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Eastleigh Borough Council
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  5. Little Owls woodland pre-school

Little Owls woodland pre-school

Our pre-school for children aged two to four years old, is based in the woodland; the perfect location for children to grow, learn and play

Little Owls woodland pre-school

  • Forest School Kindergarten, Itchen Valley Country Park, Allington Lane, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 3HQ
  • Telephone: 07774 336750
  • Email: carolinefox@youthoptions.co.uk

"Children gain exceptional levels of confidence and a very positive attitude to learning"

"Staff blend outdoor learning practices seamlessly with the Early Years Foundation Stage so that children benefit from a wide range of stimulating learning experiences."

GOOD with OUTSTANDING for Personal Development, Behaviour and Welfare - Ofsted May 2016 report (OFSTED Registered EY478725)


We are working with charity Youth Options who are now managing our Little Owls and Forest School programmes. The organisation have been working with children since 1937 and have built an enviable reputation for excellence in this area. 

In a 2016 report it was found that 91% of children aged two to four are currently not meeting the UK physical activity guidelines for their age group of three hours of activity a day.

Our pre-school is based in the woodland; the perfect location for children to be outside, running around, playing and learning.

Whilst the children are outside all the time, we do have an indoor space, and an intermediate area with decking and a corrugated plastic roof over; which is where the children usually sit to have their lunch.

Children are outside in all weathers so we encourage parents to invest in some good footwear and waterproofs and to dress children in layers for the winter. The only weather that sees us head indoors is lightning and Gale Force 6 winds - then we evacuate to the Highwood Barn Visitor Centre where we have tables, chairs and resources.

We use an online tool called Tapestry for all our Early Years Foundation Stage assessment; this allows us to upload photos and comments during the day. Parents have access via secure logins and to add messages of their own from the comfort of their home. We also encourage parents to let us know what children are doing at home

Forest School programmes

  • Forest School
YO Logo Colour_0.png

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In this section

Itchen Valley Country Park
  • Things to do at Itchen Valley Country Park
  • Paw and cyclist friendly
  • Hire our space for parties
  • Barbecues
  • Educational visits
  • Forest School
  • Little Owls woodland pre-school
  • Wildlife, habitat and heritage
  • Sustainability at Itchen Valley Country Park
  • Become a countryside volunteer

Contact details

  • Eastleigh Borough Council, Eastleigh House, Upper Market Street, Eastleigh, SO50 9YN
  • Telephone: 023 8068 8000

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