At OLSE we are very excited to deliver ‘Forest School Sessions’ every Monday, led by Mrs Harrison and Mrs Nicholson. This Advent Term, Year 1 and Year 2 pupils will be experiencing Forest School and we are looking forward to exploring the Autumn and Winter Seasons in our church garden.
What is Forest School?
The Forest School principles were first brought to the UK in the 1990s from the highly successful Scandinavian practice of outdoor education. We aim to provide children at OLSE with the opportunity to learn from first-hand experience in an outdoor, natural environment and have been kindly granted access to the church grounds for use as our ‘Forest School Site’.
Forest School sessions aim to encourage exploration and play in a natural environment in order to enhance and grow child’s social, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and spiritual development.
Forest School Activities:
Under the guidance and supervision of the Forest School Leaders, our children will experience a range of activities that may include:
- Shelter and den building – tying ropes in different ways.
- Using hand tools – including bow-saws, mallets, loppers and knives.
- Investigating nature – mini-beast hunting and bird watching
- Growing and harvesting fruits and vegetables.
- Cooking on an open camp fire.
- Natural art and wood craft.
- Team building games
- Woodland stories
Clothing:
Children will need appropriate clothing for their forest school sessions (clothes to keep warm, dry and that you don’t mind getting a bit muddy!) and for health and safety reasons, children who do not have the appropriate kit will not be able to take part. Children need to be protected from the weather as we will be outside ‘come rain or shine!’
Please follow the kit list below and note arms and legs must be covered at all times.
- Warm base layers: vest/long sleeve top/jumper/jogging bottoms
- Waterproof coat
- Thick socks
- Wellies/walking boots
- Hats and gloves when cold
- Waterproof trousers (desirable but not essential)
