Growing with Avara
Avara offers three types of sessions, each thoughtfully designed to support children at different stages of early childhood.
All sessions take place in the beautiful setting of Dunton Community Garden, with learning shaped by the seasons, the space, and the children themselves. Time is also spent in the Avara vegetable patch, where children take part in simple, real tasks such as planting, watering, observing growth, and caring for the space.
Sessions run in blocks during term time. Families already attending are offered priority booking for the next block for continuity in their child's learning, routine, and friendships.
All sessions are led by a qualified teacher, with a focus on building confidence, understanding, and a strong foundation for future learning.
For home-educated children attending independently, simple scrapbooks are curated over time, where children add photos they have captured themselves of special or interesting moments and examples of learning they are proud of. At the end of the final session, families can join in a celebration of their learning, sharing the scrapbooks together which they can then take home to look back on.
Avara Beginnings (0–2)
A calm, shared session for babies and toddlers with their grown-up.
These sessions focus on early communication, connection, and sensory exploration, with songs, simple activities, and time to enjoy the garden together. There are opportunities to visit the vegetable patch, perhaps watering plants, noticing changes, or looking closely at what is growing.
Wednesdays, 10-11am
£10 per child per session
Avara Explorers (3–4)
A slightly more structured session for young children attending with their grown-up.
Activities are carefully planned to support early language, confidence, and independence, with opportunities to explore, create, and take part in shared moments together. Children begin to take a more active role in caring for the vegetable patch through simple planting, watering, and observing seasonal change.
This stage gently prepares children for more independent learning as they grow.
Wednesdays, 1-2pm
£15 per child per session
Avara Outdoor Classroom (4–7)
A small, drop-off session for home-educated children, guided by two experienced Primary teachers.
Early reading, writing and maths are carefully taught and applied through hands-on experiences in the garden. Small, consistent groups support the children to develop positive relationships and grow in independence and confidence each week.
Time in the vegetable patch becomes a meaningful part of learning, with children using it to explore measurement, counting, recording and seasonal change, while developing a sense of responsibility and care.
Each child creates a personal scrapbook, gradually building a record of their ideas, observations and experiences in their own way, which they share with their family during a special end-of-block gathering in the garden.
Tuesdays, 10am-2pm
£65 per child per session
Parent & child home ed
summer sessions (4–7 & 8-11)
A gentle introduction to the Avara approach for home-educated children and their families.
These small-group outdoor sessions are guided by two experienced Primary teachers and offer a calm, meaningful way for children to learn through nature, friendship and real experiences in the garden.
Literacy and maths are woven naturally through hands-on activities such as observing wildlife, planting, measuring, recording findings and creating. Children are encouraged to explore at their own pace while growing in confidence, independence and curiosity.
Perfect for families who would like to experience Avara before joining our full Outdoor Classroom programme in September.
Mondays
10-11am Ages 4-7
1-2pm Ages 8-11
£15 per child per session
