After returning to the UK from NYC and SF, 20 years deep in a successful Marketing and Branding career- I joined a band of Brighton based heroes on a mission to free struggling children from the bonds of failure in classroom life. We formed EcoPlay, the first fully lottery funded Forest School in West Sussex. We re-wrote the national curriculum to fit children’s innate needs, passions and wellbeing. We built yurts, willow classrooms, yoga lawns, managed hedgerows, built compost loos, dug ponds, surgeoned vast runs of dens within giant conifers and delivered what children needed to know in the freedom of the great outdoors, on the move always and with great respect for nature and children alike. Suddenly, Steiner schools, special measures schools and private schools were bussing children to our 3 acres on the South Downs and children left feeling like they were special, capable and wanted to learn!

As it goes, the mortgage compelled me to return to city life before my first little cowboy was born in 2008. I left no stone unturned in the quest to find a childcare setting that would meet our family’s needs. I trawled blogs, eavesdropped on every gaggle of parents, visited every nursery in East Dulwich, Dulwich and Nunhead, as well as every childminder I could find. None fitted the bill and left me feeling anxious. I couldn’t have left a muskrat at any place I saw and so decided to quit my career to do the job myself. When the word got out at NCT, I was swamped with requests to care for other family’s babies!

I re-trained as a fully qualified early Years Educator, read everything I could find about children, the Early Years, child psychology, child development, expected outcomes, the EYFS, Safeguarding and parenting. After our first year together, my little one taught me everything I really needed to know about how to make a tiny person feel happy and loved!

From there, I took on two of my NCT friends little ones and I was off! Ukulele, cooler, double buggy and a backpack, turned to a quad buggy and assistant, 2 quad buggies, 2 assistants and over time Yeeha! Childcare grew into the best loved, go-to place for families who put the wellbeing of little ones first.

I took proper care of the team and the children from day one and that’s why we have remained a long-standing, happy and cohesive partnership who champion the wellbeing of children above all else - even when costs far outstrip profits…

Established in 2009, Yeeha! Childcare has been championing children, providing the very best care available.

OFSTED rated Outstanding Across All Areas, we have specialised in offering home-from-home care for full time children using our established team of fully qualified Early Years Educators within our enabling environment at our Heber Road setting.

Maintaining a 2 year waiting list since inception, we realised we needed to do more for our community…

And Yeeha! Forest Pre-School was born

THE premium full time Forest Pre-School in London

Yeeha! is excited to expand further PREMIUM early years education for children aged 2-5.

Children’s love of learning, mastery of the the 7 prime and specific learning and development areas of the of the EYFS is scaffolded so that by 5 children are completely ready to transition to Primary school.

Self- worth, self-belief, self-regulation and the ability to communicate their needs, preferences and interests in a pleasant manner - arms children with the social force-field they need to continue to thrive in Key Stage I and II of primary school.

So when they are not sure, they have the confidence to ask teachers to repeat a theme or fact - independently protecting their continued success.

Yeeha! Forest Pre-School is the final bastion of expert early years education and care, where children play-out their last days of early childhood.

They are encouraged to learn on the move. Explore, test theories, secure boundaries, feel and express emotions; be kind, creative, curious and courageous! Love of learning is sharpened within our bright, high-ceilinged and fully resourced building enveloped within our extensive grounds where children can access the great outdoors at will.

We are only a hop, skip and joyful jump away from an array of surrounding wilderness spaces too where Forest School skills practiced at base are mastered within the inspirational and beneficial wild spaces on our doorstep. Connecting to nature and wildlife brings children ultimate well-being, reduces anxiety and builds seratonin. Children’s confidence, independence, self-worth and self-belief are championed and their innate love of wildlife engenders a sense of wonder, awe and responsibility for the majesty of the natural world.

Children climb trees, build dams, pond dip, stream walk, bug hunt, wild forage, learn all about trees, plants, flowers and herbs and about all the ecology that these support. Yeeha! Forest School explorers build immunity through touching microorganism-rich soil and build bone, muscle and mental strength from the vitamin C from the sun and leading active physical lives.

STEM, Bush Craft, personal, social and emotional as well as speech and language development is brought alive as children master the practical skills they need and the confidence which comes from hands on experience - learning through play and exploration of the natural world and the wildlife within.

Forest school pivots on the elements: Earth, Wind, Fire and Water and at Yeeha! Forest Pre-School we place children as the central and most important element as it’s our children who will bear the responsibility to find the solutions needed to meet the challenges we have set before them. Their futures will certainly be different from ours based on our legacy. They will be need to be resilient, creative and imaginatitive in tackling the climate crisis. It is them that will find a way to stop the seas rising, designing alternative energy sources, cleaning up our air and healing the political wounds that waste life for merciless pride. Let’s work together to be the spring-board that propels them to a future which is bright, hopeful and with the possibility of love and success.

They do not have to be the smartest person in the room but if they are well-liked and have skills to swap, people will gravitate toward them and offer their help. They will never be alone and will find love, passion, happiness and sucess through positive contribution to their community and the wider world.

Priceless!