Forest School
Our Vision for Forest School
At Ore Village we provide outdoor learning opportunities that are enjoyable, challenging and adventurous. These help to support the personal development of all pupils and foster good physical and mental health. Our Forest School plays a key role in this by helping children:
learn to appreciate the wonders of the world around them and develop a sense of personal responsibility towards the environment
develop values such as respect and empathy and greater emotional intelligence through self-awareness and self-reflection
learn to form effective relationships and develop skills in leadership and teamwork
become active learners in the environment to meet the challenges and responsibilities of everyday life
take on ownership of ideas, work independently, manage risks and apply learning in a real life context
develop higher level thinking skills and the self-regulation needed to become more successful in the classroom
to have fun.
How Forest School Works
Our Forest School team:
Simon Bula-Edge is our Forest School Leader and is qualified as a Level 3 practitioner.
Working together with Anna Shepherd, we ensure every child in the school gets 2 terms of Forest School each year. Over the course of their time at school they will experience Forest School during different seasons whatever the weather! This means going into our woodland area one day a week to learn skills such as:
green woodworking
fire lighting
shelter building
cooking over a camp fire
Children also learn how to use different tools and find out about the different plants and animals that live in a woodland habitat. We have developed an allotment area so children can do gardening activities.
When possible we visit local woodlands, so children can also learn to appreciate the wonders of the wider world around them.
We also ask parents to make sure that children are kitted out with wellies, waterproofs and suitable clothing. Forest School takes place whatever the weather unless conditions are dangerous.
Warning: children can get quite muddy!
Term 1 and 2
During terms one and two, Year 5 and 6 came to Forest School.
In this term we learned about the changing seasons and how the weather affects the Forest School site. We remembered how to stay safe at Forest School when using tools and lighting the fire. We thought about how taking risks is fun, by using the mud slide, but how it can be done safely so as not not to hurt ourselves or others.
We cooked bread, camp pizzas and camp donuts; learning how to prepare food hygienically and safely and to use the fire correctly when cooking.
There was also a lot of mud!
Term 3 and 4
In terms three and four, Year 3 and 4 came to Forest School.
During these terms we learned how the trees and plants around the forest school changed with the oncoming of spring. We started to plant vegetable seeds in pots and discussed how the seed would germinate and what it would grow in to.
We also learned how to light the fire safely using dragon sneezes. We thought about how we could stay safe and keep others safe around the forest school site and when using tools or playing.
Building dens, we learned how to tie different knots and construct different types of shelter. We discussed various types of shelters that the animals that visit our Forest School site might live in.
We learned how to make bread and cook camp pizzas on the open fire and how to keep safe whilst doing so.
Term 5 and 6
Year 1 and 2 visited the Forest School site during terms five and six.
We have been learning about the changing seasons and how the plants and trees have changed during the seasons of spring and summer.
Using the dragon sneezes we have learned how to light the fire safely and how to move around the camp fire circle; red dragon and green dragon.
We have used the mud kitchen to make some interesting pies and soups!
We have made pendants, learning how to use a bow saw and the 'twiggers' to cut twigs.
Year 5 and 6
Year 3 and 4
Year 1 and 2
