Since re-opening after lockdown on 3^rd June, children at Montessori Pavilion nursery have been spending even more of their time learning and exploring outdoors. Staff are delighted with the results: ‘It has been wonderful to be able to take advantage of this fabulous outdoor space and to have access to the raised beds managed by Friends of Barnes Common – all literally on our doorstep. We have been busy planting flowers, watering carrot and lettuce seedlings, and helping our community by watering the thirsty young apple trees suffering from the heat. The children have been thrilled by the insects we have seen, particularly a huge stag beetle. Outdoor story time is punctuated with cries of, ‘Cabbage White! Hover fly! Bumble bee!’ as they fly by. It has been such a rich time to learn about our natural world in such a natural way.’