value the daily updates and photos. My child left to start school in September, but we will be back in School Outdoors Dulwich for holiday camp as we value this unique outdoor setting and are glad they can continue to benefit from it as they grow up.
18 May 2022
My daughter has absolutely loved her experience at School Outdoors and looks forward to her days so much. It’s a beautiful setting, and I feel very fortunate being able to do drop-offs and pick-ups at such a beautiful location! She has become knowledgeable about nature and has developed a love of nature whist in this setting to support her choices in the future. The staff have been fab and always responded quickly to any requests as well as keeping us up to date with any relevant information. For anyone with a love of the outdoors who is looking to give that experience to their children whilst living in a city, then this setting is perfect - I would recommend it highly!
13 October 2021
School Outdoors Dulwich is an excellent idea - a forest school in London where children can play outdoors all day, learn woodworking and how to make a fire, and build things out of what they find around them! In many ways, the execution is lacking though. The staff were excellent, for example, and developed deep and lasting relationships with our children that we all really appreciated. They did not seem to be well supported by management, however, and turnover is very high (if you missed a couple of weeks on holiday you would often come back to find 1-2 people had left). This constant flux was jarring for both children and parents. Related, the site needs some investment, especially provisions for winter when it becomes very wet, but there seems like a lack of willingness to invest in proper facilities. Reading between the lines, I got the distinct sense that this has been contributing to the turnover issue, with staff not feeling particularly supported or well looked after.
07 September 2021
My son attended forest school for nine months. He absolutely loved it and always came home very happy and full of tales of what he'd been up to. He learnt so much about independent play and working in a practical way. The staff were friendly and caring; though staff turnover was high - he didn't seem to mind. The management was helpful and approachable.