Meet the Team
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Abi Brown
TINY WILDS LEADER & MANAGER
WISE, CALM, UNDERSTANDING
Along with Abi’s many years of experience teaching in conventional primary and early years settings, she specialised in Steiner education during her training and has a real and applied passion for a broader and more progressive approach to teaching.
Consistently calm, understanding and respectful with the children, Abi is a safe place for everyone. Her positive leadership is an inspiration to the children, parents and all those that works with her.
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Mike Gilpin
TINY WILDS TEACHING ASSISTANT
CONNECTED, STEADY, GENTLE
With a background in music and theatre, Mike is a wonderful storyteller and a strong believer in the power of creative expression to open up pathways of curiosity. A font of fun facts for curious minds and a magnet to the children, he connects with them individually and holds space for them to be themselves.
In the quiet moments when the children are at play, Mike will often accompany them with beautiful guitar music.
Mike has a strong passion for nature connection and the role it can play in a child’s physical and emotional development. He loves to take the children out into the wild woods to see what unfolds from their imaginations.
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Amber Murphy
TEENY TINY WILDS LEADER
IMAGINATIVE, KIND, CREATIVE
Amber is an experienced childminder, and spent 8 years working alongside her parents in their childminding setting in London before moving to Dartmoor.
Following a year of travelling around Asia, Amber recently settled in Devon where she spent many summers as a child. Drawn to the magic and mystery of the land here, Amber loves taking the children on walks to discover pixies and fairies. She has always taken a holistic approach to health and wellbeing and is wonderful at nurturing and caring for the two year olds she looks after.
Having studied art at The Brit School, Amber loves to incorporate creativity into all her practices. She also DJs and hopes to start producing music for the children to listen and dance to.
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Cat Law
MAGIC MIGHTIES TEACHER (7+)
DEDICATED, COMPASSIONATE, COLLABORATIVE
Cat’s Education Degree research proved to her that children’s learning is enriched and stimulated from physical and mental encounters with nature. Cat's main focus is that children love being at school, love nature and love learning; to be confident and caring and grow in their community and beyond. Cat is interested in the Te Whāriki approach to education, where learning can emerge intuitively and be woven together by the people and place of each unique setting.
She came to primary education with an artist background incorporating her creative practice into her teaching. Cat believes that art can be a powerful tool to channel children’s instinctive creativity which can enhance self-discipline learning within all areas. Cat believes that by stimulating children’s creative thinking this can can encourage their curiosity and develop their questioning and critical thinking.
Cat’s love of teaching started with her own three children. When not cultivating her Dartmoor food forest with her partner, she can be found wandering Devon and Cornwall, foraging for materials and inspiration and plunging in its rivers and the sea.
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Robyn Brock
PRIMARY LEADER, MIGHTY WILDS
EXPERIENCED, COMMITTED, FUN
Robyn is an experienced and nurturing primary educator, with a passion for outdoor learning and focusing on the individual needs of each of her pupils.
Proud Mum of two fully grown ‘outdoor’ boys, Sam, a chef and forager and Ben a tree surgeon and arborist, Robyn values the opportunities that teaching and learning in an outdoor environment can bring to the foundation years. With the small Mighty Wilds class numbers, she is able to focus her passion for the wonderful world we live in to her teaching and spend her time understanding and answering the needs and interests of each child.
She originally qualified as a veterinary nurse before becoming a teacher where she had many years educating in a variety of mainstream schools, as well as specialising in early years. More recently, working in childcare at a rewilding project in Cornwall, Robyn relishes the chance at Mighty Wilds to include her experience of teaching early years, as well as her knowledge of the flora and fauna together in this enriching environment.
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Laurel Nicholson
TEENY TINY WILDS LEADER
ARTISTIC, COMPOSED, KIND
Laurel is full of creativity and curiosity. She has supported learners with additional needs to access education, taught art, and worked alongside people in challenging circumstances — always with compassion and a belief in the potential of each person she meets.
Passionate about child development and celebrating every child’s authentic self, she brings warmth, joy, and a big imagination wherever she goes. In her own time, Laurel loves making her own clothes, exploring new ideas, and thinking outside the box.
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Lily Lawson-O'neil
PARENT, FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
VISIONARY, LOVING, THOUGHTFUL
Tiny Wilds was born from Lily’s vision and commitment to a nurturing and expansive early education for her children.
Along with her husband Leo, Lily founded Beden, a community for independent creatives and their families on the edge of Dartmoor.
Their farm at Beden is the perfect location to offer children a wild and free early years experience, nestled in an ancient wooded river valley and surrounded by 8 of Dartmoors beautiful tors.
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Emily Revill
MARKETING LEAD, PARENT LIASON & ADMISSIONS
CREATIVE, PERSONABLE, ORGANISED
Emily has been a huge addition to the Tiny Wilds management team, taking the lead on all marketing initiatives. Wearing many hats, Emily is also the Parent Liaison and deals with admissions for Tiny Wilds.
A lover of natural fibres, sustainable fashion, organic food, earthy interiors and hosting events, Emily set up and runs the ever growing and popular Bebe Wilds, baby and toddler group at Tiny Wilds.
When she’s not conjuring up beautiful instagram reels, taking photos or writing punchy copy, you’ll find her doing DIY and painting at her farm or relaxing in the sauna in her garden.
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Kristina Georgiou
TEACHING ASSISTANT, MIGHTY WILDS
MUSICAL, MOTHERLY, MAGICAL
Kristina has many wonderful talents and skills, including cookery, music, foraging and art.
In the past, Kristina has run her own food events company, and travelled extensively to offer up delicious food inspired by her Mediterranean and Cypriot roots.
A mother as well as teacher, Kristina spends time with many of the children at Tiny Wilds, running sessions on gardening, music and art.
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YOU?
Check out our opening positions here
Visiting Experts
WILL WHITMORE
TALENTED, CREATIVE AND GENTLE
Each term we have a visiting expert, who comes to share their passion and expertise with the children.
This term Mighty Wilds are lucky enough to be Playing with Clay with Will Whitmore
The children will be making tiles and pinch pots this half term and then glazing and firing their creations in the Tiny Wilds kiln.
LILY AISBITT - WAUGH
SKILLED, INSPIRING AND KIND
Handweaver, spinner and natural dyer, Lily will be taking the children on a magical journey learning the skills of her craft.
From rug making to tapestries, Lily is very drawn to the scenery and rich land of her studio and home on Dartmoor.
