Moon Herbs Alternative Provision
Tuesdays 12:30-4:30pm and Thursdays 10am-2pm
Moon Herbs: Where Nature Nurtures Learning & Confidence
A unique alternative provision on a working smallholding for home-educating, flexi-schooling, and EHCP/EOTAS children (ages 7-17). Through hands-on animal care, food growing, and farming, we provide a non-judgmental space where academic growth and personal healing go hand-in-hand.
Sessions Practical Information
Who: Children and young people aged 7-17. We warmly welcome home-educated families, Schools/flexi-schoolers, and those with EHCP or EOTAS plans.
When: Sessions run weekly Tuesdays 12:30-4:30 PM and Thursdays, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Following Buckinghamshire school terms dates
Where: Our smallholding is located in Great Missenden, in the Chilterns, Buckinghamshire
Group Size: We intentionally keep groups very small (3-4 children maximum for one facilitator) with up to two facilitators to ensure we can meet every child’s individual needs and learning style.
A Typical Session:
While each day is child-led, a session will typically focus on one of our core activities: Animal Care, Farm DIY, Gardening, or Herbal Medicine. Time is always made for reflection, snacks, and unstructured connection with the space and the animals.
Facilitator: Sessions are run by Magalie, supported by a second facilitator if needed. With 7 years of experience running farm-based sessions and a professional background in medical herbalism and trauma-informed support, Magalie provides a uniquely nurturing and skilled environment.
Our Philosophy
At Moon Herbs, we believe every child is unique and capable of profound growth when met with empathy and patience. Our smallholding is a sanctuary away from academic pressure, designed to rebuild confidence and ignite a natural love for learning.
Our Core Beliefs:
- No Failure, Only Learning: Every challenge is a opportunity to discover and grow. We celebrate effort and curiosity over standardised outcomes.
- Connection is Healing: We believe that a child’s innate connection to themselves and their intuition is strengthened through quiet moments with animals and the rhythms of nature. This is the simplest, most powerful form of healing.
- Beyond Labels: We see the child, not the diagnosis. We honour different needs, learning styles, and personalities, creating a space of unconditional acceptance.
- Building Trust & Independence: Our activities are empowering. Whether holding a newly laid egg or building a new veggie bed, children learn to trust their own abilities and take charge in their own way.
Led by Magalie, a medical herbalist and trauma-release therapist, our sessions are infused with a deep understanding of holistic wellbeing, ensuring every child feels seen, safe, and supported.
How We Learn
Real-World Skills, Natural Academic Growth
At Moon Herbs, learning is organic. Without worksheets or pressure, children engage deeply with the UK National Curriculum through purposeful, rewarding work. Here’s how our activities foster core skills:
Animal Care (Sheep, Ponies, Alpacas, Chickens, Geese):
- Science/Biology: Studying life cycles, nutrition, anatomy, and animal habitats.
- Maths: Measuring feed, weighing produce, and tracking animal data.
- Literacy: Writing instruction manuals, keeping animal records, and descriptive storytelling.
- PSHE: Developing empathy, responsibility, and non-verbal communication.
Farm DIY & Building Projects:
- Maths & Geometry: Measuring, calculating areas, and understanding angles for construction.
- Design & Technology: Designing projects, solving practical problems, and using tools safely.
- Physics: Understanding forces, tension, and structural integrity.
Food Growing & Gardening:
- Science/Biology: Mastering plant life cycles, photosynthesis, soil science, and ecology.
- Maths: Calculating planting spaces, monitoring growth rates, and measuring harvest yields.
- Sustainability: Learning about composting, recycling nutrients, and food security
To join Our Growing Community
Ready to See Your Child Thrive?
We know finding the right setting is a big decision. Our onboarding process is designed to ensure Moon Herbs is the perfect fit for your child and our small, established group.
Our Onboarding Process:
- Initial Conversation: Contact us via email or phone for an informal chat about your child’s needs and our approach.
- Trial Session: If it sounds like a good fit, we will invite you to book a trial session. To protect the dynamic of our core group, these are only offered on specific dates each term.
- Offer of a Place: Following a successful trial, we will offer a place for your child to join us for a term, following the Buckinghamshire school term dates.
Pricing & Commitment:
We are committed to accessibility and offer two pricing structures to reflect the different levels of documentation and funding requirements.
For Self-Funding Families:
- Trial Session: £85 (one-off, for a 4-hour session)
- Term-Time Sessions: £70 per session. This requires a weekly commitment for a full term to ensure consistency and progress for your child.
For Schools or Families with an EHCP or EOTAS Package:
We are registered with Buckinghamshire county as an alternative education provider to make your onboarding process easier.
- Trial Session: £180 (one-off, for a 4-hour session). This cost reflects the additional assessment and reporting required.
- Term-Time Sessions: £150 – £200 per session. The exact fee is determined after an assessment of your child’s learning needs and the specific funding agreed within their plan. This also requires a weekly term-time commitment.
Holiday Sessions:
We run special sessions during half-terms and holidays. These are priced separately and booked on an ad-hoc basis, outside of the termly commitment. Spaces in our small, supportive groups are extremely limited to ensure individual attention.
Contact us today to ask questions or enquire about our next available trial day.
Email: magalie@moonherbs.co.uk
Phone: 07950525962
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Monthly Farm Kids Club
Tuesdays 10am-12pm
An opportunity for children to connect with nature and animals. We offer hands on sessions at our small holding, with our sheep, alpaca, ponies, chickens, geese, Icelandic sheep, dogs and cats.
Activities will vary for each session according to the season and animal care needed:
- handling and feeding sheep, sheep shearing, lambing
- cleaning the chicken coops and collecting the eggs, watching chicks hatch
- horse grooming, feet trimming, poo picking
- and anything that might interest the children
Further Details:
£25 per session per chilld (6-17 yo)
or £20 per session for 3 consecutive sessions
To book contact Magalie on 0750 525 962
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