A new nature-inspired preschool focused on outdoor learning, creativity and wellbeing is set to open in Weston, Bath, this September.
Secret Garden Preschool will welcome children aged from two years and nine months until they start school, offering places for up to 24 children in a setting designed to help young learners develop a love of nature and the world around them.
The preschool is the vision of owner and manager Suzie Parker, an experienced early years practitioner and mum, who says the setting has been created around the type of preschool she would have wanted for her own daughter.
Suzie said, “I have a four-year-old daughter and Secret Garden Preschool is basically my ideal preschool that I would have wanted for her. Secret Garden has an emphasis on being outdoors and appreciation for nature.
“Working in early years and having a young child myself, I can see first-hand how important it is for children to spend as much time as possible outdoors. We aim to bring as much learning as we can outside with open-ended play and learning provocations for the children.”
The preschool will encourage children to explore, create and learn through hands-on experiences in nature, including growing their own fruit and vegetables.
Suzie said, “Having grown food with my daughter, I know how incredibly magical children find this process. I can’t wait to witness a child who perhaps hasn’t wanted to try a carrot before but then be confronted by one they have grown from seed and want to try and enjoy it.”
The new preschool will occupy premises previously used by Noah’s Ark Preschool, but Suzie says Secret Garden will bring its own distinctive approach.
“Where Secret Garden will differ is in our strong emphasis on outdoor learning and creating meaningful connections with the natural world,” she said.
“Whenever possible, we will choose natural materials for both our environment and resources. This isn’t simply about creating a particular look or aesthetic. Research and experience show that natural environments can help children feel calmer, more focused and more connected to their surroundings.”
The preschool’s philosophy has been shaped by Suzie’s experiences working in a range of early years settings and studying different educational approaches, including Forest School, Reggio Emilia and Steiner-inspired environments.
A particularly influential experience was visiting an Outstanding preschool in Dorset that combined all three approaches.
“It was incredible to observe the children engaging in rich, open-ended learning experiences and to see how thoughtfully designed environments and natural materials encouraged creativity, independence and curiosity,” she said.
“The experience reinforced my belief in the value of child-led learning and the importance of providing children with meaningful connections to the natural world.”
Secret Garden Preschool will operate during term time, with core hours of 9am to 3pm. Plans are also being explored for a breakfast club from 8am and an after-preschool club until 4pm.
Applications for September 2026 are already open and Suzie says places are filling quickly.
Alongside preparations for opening, the preschool is also running a crowdfunding campaign to help transform its outdoor space into a vibrant learning environment where children can grow, play and explore. Families and local supporters can find out more and contribute through the Secret Garden Preschool crowdfunder.
Looking ahead to welcoming its first children through the doors, Suzie hopes the preschool will leave a lasting impact on every child who attends.
She said, “More than anything, I hope to plant tiny seeds within the children who spend time with us at Secret Garden, not just seeds in the garden, but seeds of curiosity, kindness, responsibility and respect for the world around them.
“If the children leave us with a sense of wonder, a love of learning and even the smallest seed of understanding about what it means to care for our planet, then I will feel we have achieved something truly special.”
