We've had a wonderful start to the autumn term at Forest School, enjoying the lovely weather and making the most of our time outdoors. It's been fantastic to watch the seasons slowly change around us, from the leaves beginning to turn beautiful shades of red, orange and gold to the signs of autumn appearing throughout our woodland. The children have loved exploring, playing and discovering all that nature has to offer, making the most of the sunshine and fresh air along the way!

Our new Nursery and Reception children have been settling into Forest School brilliantly, growing in confidence each week and becoming increasingly independent in getting themselves ready for their sessions, including putting on their waterproofs and wellies and taking responsibility for their own belongings. These are all great life skills which will support them in other areas of their life, not just at school. 

Our focus this term has been on developing the children's skills in managing conflict and resolving disagreements. Forest School provides the perfect environment for this, as children are encouraged to lead their own play, work together, share ideas and negotiate with one another. Through building dens, creating games and using natural materials and loose parts, the children naturally encounter situations where they may have different opinions or ideas. We have been supporting them to listen to each other, express their feelings, understand different perspectives and find their own solutions to problems. It's been lovely to see their confidence, independence and friendships growing as they learn that disagreements are a normal part of playing and learning together.

Week 1:

Who says you're ever too old for water play? Certainly not Class 4!

The children had a fantastic time using pieces of guttering, kindly donated by a local resident, to design and build their own water runs. They worked together to experiment with different angles, heights and arrangements, discovering how to make the water flow from one section to another. There was plenty of problem-solving, teamwork and laughter as they tested their ideas, made adjustments and challenged themselves to create longer and more exciting water runs. A brilliant reminder that play is just as important for our older children!

Week 2:

This term, we have been practising how to keep ourselves and others safe at Forest School. The children have been learning what to do if they hear five blows on the whistle:

Stop what they are doing

Walk calmly to the shelter

Wait for an adult to give further instructions.

We talked about why we might need to use this signal, such as if someone is injured, during a fire drill or if someone is missing. The children did a fantastic job of listening carefully and following the instructions, helping everyone to feel safe and prepared while enjoying their time outdoors.

Week 3 and 4:

Weeks 3 and 4 were all about den building.

In Week 3, the children were encouraged to 'have a go and see what you can create', using their imagination, teamwork and problem-solving skills to experiment with different materials and designs. There were lots of creative ideas, plenty of trial and error (some very frustrated children) and some fantastic shelters!

In Week 4, we built on these experiences by learning how to tie knots correctly and use them to secure materials together. The children discovered how important strong connections and careful planning are when building a stable shelter. It was lovely to see them putting their new skills into practice, working together and making improvements to their original designs.