Barn Hill Learning Community

21/02/2026

Barn Hill Open Day 🐑🌳🛖

Are you interested in self-directed, nature-based education?

If so come to our open day!

February 28th 10am-12pm

Barn Hill is a nature-based, self-directed learning space for home educated children aged 5-11 near Totes with woodland, open land and an organic garden plot.

Come along to our open day, meet the team, the chickens, the sheep and see what we’re all about. 🐓

Where: Barn Hill Higher Beenleigh Barn, Diptford

Tickets: It's free but please get a ticket here so we know how many to expect: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/barn-hill-open-day-tickets-1982658374570?aff=oddtdtcreator

We are looking forward to welcoming you! 😊

02/01/2026

Happy New Year to you all ✨ 2026 will see the continuation of something that started last year, the use of 'clubs' to give the opportunity to focus on particular themes and projects 🌱

Newsletter club made a successful start and we released issue one to families before the festive break 📰

Forthcoming clubs include choir singing and STEM, keep those eyes peeled 👀

21/12/2025

Finished the year with a spontaneous game of pirates, involving dancing to sea shanties, a shell selling merchant and a guinea pig that kept trying to take over the ship's wheel 🛞

Love these moments where everyone involved themselves in the story writing and theatre of the play 🏴‍☠️

09/11/2025

*Hello Barn Hill Community* ☺️

We’re so glad to be back after the break and what a week it’s been already! Full of adventure, creativity, and connection.

The sheep seemed happy to see us return too 🐑🐏

It’s wonderful to be with everyone again as we follow own curiosity and choose how we want to spend our time.

This week we’ve:
🎮 Shared our favourite video games with one another.

🛖 Used invisible ink under UV light in the yurt (which everyone thought was very cool!)

🎲 Discovered new board games. And our community favourite, the Perplexus Ball, has kept us all entertained for hours.

🧱 Built endless Lego creations, cared for the guinea pigs, and spent time exploring the woods.

We’re really excited for this half-season. To keep listening to the children, following their ideas, and seeing what they’ll want to discover and create next!

There are still a few spaces available for new families so if you, or someone you know, is looking for a child-led learning community, send them our way!

See you next week for more creating and exploring 🌱

04/08/2025

💚Join the Team at Barn Hill 💚
We’re looking for one permanent and some supply facilitators to join and shape our glorious home education community!

🕒 Hours: Thursdays, 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM (+Wednesdays likely very soon)
📄 Contract: Freelance
💷 Pay: £15 per hour
📅 Start Date: September 2025

Please get in touch for more information ℹ️✨

11/05/2025

Introducing you all to our new community members, Lightning, Goldie, Storm, Chickaletta and Marble. Already their personalities are shining through and enjoying some cuddles 🐔✨

17/03/2025

Self-directed learning embraces the idea that learning is an intrinsic human quality and done with more awareness and intent when it is self-motivated. This year so far, some of the projects/sessions initiated by the young people include:

🚂 - building a multi-level train track
🐦 - bird feeder
🛥️. - origami boats
🏥 - recreating an animal rescue centre
🔥 - colouring fire with ingredients
💦 - mud and sledge slides
🪢- pulley systems
⛏️ - making wooden Minecraft blocks
🎆 - ancestry day

Come visit/trial a day soon (Tues-Thurs 9.30-3pm) 🌞

14/01/2025

Really glorious day, with the sun shining brightly on us 🌞 with conversations on whether magic exists, the origins of human/child rights and responsibilities, appreciating My Neighbour Totoro and doing a wassail ceremony to give our orchard some blessings.

Few spaces still available on each day, Tuesday to Thursday, in a self-directed, consent-based outdoor environment 🤸

05/01/2025

07/12/2024

Spaces still available for this forthcoming holiday, for some nature connection and crafts 💚

🛖 heated yurt and other sheltered spaces
🌳 two acres of woodland exploration
🐑 meet and feed our sheep
🔥 hangout and cook by the fire

Extended session until 4.30 also available 🌟