Our Forest School site which extends beyond the picture and further into the trees to allow our students to use all the natural resources that the woodland area has to offer.
It has been a busy half term in our new Forest School with year groups focusing on different things and enjoying activities and time outside!
Year 5/6 have been working with natural materials to create Autumn wreaths and birds. They have also made birdfeeders to help look after the birds in our lovely site.
Pupils in year 9 enjoyed looking at nature closely and finding some interesting wintery things, while year 8’s listened to the birds during some mindfulness.
All pupils started to learn about using saws safely so they can make items such as bird boxes and hanging feeders for the wildlife in our Forest School area.
The year 7’s were also very excited to be joined by our friendly Robin who came for some food from our feeders and a nose at what we were doing!
Spring has sprung at our Forest School and it is looking beautiful! Pupils have spotted bluebells, blossom and the growth of leaves and plants.
Before Easter pupils took part in an egg hunt but to make it more challenging each egg had a different activity and pupils evidenced this by using the school phones to take photos. Activities included ‘find a stick as long as your arm’, ‘create a picture of your favourite animal with natural materials’ or ‘look at the clouds – what animal can you see?’
To celebrate Earth Day we have been doing lots of activities to help look after our Forest School site such as collecting materials to make a bug hotel (yrs 5/6), litter picking, making a log pile for insects, making raised beds to plant sunflowers and bird feeders. Well done everyone!
We have had a very successful first year of Forest School and pupils are benefitting from the different ways in which it can support their social, emotional and communication skills as well as their appreciation of the outdoors and nature. In a recent survey completed by pupils in years 5 – 9, the most frequent words they wrote to describe their experience of Forest School were that it is ‘fun’ and it makes them feel ‘happy and calm’.
All years finished the year with our first ‘Forest School games’ – a mixture of individual, team and group events to develop team building, communication skills and fine and gross motor skills, and cooking baked apples and marshmallows over campfires. During Activities Week years 8 – 10 even had a go at making calzone from scratch, cooking it over the fire and eating it with their friends…it was a big hit!
