Little Barn Owls Farm & Forest School Nurseries

Our recent Ofsted inspection gave wonderful recognition to what we see every day at Little Barn Owls, children who are confident to ask questions, explore ideas, share their thoughts and take on new challenges.

“Children are articulate, curious and self-assured, equipped with a rich set of skills that go far beyond expectations. The rapid progress they make is deeply embedded and lays the foundations for continued success.”

For us, this is at the heart of everything we do. 🌱

We want children to leave Little Barn Owls not only with a love of learning, but with the confidence, curiosity, independence and skills to keep exploring the world around them.

We couldn’t be prouder of our children, and of the incredible educators who create the environments and experiences that allow them to flourish. 💛🦉

In the Atelier, our friends have been growing aromatic herbs in water, taking the time to notice the delicate details and differences within each plant.

Using watercolours, watercolour pencils and fine-line pens, they explored how different materials and techniques could help them capture what they could see.

Alongside the visual exploration came the opportunity to smell, touch and really connect with the plants, using their senses to deepen their understanding.

A beautiful example of how slowing down and observing closely can open up so many possibilities for creativity, discovery and learning 🌱🎨

We're very excited to meet families at our next round of Open Days 💛

Our next Open Day is at LBO Brookfield on Saturday 12th September between 10am-1pm 🍃

If you're in the Crawley area, and looking for a unique nursery that will nurture your child's passions, there's still spaces left for you to meet our team and explore our beautiful nursery environments.

Simply book your space through this link: https://nuuri.co.uk/nurseries/little-barn-owls-brookfield/events/open-morning-at-little-barn-owls-nursery-brookfield

In the press! 🗞️ 🎉

We’re delighted to be featured in this weeks West Sussex County Times following our incredible Ofsted report at LBO Southwater 🧡

“The delivery of the curriculum by every staff member is exemplary.” 💛

We couldn’t be prouder of these words from our recent Ofsted inspection at Little Barn Owls Southwater where we were awarded three Exceptional and three Strong Standard gradings ✨

"Staff teach children a range of practical skills, such as how to use a range of tools and equipment. This enables children to explore, create and test their ideas, leading them to be inventive and resourceful.

"With the caring, nurturing support of staff, children develop the confidence to experiment without fear of failure."

And perhaps most importantly, inspectors highlighted the caring, nurturing support our educators provide, helping children to experiment freely and develop the confidence to try without fear of failure. 🌱

This is what being part of the Little Barn Owls team is all about — creating environments where children can thrive, and where our educators have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference every day.

✨ And we’re growing!

We’re currently recruiting across our award-winning nursery group, with opportunities available across Horsham, Crawley and Midhurst.

If you’re looking for a career in early years where your ideas, creativity and passion for children are truly valued, your next chapter could be at Little Barn Owls. 🦉

👉 Explore our current opportunities and apply today: https://uk.indeed.com/cmp/Little-Barn-Owls-Nursery-&-Farm-School/jobs?jk=0ca580b5ce4c854e&start=0&clearPrefilter=1

A very insightful blog from our friends at Hayley Peacock Education 💡

We love this reflection on what a new academic year can bring. 🌱

At Little Barn Owls, we’re always asking ourselves what more is possible when we give children the time, space and freedom to follow their curiosity and develop their own ideas.

Our recent Ofsted inspection at Southwater was a wonderful recognition of this approach in practice, with three Exceptional and three Strong Standard judgements.

If you’re looking for a little inspiration as you head into a new academic year, this is a lovely read. ✨

For educators, there’s something incredibly valuable about stepping into a setting and seeing pedagogy in action, not just hearing about the principles, but experiencing how they influence the environment, the interactions, the learning and the decisions educators make every day.

As part of the three-day experience, participants will have the opportunity to shadow the Playoneering® pedagogy team at Little Barn Owls, alongside visits to Atelier 21 Future School and our flagship nursery.

It’s a chance to observe, ask questions, reflect and take inspiration back to your own setting.

📅 14–16 November 2026

If you’re passionate about enquiry-led, child-centred practice and want to explore what this could look like in real settings, we’d love to welcome you.

https://hayleypeacockeducation.co.uk/events/global-showcase/

What if the new academic year didn’t have to look like the last one?

September gives us a chance to start afresh. New children. New spaces. New possibilities. But it also gives us an opportunity to pause, observe more closely and think differently about how learning happens.

What are the children noticing? What questions are they asking? What ideas are beginning to emerge through their play?

Our latest blog explores what a Playoneering® approach could bring to the year ahead, and how giving children more time, space and freedom to develop their own ideas can lead to deeper learning.

We also look at what ambitious, enquiry-led practice can achieve. For example, Little Barn Owls Forest School Nursery in Southwater received three Exceptional judgements and three Strong Standard judgements in its April 2026 Ofsted inspection.

The blog explores the importance of seeing educational principles applied in real settings. Through the Playoneering® Global Showcase & Study Tour, educators will have the opportunity to shadow the Playoneering® pedagogy team at a Little Barn Owls nursery, as well as visit Atelier 21 Future School and the flagship Little Barn Owls nursery.

It’s a chance to see educators at work, explore how environments are organised, understand the thinking behind decisions and consider what ideas might be meaningful in your own setting.

Read the blog in our Inspiration Hub here:

https://hayleypeacockeducation.co.uk/a-new-academic-year/

Find out more and book your place:

Playoneering® Global Showcase & Study Tour

📅 14–16 November 2026

https://hayleypeacockeducation.co.uk/events/global-showcase/

Our friends have carefully planted their seeds and have been nurturing them along the way. Now, they’re beginning to see their efforts come to fruition as the growing area bursts into life! 🌿

They have also spent time creating thoughtful labels for each of the plants, adding their own touch to this special space.

How beautiful does the garden look? And thankfully, we’ve had a little bit of rain to help everything along! 🌧️🌱

A lovely Wednesday reminder that with patience and care, something wonderful can grow. ✨

Come and see us this weekend at Midhurst & Easebourne Football Club's Community Day! ✨

Our Midhurst nursery team will be there with a fun crafting activity for your little ones to enjoy.

📅 Saturday 22nd August
⏰ 12pm – 8pm
📍 Midhurst & Easebourne Football Club
💛 Free entry!

They have got a fantastic day planned for the whole community, with something for everyone:

🎶 Live music
🍔 BBQ & bar
🍦 Ice cream
🎨 Face painting
🏰 Bouncy castle
🛍️ Local stalls & businesses
🚗 Boot sale
…and plenty more!

We hope to see you there! ☀️