Georgie is a qualified teacher, SENCO and Forest School leader. She has taught children of all ages (and even some adults) from SEN to mainstream schools to adult prisons (!) and is passionate about her current role in senior leadership and as SENCO in a primary school. Georgie completed her Level 3 Forest School training at Hill End in Oxford in 2015. 

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"I want to give children the most exciting, challenging and fun time at nursery, where lots of learning, growing and developing is happening. I aim for The Little Firefly to be a safe, happy, nurturing place that prepares the children for their futures ahead of them. We want to be an outstanding place of learning; where stories are read under trees, naps are taken in hammocks, mud pies are made and lunch is cooked on an open fire. The Little Firefly is the kind of place where amazing memories are made and cherished and where children learn independence and resilience, but most of all where they can play freely and unhindered in the great outdoors, all day."

Alison has over 7 a half years experience working with children both as a Childminder, Teaching Assistant and as a fully qualified Level 3 Forest School Leader. Alison has recently achieved her Level 3 Childcare qualification. 

She is enthusiastic and determined to extend her learning alongside the children in a fun filled, imaginative and gloriously messy child led environment.

Alison has a true passion for nature and the wholesome well-being it promotes to all aspects of learning and development. She is truly excited to become part of the The Little Firefly Forest School team, discovering and making never- forgotten lessons and memories everyday. 

Having recently completed her MSc in Conservation Ecology and a BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences, Jess is keen to use her knowledge and enthusiasm in a setting where children can learn through exploration, play and hands-on experiences in nature. Jess is deeply passionate about the outdoors and sharing the magic of nature through Forest School.

"There is nothing quite like watching children develop confidence, curiosity, and creativity as they explore and master new skills. I strongly believe every child deserves the space and freedom to learn at their own pace in a safe, supportive environment.

For me, the most rewarding part of this work is helping children build lasting memories, foster a lifelong connection with the natural world, and flourish into amazing young people".

Lindsey came to us from a change in careers, coming from a creative background in graphic design and marketing, it was sharing her joy of the outdoors with her two children that made her reconsider her career direction. Lindsey is a qualified Level 3 Early Years Practitioner. 

Lindsey has always had a love of the outdoors, the natural world and all things supporting wellness, becoming a Yoga Teacher in 2019 opened her up to many new possibilities and is keen to encourage confidence, awareness and self-worth in each child.  She also spends many hours growing her own vegetables, walking in the woods, swimming in the sea and pretending to eat mud pies. She is keen to share her love of the outdoors with the Forest School children!

Anni has recently changed career paths, having spent over ten years working for charities and children’s services in fundraising, events, marketing and graphic design. Lockdown inspired a new career in working outdoors and with children and she hasn’t looked back! 

Anni is currently working towards her Level 3 in Early Years Education to support her in her new endeavour with us. She also works as a special needs teaching assistant at a secondary school and comes with a lot of understanding of special needs within families from her upbringing too. 

A keen runner, hiker, cyclist, dog walker, kayaker, paddleboarder, traveller.. She is happiest outdoors and up for all our forest school adventures! Anni loves getting creative with whatever she can get her hands on and is keen to encourage curiosity, play and independence in all our forest school children.

Alasdair (or Ali as he is more well known) has a degree in archaeology and a former career in online business information and finance, however his true passion is for the outdoors. He has a life long love of nature, specialising in Ornithology and Lepidoptera (Birds, Butterflies and Moths). He is a former competitive skier, snowboarder and surfer and an accomplished mountaineer. He has had many years of practical experience in teaching people of all ages in these disciplines.

Ali is a true advocate of the power of nature and outdoor activity in a child’s early years development. This includes the positive effect on resilience and self belief; attention to detail and concentration; improved self-discipline and increased physical activity and fitness.

Ali is always ready to share his knowledge and invent new opportunities for learning in our fantastic Fireflies biosphere through play, everyday adventure and discovery.
 

Claire is a qualified Forest School Leader with over 9 years of experience working with children aged from 6 months to 11 years. She has also had the opportunity to volunteer for local wildlife organisations and has assisted with the occasional wild animal rescue!

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Claire grew up on a farm and enjoys being outdoors in all weathers. Her goal is to share her knowledge and passion for nature with the younger generation. She believes that the most impactful learning is all about curiosity and wonder. Claire can often be found hiking through the Chiltern hills, junk modelling something with her two children or telling stories around a camp fire. 

Oskar is Georgie's husband, Forest School handyman and maker of things! Oskar often helps out at the Forest School and whilst he is mainly responsible for the maintenance at the Forest School, he has also been known to bring his guitar with him to do some singing with the children. 

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Oskar is also a Excel Spreadsheet extraordinarie, so is responsible for all things finance based at our nursery. 

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Christina has over 10 years experience working with children aged 6 months - 11 years as a Nursery Nurse, Special Educational Needs Teaching Assistant, leading Lego Therapy sessions and as a fully qualified Level 3 Forest School Leader.

She is enthusiastic and excited to be part of the Little Firefly team, making memories with the children in a fun filled, imaginative and gloriously messy child led environment.

Christina has a true passion for nature and the wholesome well-being it provides. At home Christina’s main passions are riding her Fell pony Pookie, caring for her farm animals, including British Lop pigs and helping out with the family florist shop. 

With an MA in Education and over a decade of experience in schools and nurseries, Xel loves nothing more than playing and learning alongside brilliant tiny humans!

Before stepping into the colorful chaos of Early Years, Xel spent years working on global community initiatives and emergency response projects. Her journey has taken her around the world—supporting families displaced by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, facilitating training with Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Education to build weather-resilient schools, and, more recently, bringing the joy of Loose Parts Play to refugee children settling into the UK.

Through every experience, one core belief has guided her: every child deserves the opportunity to play, no matter their circumstances.

When she isn't at Forest School, Xel is usually seeking out mini-adventures—climbing mountains, wild swimming, camping under the stars, or enjoying the greatest adventure of all: doing absolutely nothing in a hammock!

Amanda joins us with 8 years of experience as an Early Years Educator. She has a lot of experience working with children with additional needs and took the lead with speech and language sessions 1-on-1 and with small groups of children. Amanda is passionate about the importance of children being outdoors and before becoming an Early Years Educator, Amanda was a parent volunteer at the forest school that she would go on to work with. 

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Outside of work, Amanda enjoys the outdoors. If she's not on the sidelines of the rugby pitch supporting her youngest son, she can be found walking in the many woodlands of The Chilterns or around a local lake. She has a special interest in wildlife, and can always be heard advocating for the little guys, with insects and spiders being particularly special to her.

Zak was home educated and experienced first-hand the value of curiosity-led, child-centred learning. He brings this philosophy to his work, encouraging children to follow their interests and learn through exploration and play. Zak feels most comfortable outside and loves sharing this enthusiasm with the children, helping them discover the mental and physical benefits that come from outdoor learning.

Zak is currently working towards a Level 3 qualification in Early Years Education. He has both knowledge and first-hand experience of special educational needs, which has deepened his empathy, patience, and understanding of each child’s unique way of engaging with the world.

Outside of work, Zak enjoys long walks in nature, as well as reading and writing both fiction and non-fiction.