Forest School and Outdoor Learning

Practical, outdoor learning is embedded in the curriculum.  Our wildlife areas provide ample opportunities for observation of animals and plants in their habitats.  For example, when studying life cycles in plants, children can observe pollination and seed dispersal at first hand.

Led by our eco-council, children our actively involved in increasing the biodiversity of the school environment through tree planting, sowing wildflower seeds, making bird feeders and constructing bug hotels.  Our work has been featured on Radio France. https://www.rfi.fr/fr/podcasts/reportage-international/20230524-royaume-uni-pour-prot%C3%A9ger-la-biodiversit%C3%A9-les-britanniques-sont-invit%C3%A9s-%C3%A0-ne-pas-tondre

Our substantial school grounds are idea for developing map skills. The children in KS2 apply these to orienteering activities.

As part of their Stone Age topic, we have introduced a new forest school block – Mesolithic to Neolithic. The children explore aspects of hunter gatherer life through shelter building, tool making and fire lighting. As part of the topic transition of Mesolithic to Neolithic, they grow their own vegetables.

As part of their WW11 topic, Year 6 children used our Edible Playground to recreate the Dig for Victory campaign.  The children harvested the vegetables in our Edible Playground, before planting their own crops.

All our children will have opportunities to grow, look after and harvest their own vegetables. The produce is used by the chefs, used in DT lessons, or given to our parents.  As part of our DT curriculum, our school chefs work with children in cooking sessions.

Year 2 had their English topic brought alive by weekly Forest School sessions in nearby Eardley Road Sidings.  Their topic was based on the Roald Dahl book, The Minpins.