Teaching Babes In The Woods

Louise Nelson at her Outdoor Primary School THURS15MAY25

hen we first broke the news last November that local teacher Louise Nelson was planning to open her Outdoor Primary School in Greystones, the reaction was immediate.

This is Greystones, after all.

And today, we got to see just what’s in store for those young kids lucky enough to get a seat at nature’s table.

Firstly, some background…

Opening in September 2025, The Outdoor Primary School is a pioneering not-for-profit school that will be based in the beautiful 52-acre grounds of SEK International School up on Windgates Hill.

The model being used is similar to a number of very successful schools like it in the UK , New Zealand, Scandinavia and across the world.

Students will learn primarily outdoors from a sheltered, secure area with facilities, whilst we also have two indoor classrooms, rest rooms and a canteen with an in-house chef for hot meals every day. 

There are three main strands to the curriculum at The Outdoor Primary School (TOPS): Nature, Nurture and Knowledge.

We will be teaching in, through and about nature, whilst developing real-world skills and practical tool use. We will have a strong mindfulness programme that runs throughout the day and will form an integral part of our ethos at the school. Students will be taught the same skills as those in the Irish National Curriculum but through an inquiry and play-based approach, similar to the world-renowned International Baccalaureate programme.

Netherlands 1957

Being a Social Enterprise (backed by Rethink Ireland), and not part of the Department of Education, the school will receive zero funding from the government and so the school will operate by being self-funded by parents. The school will be inspected and regulated by Tusla as with other independent schools in the area.

We will be having an Open Day at SEK on Saturday, May 24th from 10am to 2pm for those who’d like to come and check the school out, get to meet the teachers, and explore these beautiful grounds. Please register on the website here to attend. SEK will also be joining the party.

You can find out more about The Outdoor Primary School here, follow on Instagram here, register for September 2025 here, or get in touch directly on email here.

In the meantime, we find out how Louise’s silly but seductive idea for a dream school became a reality…