Forest School and Ecology

At Barrow Hills, our 33 acres of woodland, including three dedicated Forest School areas, provide a unique and enriching environment for learning from Nursery through to Year 8. Children in Pre-Prep enjoy at least one weekly Forest School session, led by our qualified team, embracing all weathers with warm clothing and wellies.

Our woodland is teeming with wildlife, from jays and squirrels to deer and foxes, creating a stimulating, multi-sensory environment that sparks imagination, discovery and a lifelong connection with nature. Outdoor play also enhances the development of verbal and non-verbal communication skills; it’s a key reason for our assessment scores at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage consistently well exceeding national expectations.

Ecology: Nurturing a Sustainable Future

To strengthen our connection with the natural world, we have invested in a wide range of ecological initiatives, shaped by pupil feedback, and embraced our natural environment as a rich source of inspiration and education. In 2024, Barrow Hills was shortlisted in the Independent School of the Year awards for Environmental Achievement.

We have upskilled cohorts of ‘Ecology Captains’ in sustainability, biodiversity, and local and global ecology. This enthusiastic and growing group thrives on having agency and stewardship over our environmental initiatives. Peer-to-peer learning is now substantial, with younger pupils looking up to their older peers. Eco Warriors and Gardening Club are seen as exciting and valuable roles within the school.

A standout project has been the creation of our willow dome, an outdoor learning space for Prep children. This initiative complemented our Eco Schools Accreditation for 2024, where Barrow Hills was awarded another Green Flag, with Distinction, the highest possible level. Additionally, we received a ‘Highly Commended’ award from the Primary Schools Green Awards.

“If you lie on the floor and look up into the trees, you can see things you’ve never seen before!”

“Finding bugs and worms is my favourite thing… did you know that worms breathe through their skin?”

Join us at an Open Morning

The best way to feel what life is like at Barrow Hills is to join us at an Open Morning. We warmly invite you to experience the magic of our school where our children flourish academically, socially and emotionally, to talk to pupils and teachers about what makes our school such a special place, and to answer any questions you have about life here.

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Join us to experience everyday school life here at Barrow Hills

Personal visits usually last around 90-minutes including a meeting with our Head, Mr John Towers, and opportunities to meet the children and tour the beautiful school.