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Trotts Hill Primary School and Nursery

Forest School

Welcome to Trotts Hill Forest School!

Forest school is founded on a set of Principles determined by the Forest School Association. These are:

Principle 1: Forest School is a long-term process of frequent and regular sessions in a woodland or natural environment, rather than a one-off visit. Planning adaptation, observations and reviewing are integral elements of Forest School

Principle 2: Forest School takes place in a woodland or natural wooded environment to support the development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world.

Principle 3: Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all those involved, fostering resilient, confident, and creative learners.

Principle 4: Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.

Principle 5: Forest School is run by qualified Forest School Practitioners who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.

Principle 6: Forest School uses a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for development and learning.

 

In our Forest School, we offer the children a regular session in all but extreme weathers, over the whole of the academic year to enable the children to experience all seasons. We are lucky to have our own woodland area on site, together with a log circle which we use for reflection at the end of the session.

Each session begins with a reminder of the boundaries of Forest School, physical as well as behaviour expectations, then we go on to play a game or a short activity. This is followed by time when the children can choose to participate in an adult led activity and/or play in the woodland area either climbing trees, making dens, searching for bugs or by using their own creativity and imagination. Examples of activities include grass weaving, natural art, happizome (using a hammer to “dye” fabric using leaves) and magic wands, which will be modelled by the Leader for children to then complete independently (with supervision), should they wish to do so. Once children are settled in to Forest School, we will begin to offer riskier activities such as cutting wood with loppers and using a palm drill to make holes in wood cookies.

By this process, children learn to be creative thinkers, develop their communication skills as they collaborate with each other, be inquisitive and care about the natural world as they learn their place in it, develop their physical strength as they move and manipulate objects. They are supported to take and manage risks by using tools which improves their self-esteem and confidence. They are nurtured spiritually by connection with the natural world. Above all, they will be children and have fun.

 

 

The Forest School Lead is Catherine Hunter. She is a Forest School qualified Lead Practitioner (Level 3) and also holds an NVQ Early Years Educator Level 3, and is our OPAL Play Coordinator. 

2024-2025

Year 2 - Week commencing 10th February 2025

LI: To learn how to keep ourselves warm!

Essential today as it was too wet to light a fire. 

Year 1 - Week commencing 20th January 2025

Year 1 helped to spread wood chip around the muddy areas to make it safe for everyone to walk on.

Year 2 - Week commencing 13 January 2025

Today we hammered nails into the wood pieces we sawed before Christmas and then decorated them for a keepsake. 

Reception - Week commencing 16 December 2024

We have been learning how to build fires and be safe around them. We collected different types of sticks and sat outside of the fire circle while Mrs Hunter lit the fire. We warmed our hands on the heat from the fire!

Year 2 - Week commencing 2nd December

This week we sawed wood! Mrs Hunter explained all the safety aspects and where we could put our hands safely. Elliot saw 'wood snow' falling from the branch. Some children knew it was called saw dust. We are going to turn the slices of wood into Christmas decorations. 

Year 2

This week, Year 2 were using the treasures of autumn to make art. They also made clay animals for our habitats. 

 

 

Reception

Year 2

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