About us

The village is our communal place of belonging. It is the essence of what keeps us together. It keeps us stronger, happier and healthier because we have others to fall back on.

This is something that has been ingrained into every aspect of our lives. Lovingly surrounded by family and friends, we were provided with a rich tapestry of memories. It is because of these invaluable experiences that we, the siblings behind The Little Village Early Learning Centre, have decided to bring the village back.

It Takes a Village...

The Little Village embodies this philosophy in every facet of our pedagogy. We create a platform for parents, educators and the wider community to come together to provide a holistic approach to childcare. After all, it is well known that it takes a village to raise a child.

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The people behind the village

About The Family

The Little Village is our family’s labour of love.

The owners behind The Little Village are three siblings who have combined their skills and passions to bring this vision to you, the community.

Dena Dahdal

Working in childcare since the age of 14, she has been brought up refining a philosophy for the ideal approach to childcare. With experience in the EYFS system in the UK, a Masters in Education and Bachelor of Design in Architecture, she has been able to use her skill sets to create the ideal learning environment for children.

Lena Barboutas

Having also been involved in childcare since her teenage years, Lena’s love of children extends naturally to her own two beautiful girls. As a working mother, she knows what it takes to balance her time between work as a Digital Researcher and family and is determined to create the links that parents need to do the same.

Ned Dahdal

As the eldest sibling, Ned’s love of numbers and math has seen him work around the world as an Aeronautical Engineer for prominent airlines. A father of four, he expects the highest quality for his children and is committed to providing no less for our villagers.

I’m a villager through and through and I know what the benefit connections can have on the body and mind. I believe that everyone that I have encountered in my life has taught me something invaluable. This is what a village is. Learning and growing from each other.
- Dena Dahdal Director, Teacher and Villager

Juggling modern day life at times seems impossible. But in the right village, it doesn’t have to be. We are better when we carry each other through the ups and downs of life. This is the support we had in mind when creating The Little Village.
- Lena Barboutas Owner, Mum and Villager

From Being to Becoming to Belonging.

The Little Village adopts an all encompassing approach to Early Learning. To teach a child holistically we need to approach their education from the individual and then out to their wider world. We believe that every moment in the child’s life will be an opportunity to learn something new.

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