About Natural Thinkers
Natural Thinkers is a programme that supports teachers and practitioners in connecting children with nature
We build a framework around what schools and settings are already doing in different areas of the curriculum. STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and maths) is very much included in our approach – as is PSED (personal, social and emotional development). Our training will help you meet the needs of all children from 18 months to 11 years old, including SEND children.
What makes Natural Thinkers unique?
We enable you to teach the curriculum outside with accessible, no- to low-cost activities. We use a whole-school approach from EYFS until Key Stage 2. The school and its community can nurture and educate a generation who appreciate the natural environment and understand how to protect our planet.
How does Natural Thinkers work?
How does Natural Thinkers make teachers feel confident in the outdoors?
Demonstrates how to teach the curriculum outdoors while improving learning outcomes for all.
Uses a 10 Commitments framework to support teachers in developing their practice.
Explores perceived obstacles to providing high-quality learning outdoors – and provides solutions.
Examines challenge and risk in children’s play and how you can assess it.
Considers the benefits of risk to create more balanced approaches when teaching and learning outdoors.
What is the connection between Natural Thinkers and Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP)?
Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP) was a 10-year lottery-funded programme that ran from 2015 to 2025. It improved children’s life chances through investing in early years provisions and knitting local services together. It did this in the most deprived areas of the borough.
Lambeth Council developed Natural Thinkers in 2012 for early years settings and schools. Positive early results led to it being included in the Lambeth Early Action Partnership’s (LEAP) communication and language development (CLD) strand of work.
Natural Thinkers worked with childcare settings in the LEAP area. We focused on developing the prime areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS):
Communication and language development
Personal social and emotional development
Physical development
During the training, practitioners studied the benefits of outdoor learning on children’s speech, wellbeing, and involvement. Practitioners learnt how to monitor children’s progress. They also mastered a communication and language tool that assessed if a child needed further support or a referral to the speech and language team.
Our mission
To empower teachers and practitioners to gain confidence in outdoor learning so that children from early years to Key Stage 2 can experience the benefits of nature-based activities.
Our vision
All children deserve the right to access the natural world in its purest state. Children who are supported by enthusiastic and committed practitioners feel the freedom to explore without the boundaries of walls and ceilings, giving them a sense of limitless opportunities. Being outside and connecting with nature develops our natural instincts and gives us a sense of wellbeing that no artificial environment can achieve.
Meet the Natural Thinkers team
Jacqui McDermid
Natural Thinkers co-founder and trainer
Jo Gordon
Natural Thinkers co-founder and trainer
Camille Darby
Business Support – NCB Early Childhood Unit
Jacqui is a qualified primary school teacher and level 3 accredited forest school leader. Jacqui has over 20 years’ experience developing outdoor environments in primary schools and early years settings. During the last 9 years Jacqui has focused on developing the Natural Thinkers programme which she started in 2012. Jacqui has a passion for the outdoors and how we as humans innately connect to nature. Currently Jacqui is enjoying sharing nature even more with her two boys who love their own outdoor adventures and testing out new natural thinkers activities.
Jo is a qualified early years and primary teacher and has been a consultant and trainer for over 25 years. Jo works with teachers and practitioners in maintained schools and settings in the private, voluntary, and independent sectors to enhance and develop quality teaching and learning. Jo specialises in outdoor learning and has a level 3 forest school qualification. Jo co-leads on the implementation of the Natural Thinkers programme. Jo is very passionate about promoting the health benefits of connecting to nature. Whatever the weather Jo will be running outdoors as the activity is fantastic for mental well-being and raising energy levels.
Camille supports the Natural Thinkers project through project coordination, training support, and promotion, working closely with Jo and Jacqui. With a strong interest in early years mental health, Camille is passionate about helping children build emotional wellbeing through preventative approaches and is a keen believer that nature can support both children’s and adults’ wellbeing. Camille is a lover of the outdoors herself and enjoys hiking, swimming, camping, and generally spending time in nature throughout the seasons.
Angela Russell
Natural Thinkers trainer
Angela is an experienced early year’s practitioner, coach, and mentor with over 20 years of working with practitioners, families and community engagement. Angela is passionate about children having the freedom to explore, connect and grow in their environment. Learning through play with the freedom to be curious, make mistakes while making sense of their world, encourages deeper life long learning, according to Angela. Angela recognises the rich, endless opportunities children have for learning when outdoors connecting to nature. Angela loves being outdoors in nature, being mindful in the awe and wonder of all seasons, this benefits her emotional wellbeing, she is often found outside just looking up and smiling.
Connect
Empowering children through nature-based outdoor learning.
email: naturalthinkers@ncb.org.uk
© 2025. All rights reserved.
Natural Thinkers is housed in the Early Childhood Unit at the National Children’s Bureau.