Forest School Blog

  Year Five had a fantastic morning at Forest School today! It was a cold start, but the beautiful blue skies made it a perfect day to be outside. The children showed great teamwork as they helped carry water containers, biscuits, hot water, ropes, and tarpaulins down to the site working together to set everything up. Once we arrived, we began with a check-in, saying hello and discussing our feelings and emotions, as well as ways to regulate them. We talked about mindfulness and meditation, then took part in a sit spot activity each choosing a quiet place in the woodland to sit for a few minutes, listen to nature, and be fully present in the moment. Around the fire, we reflected on the experience some found it easy and peaceful, while others found it more challenging. Then, Mrs. Sunderland showed us how to make our own paint by grinding chalk and mixing it with corn flour. Some children even created their own paintbrushes using sticks, string, and grasses! There was plenty of a...

 This morning, Hazel Class braved a very squelchy and wet journey down to Forest School, but as we arrived, the skies cleared, and we were treated to beautiful weather! The children had a fantastic time splashing in puddles along the way and collecting spaghetti- and pencil-sized firewood for our session. Once at the site, we sorted and graded our wood before gathering around the fire circle to play “Pass the Pulse,” where the children showed excellent listening skills. We then took part in a multisensory activity called “Rain Dance,” similar to a Mexican wave, before learning about bird feeders. The children were shown how to use a vegetable peeler and practiced whittling by first using a carrot before moving on to a stick. Safety was a priority, and everyone carefully followed the “blood bubble” rule to ensure they had enough space to work safely. After that, we got busy making bird feeders, building an impressive pulley system in the den area, and playing in the sandpit, where g...

 What a great morning for our Year 5 children at Forest School! The bright blue skies made for a perfect outdoor adventure—especially after being indoors last week. On our walk down to the Forest School site, we searched for pencil- and spaghetti-sized wood, learning about different types of kindling and how to sort and grade them for fire-building. Once gathered around the fire circle, we played a game called ‘pass the pulse’ before diving into a discussion about the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. Inspired by this, the children took on the challenge of designing and making bird feeders using large plastic bottles, thinking carefully about their key features, such as a roof and a platform for feeding birds. We then moved on to tool work, where the children were introduced to their first tool—a peeler! Safety was a top priority as we learned about the blood bubble and how to handle tools correctly. To start, we practiced peeling carrots before moving on to woodwork. Some children chose ...

  Today, the wild weather and high winds kept us inside, but Hazel Class didn’t let that dampen our spirits—we made the best of it! We kicked off the morning by learning three new knots: the  reef knot ,  clove hitch /  rolling hitch and stopper knot.   The children explored when to use each knot and the benefits they offer—plenty of practical skills mastered! Next, we learnt about the history of  paracord , learning how it gets its name from the suspension lines used in parachutes during the world wars. Then it was time to get creative, as the children showed incredible perseverance and resilience while crafting their very own  paracord bracelets  using square knots. For those wanting a different challenge, some of the children chose to use  willow  to make  bows and arrows . Alongside this, we explored fire-making techniques, discussing the  fire triangle  and how to grade fire wood effectively. We ended the morning...