30/03/2024

This term, the fantastics Y1 have been busy baking their own bread over the fire and making popcorn, which has been an exciting experience, especially waiting for the corn to pop in the pan.

The children have become accustomed to handling fire safely calmly, and it has become a routine for them. They have even suggested cooking different foods on the fire next year, such as hamburgers and hot dogs. Year 1 are truly enthusiastic cooks!

To celebrate Easter, the mischievous Easter Bunny paid us a visit and hid a treasure chest in the allotment. The Easter Bunny organized a quiz, where each correct answer provided a clue, and combining all the clues led us to the location of the treasure chest. To add to the fun, we divided the children into three teams. The children did a fantastic job and found the treasure chest quickly. Inside, we discovered some chocolate eggs, which we enjoyed alongside our healthy snack and hot chocolate.

Next term, we will be learning about spring, planting radishes, and observing the bugs in our allotment. A huge thank you to Stuart for his support this term; we all appreciate having him at Forest School.

Unfortunately, due to technical issues with my iPad, I have fewer pictures than usual to share, some have been lost entirely.

10/02/24

I believe the two most significant words of the term were "resilience" and "patience," not only for the children but also for the adults. The children demonstrated remarkable patience while waiting for their turn to cook over the open fire and showed resilience when dealing with smoke during windy sessions. Likewise, due to the windy weather, the adults had to exhibit considerable resilience and patience when lighting the fire.

We emphasized safety around the fire and revisited the importance of washing our hands before cooking and eating. Additionally, we engaged in a meaningful discussion about germs and bacteria, highlighting how some can cause illness if ingested while others are essential for the proper functioning of our bodies. Our budding scientists were well-informed.

During our cooking sessions, we roasted marshmallows and prepared baby potatoes, carrots, and sausages in paper foil, which we then enjoyed as snacks.

This term, during the Big Bird Watch, we talked about migration and decided to support the beautiful birds we observe in our garden during winter. To aid them, Beech class enthusiastically crafted bird feeders using Cheerios and pipe cleaners.

Next term, we will continue our culinary adventures over the open fire.

3/01/2024

During Term 2, our fantastic Year 1 have enjoyed exploring the features of autumn. Mrs. Lefebvre brought her autumn “treasure jar” and asked the children to find signs of autumn in the allotment to add to the jar. She included items like pine cones and different types of nuts that we couldn't find in the allotment. As a group, we named these items. The children showed good knowledge, although it was a bit confusing to remember the names of the various nuts. They had the opportunity to match the treasures with their labels. 

We also read 'We're Going on a Leaf Hunt.' We enjoyed acting out the story together. The children were given the chance to search for and identify the different types of leaves found in the allotment. While a few children attempted this, many of them opted for another activity, which is part of the Forest School approach - the freedom to choose what they want to learn. This term, we all loved the new swing, Y1 has experimented different way of climbing on it . Another highlight was Gethyn (from Y4) visit as he showed us how to make a great den. Beech class has decided to keep the den for next term and Acorns have added some planks and branches as well. A great team work!

Before we knew it, Christmas was almost here. The children were busy using the small bow saw to cut small branches. They then organised these branches to create a Christmas tree shape before gluing them onto a lollipop stick. Patience and focus were required for this activity.
This term, Forest School will resume on Tuesday, January 16th. We're looking forward to having our first fire and experimenting with cooking on it .

A special thank you to Stuart for his support over the past two terms and for agreeing to continue as our Forest School helper next term.
I also want to thank you for providing the appropriate clothing in the Forest School kit. As we enter the coldest period of the year, please remember to include a few layers, several pairs of socks, a hat, and gloves.
Many thanks for your ongoing support

Please have a look at the pictures below. 

7/10/2024

The primary objective of our initial session was to review the Forest School rules and routines. However, our welcome committee was none other than a curious hedgehog. As is sometimes the case during Forest School sessions, the plan serve as gentle reminders that sometimes we just need to forget the plan .

The hedgehog quickly became the focal point of our attention. In order not to scare our prickly friend, we softly sang our Forest School song and decided to maintain a respectful distance. We approached close enough for observation but stayed far enough away not to disturb the hedgehog. The children demonstrated great respect towards our little visitor. Many of them were pleasantly surprised since they knew hedgehogs are typically nocturnal creatures.

A group of children engaged in a discussion about the hedgehog's potential diet within the allotment. Eventually, we reached a consensus that they might enjoy the berries from the bushes and the worms from the soil. Furthermore, we brainstormed ideas on how to gently relocate them to a safer spot beneath the bushes without causing harm. However, when I returned the following day to check on their status and whether they were still there, I found that they had vanished!

The children also enjoyed some more usual Forest School activities like climbing the tree, swinging in the tyre swing or the hammock, digging in the mud, and making potions.

The children's ability to recall and adhere to the rules and routines was truly amazing. I am confident that they will eagerly share their experiences with Mr. Kerslake (George's Daddy), who will be joining us next week. They are all really excited about it.

From next week, we will notice and observe the changes linked to the Autumn season and we will read this beautiful autumn story about enjoying learning, friendship and courage. 

Please take a moment to have a look at the pictures from this session below.