Forest Schools at Forest School

After a number of visits to other Forest Schools centres, including the training centre at Aldersbrook Primary School, plus our experience of the more informal delivery of outdoor education through the EYFS Little Foresters programme, we were fortunate that one of our Reception teachers, Laura Arnold, has a personal passion for the outdoors.

Laura has taken the lead and is already well on her way to qualification as a Level 3 Forest Schools instructor and a number of additional staff are interested in taking on the considerable training burden.

We have also been lucky that the Bursar was able to facilitate the transformation of part of the Park into a fantastic Forest Schools working area that has been dubbed Little Acorns in reference to the quote used in the 175th anniversary carving in Chapel, “Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns grow”.

The first classes started in Week 2 and have become a highlight of the Early Years’ week. Over the year this will be rolled out to the rest of the PP and PS and last half-term PP and PS pupils also used the space for activities within our Maths Week.

As yet we are not ‘qualified’ use fire or tools, but these rapidly become part of the whole educational process as our instructors receive the appropriate training and gain the necessary experience.