Families & Community
Finding Your Way to Wildlings
Families come to Wildlings from many different starting points.
Some are well into their home education journey.
Others are navigating a new and unexpected situation with their child's school.
Some simply want something different - something quieter, more grounded, more real.
Whatever brings you here, you don't need to have it all figured out before getting in touch. Have a read through the sections below, find the one that sounds most like your situation, and take it from there.
Your path to Wildlings
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Term-Time Sessions
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Holiday Camps
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Woodland Parties
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Our term-time woodland sessions run across the school term in small, consistent groups. They are not academically focused and are not designed around targets or outcomes. The emphasis is on wellbeing, connection, and time spent meaningfully outdoors.
Sessions suit children and young people who thrive in smaller, calmer environments - and the families who support them. We take care with every placement to make sure the group is a good fit for everyone in it.
Select the option below that best describes your situation.
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If you are electively home educating, our Circle sessions offer a consistent, sociable anchor to your week. A small group of children spend the day together in our private woodland - making, exploring, building, and simply being outdoors with peers and known adults.
There are no targets, no worksheets, and no pressure. Learning happens naturally through shared experience and practical activity. For many home educated children, the social connection and weekly rhythm is as valuable as anything else.
We take care with every placement to make sure the group is a good fit for everyone in it.
👉 Read our sessions guide for current days, times, and pricing HERE
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Part School, Part Wildlings
Flexi-schooling means your child remains on roll at school but attends part-time, with the remaining time spent in education you arrange. It requires the school's agreement but is entirely legal, and with the right support it can work very well.
Wildlings fits neatly into a flexi-school arrangement. We have experience helping families and schools establish flexi-schooling where it is appropriate and reasonable - including working alongside SENCOs to ensure everyone is clear on the arrangement.
If your school is open to the idea but unsure how to proceed, we can help guide that conversation. If you are already flexi-schooling and looking for a woodland placement to form part of that, we would love to hear from you.
👉 Read our sessions guide for current days, times, and pricing HERE
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Woodland Provision Within Your Package
Education Otherwise Than At School - EOTAS - is a formal arrangement for children and young people who cannot access a school setting, typically funded through the local authority as part of an Education, Health and Care Plan.
If your child is on an EOTAS package, or if you are in the process of negotiating one, Wildlings may be able to form part of that provision. We are an approved alternative provision supplier, experienced in working within EOTAS arrangements and contributing to reviews and records as required.
We know that EOTAS packages can take time to establish and that families are often navigating a slow and complex process. If you are mid-negotiation with your local authority and want to understand whether Wildlings could be included, get in touch - we are happy to talk it through and support where we can.
👉 Read our sessions guide for current days, times, and pricing HERE
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A Different Kind of Environment
If your child is finding it very difficult to attend school - whether due to anxiety, overwhelm, or a gradual withdrawal from the school environment - you are not alone and you have not run out of options.
Wildlings is not a crisis service, and we are not able to replace the conversations that need to happen with your child's school. But we can offer something that many families in this situation find genuinely helpful - a calm, unhurried, nature-based environment that feels nothing like school.
Many children who struggle with school anxiety are not behaviourally difficult. They find noise, pressure, unpredictability, and the feeling of not fitting in hard to manage. Our setting tends to suit these children well - small group, familiar adults, no performance required.
For children not yet ready to be dropped off, we offer Haven - a supported session where a parent or carer stays alongside their child. In our experience, one visit is often enough for a child to see that Wildlings is genuinely different to a school day.
👉 Read our sessions guide for current days, times, and pricing HERE
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Something Good, Just Because
Not every family comes to Wildlings because something is difficult. Some simply want something good.
If your child attends school and you are looking for a nature-based session to complement their week, our Circle sessions are open to you. These are not tutoring sessions or homework clubs. They are days in the woods with a small, mixed group of children - building, foraging, making, exploring, and spending time together outdoors.
Children leave tired in the right way.
👉 Read our sessions guide for current days, times, and pricing HERE
Term-Time Sessions
Holiday Camps & Workshops
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Days in the Woods When School is Out
Our holiday day camps run during school breaks and are open to all children and young people aged 5-15, whether home educated or school attending. There is no application process and no term-time commitment required - they are a straightforward, enjoyable way to spend a day outdoors.
Days are led by experienced facilitators and typically include a mix of practical workshops, free play, fire skills, woodland crafts, and outdoor exploration. Every camp has its own character depending on the season and the group.
Holiday camps are a lovely way to experience Wildlings for the first time before committing to a term-time place.
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From time to time, we may offer one-off woodland workshops for families or specific groups. These sessions vary across the year and will be listed when available.
👉 Workshops are bookable directly from our Bookings page.
👉Join our mailing list to stay up to date with upcoming workshops.
Woodland Parties
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From toddler to teen, our woodland parties offer something genuinely different from a traditional party venue. Themed adventures, campfire celebrations, custom activities, and the magic of our private woodland - all held by experienced Wildlings facilitators.
We offer a selection of themed party packages as well as bespoke options for families who have something particular in mind.
What a Day at Wildlings Looks Like
A Glimpse Into the Woods
The day begins with a warm handover at the woodland gate. Families arrive, there is a moment of greeting and settling, and then the group walks together into the trees - leaving the pace of the outside world behind.
Once in the woodland, the day follows a rhythm that children come to know and rely on. There is usually a practical or creative workshop in the morning - something to make, build, learn, or try. Woodcraft, fire skills, seasonal foraging, natural building, creative projects. Activities are hands-on and interest-led, with space for children to engage at their own level without pressure.
After lunch - eaten together around the fire or in the cabin depending on the weather - the afternoon opens up. There may be a shared group challenge or project, time for free exploration, or simply the kind of unhurried outdoor play that is increasingly rare. Friendships form in this time. So does confidence.
The day ends as it began - calmly, with a handover back to families. Children leave muddy, settled, and tired in the right way.
Across a term, the rhythm becomes familiar and the group becomes steady. Children know what to expect, know the adults, and know each other. That consistency is where the real growth happens - quietly, and without anyone making a fuss about it.
Not Sure Where You Fit?
Every path to Wildlings is welcome
If none of the sections above quite describes your situation, please get in touch anyway. Families come to us from all kinds of starting points and we would rather have a conversation and find out we cannot help than have you leave without asking.
We are also happy to signpost you to other local services or provisions if Wildlings is not the right fit - we know the landscape well and would rather you find the right place than the wrong one.
If your young person is 16 or over and not currently in education, employment, or training, we would particularly encourage you to reach out. We are developing provision for older young people and are keen to hear from families in this situation.
