Leaving the Classroom, Finding the Outdoors: How Ellie Frankling Built Wild Isle Nature School
Sometimes the bravest business decision is not about chasing growth.
It is about choosing a way of working that lets you feel like yourself again.
That was the starting point for Ellie Frankling, founder of Wild Isle Nature School on the Isle of Wight.
Two years ago, Ellie left primary teaching because the emotional and mental weight of the job had become too much alongside family life. She wanted to be more present, protect her mental health and create a working life that felt sustainable.
What she built was not simply an escape from teaching.
It became a new way of using everything she had learned.
When a Good Job Stops Being a Good Fit
Ellie had worked in early years before moving into primary education, bringing with her a strong belief in child-led learning and supporting children as individuals.
She loved teaching, but after returning from maternity leave, the reality of balancing the classroom with family life became increasingly difficult.
“I thought, how on earth do teachers do this with more than one child at home?”
The challenge was not only the planning, preparation and workload.
It was the emotional energy.
“Teaching isn’t just mentally exhausting. It’s also emotionally exhausting because you put so much of you into the small people that you’re teaching.”
Leaving a stable career was not an easy decision.
Some friends questioned why she would walk away from a secure job, but Ellie’s family understood self-employment and supported her from the beginning.
The bigger lesson came from learning whose opinions deserved the most weight.
“I’ve learned to listen to the right people, not the people that don’t actually know what you’re going through.”
Taking Teaching Into Nature
Ellie had always felt happier outside.
Living on the Isle of Wight, surrounded by nature reserves and coastline, gave her the perfect setting to combine her education experience with her love of the outdoors.
“I can use my teaching skill set and bring it outdoors.”
Wild Isle Nature School began with early-years ideas, but the business quickly developed in a direction Ellie had not fully expected.
The Isle of Wight has a large home-education community, and families began asking what she could provide for their children.
Rather than clinging to the original plan, Ellie listened.
Wild Isle now works primarily with home-educated children during term time and delivers alternative provision for children who struggle to manage in mainstream education.
That work includes packages commissioned by the local authority, giving children the chance to learn through outdoor, child-led experiences.
The growth came from recognising the need already in front of her.
Creating the Experience She Needed Herself
Wild Isle is not only for children.
Ellie also created Wild Women, a three-hour nature-based wellbeing session designed to give women space away from the demands of everyday life.
“I created what I wanted to go to.”
The sessions combine nature walks, journalling, simple activities and time to sit and talk with other women.
There is no pressure to make decisions for everyone else.
No need to perform the role of mother, partner, employee or business owner.
Just time to be.
Ellie started Wild Women in April 2025, and two regular attendees returned throughout the spring and summer.
Then they told her they would not be coming anymore.
From a business point of view, losing regular customers might sound disappointing.
For Ellie, it was one of the clearest examples of impact.
They had taken everything they had learned and begun meeting independently for nature walks, journalling and time together.
“I felt like they’d graduated my provision.”
That is a powerful reminder that success is not always measured by how long someone stays.
Sometimes the real goal is to give people the confidence and tools to continue without you.
The Team That Kept the Business Moving
Earlier this year, Ellie was involved in a serious car accident that left her unable to work for six weeks.
Her recovery has been slow, but the business did not completely stop because she had already begun building a team.
The priority was maintaining provision for children who relied on Wild Isle as their main educational setting.
“Thankfully, I had a small team.”
The experience reinforced how vulnerable a business can be when everything depends on one person.
It also showed Ellie the value of investing in people before a crisis arrives.
More recently, she employed her former teaching assistant, also called Ellie.
They had already worked together, understood each other’s style and shared a similar vision.
Bringing her into the business has created space for ideas, responsibility and future growth.
“To be able to share the load slightly is great.”
Growing Without Spreading Too Thin
Before expanding the team, Ellie had reached a point where she could no longer offer every part of Wild Isle herself.
She had to prioritise the commissioned educational provision and pause other sessions, including Nature Babies.
Now, with more support, some of those offers can return.
The next stage includes:
- Relaunching Nature Babies
- Growing the Wild Women programme
- Supporting schools and nurseries with outdoor provision
- Expanding the online Wild Wonder Circle
- Reaching families beyond the Isle of Wight
The online platform was launched earlier in the year but paused after the accident.
Ellie is now preparing to bring it back, with families in the United States already trialling the concept.
What began as an island-based nature school is starting to reach much further.
Building a Business Around the Life You Want
Ellie’s story is not about leaving education behind.
It is about reshaping it.
She has taken her early-years experience, teaching skills and understanding of children and placed them into an environment that allows more flexibility, creativity and connection.
She has also created the work-life balance she hoped for.
Despite running her own business, she feels more present for her family and better able to protect her wellbeing.
That does not mean the business is easy.
There have been moments of exhaustion, injury and difficult decisions.
But the foundations are stronger because the business is built around her values rather than against them.
Watch the Full Interview
Ellie Franklin is a double finalist in The Class Business Awards 2026 for:
Adult Class Provider of the Year
Rising Star of the Year, sponsored by Baby Beats
Her story shows how one decision to leave a career that no longer fit can grow into a business supporting children, families and women through nature, learning and human connection.
👉 Watch Ellie’s full finalist interview here.
Join us on Saturday 10 October 2026 at the National Conference Centre in Solihull for The Class Business Live, followed by The Class Business Awards & Afterparty.
The daytime event runs from 9:00am to 3:00pm, bringing finalists, judges and sponsors together for guest speakers, mastermind discussions and meaningful sector connection before the evening celebrations begin at 6:00pm.
