Looking for an innovative, nature-rich school or home ed setting near you?
If you’ve built a life and work that don’t fit the old mould, it’s natural to want something different for your child too. Cultivate is a small, progressive school near Tring for families who value creativity, autonomy and real‑world thinking. We're currently open part-time for home educating families, and extending our hours in the autumn to provide a full-time alternative to forest school near Tring.
We provide nature-rich outdoor sessions and a calmer, more human approach - one where children spend meaningful time outside, learn through projects, move their bodies, and are treated as natural learners. At Cultivate, that is exactly what we are building.
Cultivate is a small, nature-centred progressive school near Ivinghoe, on the Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire borders, for children aged 6–14 years. We welcome families who are home educating, considering flexi-schooling, or looking for a full-time alternative to mainstream education.
We opened in April 2026 for home educating families up to 3 days a week, and are accepting applications from those interested in joining us in the Autumn, when we'll open 5 days a week.
Why families choose Cultivate
Cultivate exists to provide a place where children can flourish, whatever their unique needs, and to support them to take the lead in their own learning. We believe children are natural learners, and that when they feel safe, connected and interested, curiosity and growth follow.
For many families, “forest school near me” is shorthand for something deeper: smaller groups, more time outdoors, less pressure, more movement, more creativity, and an education that feels human again. Cultivate shares those values. Outdoor learning is part of the rhythm of life here, not an occasional extra.
Our approach is self-directed, project-based and empathic. Instead of an outdated one-size-fits-all model, we offer a calm environment where children can build confidence, think critically, follow their interests and develop real-world skills through meaningful experiences.
Cultivate may be a good fit if you are:
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home educating and looking for community and support;
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looking for an education that values autonomy, creativity, wellbeing and nature;
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frustrated with the pressure and pointlessness of mainstream school; or
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seeking an inspiring setting for a child who is being deprived of the opportunity for creativity and agency in large groups.
With only 24 places and a high adult-to-child ratio, Cultivate is intentionally small. That allows us to know each child well and create a more responsive, holistic environment for learning.
If you’re looking for a forest school near you, and what you really want is a different kind of education - one that is child-led, nature-rich and built around relationships - we’d love to hear from you.
Join the waiting list or book a call to find out whether Cultivate could be the right fit for your family.
The communities we serve
Cultivate is in the Chiltern Hills area of outstanding natural beauty, near Ivinghoe Beacon, Eaton Bray, Berkhamsted, Leighton Buzzard and Tring, serving families across the Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire borders, with some families travelling from North London, Aylesbury and Amersham.
We take an active role in the needs of our community, taking pride in looking after our local environment and the people in it.