Forest school is learning in an outdoor environment, facilitating play, individual learning, resilience, confidence and improving self-esteem, whilst gaining knowledge and appreciation of our natural environment. Each session is child led, they choose what direction they want to take their own learning in.  We always have lots of options for children to choose from.

Year 1

Year 1 learn and follow the fire circle rules so we can all be safe when the fire is lit.  We listen and sit sensibly round the fire circle where we start and finish our sessions. We build bug hotels using natural materials and choosing safe areas to put them. We use palm drills with help from an adult to craft. We learn how to safely use the hammocks. We use the mud kitchen to create pies and we play games to encourage team work. 

Year 2

Year 2 follow the fire circle rules so we can all be safe when the fire is lit. We do not walk through the fire circle we walk around it and we start and finish each session sitting round the fire circle.  We use palm drills and tent pegs for crafting.  We start learning how to tie knots for crafting.  We build dens for animals using natural materials and put a large shelter up as a class using tarpaulins. We start to look at trees to identify different types and we start to recognise different birds and insects. 

Year 3 

Year 3 follow fire skills for getting a spark with a flint and steel.  We use peelers to whittle wood and palm drill tools in our crafts. We start to use tarpaulins to put dens up using knot tying skills and ideas where and how to put the den up with adult help.  We use tree identification sheets to recognise different varieties of trees by leaves. We create nests and habitats using leaf litter and wood for birds,animals and insects. We used identification sheets to learn about birds and insects.  We use teamwork for den building and team games or challenges. 

Year 4 

Year 4 follow fire skills to use a flint and steel to ignite a piece of cotton wool, independently. The children use the tarpaulins to put their own shelters up, using knot tying, tent pegs and mallets.  We use identification sheets to recognise different birds and insects, we teach children how to help look after our woodland area. We use tools, hack saw, to cut wood.  The children work in teams to problem solve and play team games and challenges.  

Year 5 

Year 5 follow fire skills to use a flint and steel to ignite and maintain a small fire, they help to keep the fire going for hot chocolate and cooking s’mores. We introduce knife skills after whittling practice with peelers with a ‘try’ stick. In year 5 they will use different tools, a folding hand saw and secateurs to prepare wood from our woodland for fire wood and for crafting.  We introduce different knots to use, for den building and crafting. We identify ways to protect our woodland area and the animals that we share the space with. We continue with building team work skills to problem solve with various challenges. 

Year 6 

Year 6 use their prior knowledge of fire skills to prepare and cook on the fire.  We toast hot cross buns/teacakes, damper bread, roast bananas and chocolates, toast marshmallows, make hot chocolate and other items. We use knives, bow saws and hack saws to cut wood and crafting. We re-cap knots from previous years for den building and crafting. We teach the children how to put the swing and hammocks up safely.  We continue identifying birds, insects and trees, keeping our woodland space a shared area and thriving for all.