All our EKO Leaders have DBS certification, first aid qualifications and public liability insurance.
We are always looking for enthusiastic new EKO Leaders; take a look at our jobs page if you are interested.
Natasha Branston, Founder
Natasha founded Educating Kids Outdoors in 2012 with the vision of offering a different learning approach to pupils using the outdoors and natural world to inspire, imagine, experiment, explore, wonder, think and problem solve both as individuals and by working with others.
After university Natasha ran school expeditions overseas and went on to develop educational programmes in deprived areas of the UK as well as volunteering with young people in many different capacities. In the past few years she has gained her Forest School Leader Level 3 and Teaching Assistant Level 3 qualifications to enable her to understand current thinking and processes in schools and outdoor learning.
She believes passionately that pupils thrive in a supportive environment where they have space to think, opportunities to have a go and time to explore and discover things for themselves. The natural world and its ever changing seasons is the perfect setting to maximise learning opportunities and help children grow into calm, considerate, capable young adults.
Amanda Yates, EKO Leader
Amanda is a qualified primary teacher and has a BA Hons in Illustration. She has worked in education for over 15 years, helping schools to develop cross-curricular learning using the creative arts and outdoor learning. She is passionate about natural environment and the benefits it offers to people of all ages.
Amanda has a Level 3 OCN Forest School qualification.
Alex Greenwood, EKO Leader
Alex has always loved the outdoors and volunteered with the Wildlife Trust prior to university honing her conservation skills. She has a BASc Hons in Environmental Geography and Forest School Level 3 Leader training.
Julie Butler, EKO Leader
Julie’s background training is as a Nursery Nurse but she is a fully qualified Forest School Level 3 Leader as well and loves taking children outdoors and creating wonderful adventures for them. With plenty of young grandchildren to practice on, her creative flair and fun loving attitude ensures that every session with her is full of laughter and outdoor play.
Jane Mifflin, EKO Leader
Jane has always enjoyed working outdoors and has set up her own Forest School business supporting schools and parents who home school their children in North Staffs.
Her experience includes nearly 25 yrs teaching Geography and Humanities in secondary schools and she particularly enjoys doing voluntary ranger work in her local country parks, walking and playing badminton.
Juliet Plant, EKO Leader
