I believe that children — and teachers — learn best through play, direct experience, story and embodied learning. I've been working with schools since 2004, helping to bring learning outdoors, and I still find it as energising now as I did then.

I have written a couple of books and created online storytelling and Natural Musicians(TM) resources used globally. Have a look in the shop to find out more.

What I offer schools falls into four areas, though honestly they tend to weave together in practice...

I've been a qualified Forest School leader since 2004 and have delivered hundreds of sessions with children of all ages and abilities — in school grounds, in local woodland, and at sites I've been using for years. I've also run summer camps and overnight camps for children and families every year since then.

The heart of Forest School is that it's child-led, unhurried, and deeply relational — children building a real connection with themselves, each other and a place. It's about developing self care, people care and planet care. That takes time. I'd suggest six sessions as a bare minimum, and one day a term across the year is ideal.

I'm very happy to talk about what might work best for your school — every setting is different.

Blending storytelling, didgeridoo performance and playing for all, along with land art and aboriginal style earth-paint-art. I've been doing these workshops in schools since 1998. If you are interested you can watch me on cBBC's Yolandas Band Jam or visit my thedidgeridooman website

Time in nature has a way of refreshing your thinking and reminding you why you became a teacher in the first place. My INSET training and consultancy is designed to help teachers take learning outdoors with real confidence — not just once, but as an ongoing part of how they teach.

Each training day is tailored specifically to your school and draws on my Natural Flow Learning model — a planning and activity-leading framework rooted in the natural energetic rhythm of a day. I also share my ORBs dynamic risk assessment method, which gives teachers a tried-and-tested way of managing risk outdoors without it becoming a barrier.

I've worked with groups of up to 80 staff in one day, and mentored 25 kindergarten staff in Bethnal Green over the course of 4 years, so whatever the size or location of your team, we can make it work. And yes — it happens outdoors, whatever the weather!

"I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for such an inspiring and action-packed day. We all felt very empowered and motivated..."— Teacher, Saint Augustine's

"Today's INSET was so refreshing, led by some of the most delightful people I have ever met!"— INSET participant, Junior Kings, Canterbury

"Invigorating, challenging, fun and best of all, outside!"— Deputy Head, Junior Kings, Canterbury

These two strands sit at the heart of what I do and can be offered as standalone workshops or woven into a longer programme.

Storytelling and story-making — I have a wide range of tried-and-tested approaches to help teachers use story more powerfully across the curriculum. Talk to Write, oral storytelling, story-making outdoors — all of it aimed at getting children talking, imagining and eventually writing with genuine enthusiasm.

Natural Musicians — this is one of my favourite things to share. Over the last few years I've been developing ways of using found natural objects, landscapes and patterns to compose and perform music — combining body percussion, beatboxing, vocals and instruments made from whatever's lying around. It meets music curriculum elements like pulse, rhythm, soundscape and composition, while making strong links to literacy, science and numeracy. It also makes for one of the most unexpectedly joyful INSET sessions you'll ever have. Click here to visit my Natural Musicians website

"It was such a super day, and we were all thrilled to see the children embracing the natural musicians activities outside. You have certainly inspired us to think about how we can do more of this!" Jo Hughes, Frenchay Primary School music festival.