Meet Our Outdoor Nursery Team

Katriona Arnold - Nursery Co-Founder

Kat brings over 15 years of experience in drama and musical theatre, having taught children of all ages in both educational and recreational settings. Her background in performance means she has a natural gift for capturing children's attention and bringing learning to life through storytelling, role play, and imaginative play.

With a strong track record of working in outdoor settings, Kat blends creativity with nature-based learning in a way that sparks curiosity and wonder. She has a unique ability to connect with children on their level, building trust and confidence through joyful, engaging sessions.

Whether she’s leading a woodland drama game or guiding a quiet moment of reflection under the trees, Kat brings energy, empathy, and enthusiasm to everything she does. She is passionate about emotional well-being, creativity, and helping every child feel seen, valued, and inspired.

Matt Arnold - Nursery Co-founder

Matt is the co-founder and Nursery Director of Hidden Valley. What began as a patch of bare woodland has transformed into the Hidden Valley many now know and love amongst the local community. Inspired by their baby son Freddie, who is a daily reminder of the preciousness of the early years and the magic of childhood adventure, the next step in the Hidden Valley journey is the start of Hidden Valley Outdoor Nursery.

Matt's approach to leading Hidden Valley is rooted in a unique and demanding professional background. For over a decade, he sailed the world in the yachting industry, a career that forged invaluable expertise in leadership, disciplined teamwork, and high-pressure risk management. These skills are now the bedrock of the nursery's ethos, ensuring children enjoy the freedom of the outdoors within a safe and structured setting.

When he's not guiding young explorers through the woods, Matt is pursuing his own deep passion for the wild. He is a dedicated outdoorsman, happiest when backcountry ski touring, climbing mountains, or wild camping. His commitment to adventure was recently tested on a five-day, self-supported trek across Iceland, one of many bucket list adventures he was happy to tick off!

Beyond his work at the nursery, he serves the local community as an on-call firefighter in Grayshott, showing commitment to teamwork, resilience, and service, values he brings to the heart of the Hidden Valley community every day.

 

Kaila Hamilton - Nursery Manager

Kaila has ten years of experience working with children across a variety of settings, as a nanny and at children’s parties. She is passionate about supporting children as they grow, helping them to believe in themselves and to reach their full potential. It brings her joy to empower them to ask questions, make decisions and to take on a leading role in their learning journey.

One of the things she loves most about working in a forest school is seeing how the natural World sparks children’s curiosity, imagination and resilience. Whether it’s making mud pies, building dens, or spotting bugs, the outdoors offers endless opportunities for play, learning and adventure. She feels incredibly lucky to be able to share her love for nature with the children and help them build a strong connection to the World around them

Kaila feels she has truly found her dream role – one where she can inspire children while also experiencing the calm, tranquility and sense of safety that the forest brings. It’s a place where everyone can slow down and savour each magical moment. In the forest, there’s no rush; each day unfolds at its own pace, offering something new and exciting. This environment allows Kaila to shine, planning in the moment and making the most of every opportunity that arises from the discoveries and curiosity of her little explorers.

Nicky Copeland - Nursery Practitioner

Nicky is a highly experienced childcare professional with over 25 years of hands-on expertise supporting families, young children, and those with additional needs. Her career spans private nannying, nursery education, and specialist learning support, with a particular gift for nurturing babies and toddlers through their earliest milestones.

Known for her calm presence, intuitive care, and unwavering reliability, Nicky has worked with families across the UK and New Zealand — often becoming a lifelong part of the children’s lives she’s helped shape. Her roles have included sole-charge nannying for newborns, twins, and children with complex needs, as well as supporting autistic pupils in SEN settings.

Nicky brings empathy, structure, and joy to every environment she enters. Teamed with a love of the outdoors and a childhood spent walking, fishing and swimming in the wilds of the west of Ireland, working with young children in an outdoor learning environment is the perfect combination of all her skills and passions

Joe Butler - Forest School Leader

Joe has been a qualified teacher for over 10 years, teaching classes in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Over his career he has taught in many different schools and locations but one classroom always beats the rest: The Outdoors. 

After completing his Level 3 Forest School Leader qualification in 2024, Joe has been honing his bush craft skills and getting out into the woods whenever possible. He worked at the Hidden Valley Holiday and Half-Term clubs which introduced him to this incredible setting and gave him a sense of the magic that children can experience here.

Joe has a background in residential youth work and overseas volunteering, as well as a Psychology degree focusing on childhood development. Both his experiences and studies have convinced him of the importance of allowing young children to explore nature, conduct their own investigations and learn independence through risk and play. Joe enables this by having a close, watchful eye on their safety and always being ready to attend to their needs. 

When he’s not working, Joe loves to take his 2 year old son out for adventures and they regularly both come home covered in mud with smiles on their faces. Joe is a keen sportsman and loves inventing new games and challenges in the forest, whether that's a new twist on hide and seek or constructing a giant marble run. Joe believes that with the right support and encouragement, all children can find their spark of joy in the woods.

 

Alice St Aubyn - Nursery Advisor & Forest School Leader

With over 15 years of experience working in primary schools, I have always been passionate about outdoor learning and used it as a powerful tool to engage pupils. During this time, I held roles such as PSHE Coordinator and Wellbeing Coordinator, where I focused on supporting children’s holistic development, meeting them where they are, and finding creative ways to inspire a love of learning.

For the past 5 years, I have worked in nurseries as both a Manager and Deputy Manager, taking on the role of SENCO in my last two settings. Inclusive education is something I feel deeply committed to, and I strive to ensure every child is supported to reach their full potential.

Two years ago, I qualified as a Level 3 Forest School Leader, which has allowed me to combine my love of nature with my teaching practice. I particularly enjoy encouraging children to take safe risks, explore their imaginations through the natural world, and develop confidence through hands-on experiences.

Alongside my love of the outdoors, I bring music and creativity into my practice—I sing, play the ukulele, and make up silly songs to engage children in learning and help them remember routines in a fun, memorable way.

Outside of work, I enjoy hiking and mountain biking with my husband and our 6-year-old, and I look forward to sharing those adventures with our newest addition to the family too.