This Term, All classes will be going to Forest Schools.
Our Forest sessions will be on a Friday and will start from Tuesday 7th November .
On this day, All Classes will be going.
Here is the Forest School timetable up until the end of term for your reference:
7.11.23– All Classes
28.11.23– All Classes
The children will not go to their Forest School sessions until after lunch, so they do not need to bring a packed lunch, if they would still like a school dinner.
It is vital that on our Forest School days, all children come to school in suitable clothes that are appropriate for cold/wet weather. A waterproof jacket and water proof trousers are essential, as the only time a session will be cancelled is if it is deemed too windy or unbearably cold.
Here is an example of a kit list:
- Wellies/walking boots. Please remember wellies can be quite slippery and cold, so children will need thick socks to keep little feet warm (winter time).
- Long sleeved tops (thermals are great!)
- Long trousers( same again, thermals are good as are loose not tight trousers)
- Waterproof jacket or coat
- Waterproof trousers to go over their clothes or a waterproof all-in-one (these are ideal!)
- Hat/gloves/scarf/ snoods are great! (winter time)
On our forest school day, we will leave school at approximately 1.00pm to go to the woods and be on the playground ready for the end of the day at 3.50pm.
If your child does not have the correct kit they will not be able to attend the session.
We are very excited for our children to receive this amazing learning opportunity again and have been working really hard to make sure the site is ready for them to enjoy.
We look forward to all the exciting activities ahead!
Curriculum Statement Forest schools
Intent
Elveden C of E Primary Academy is committed to providing a high quality educational experience for all pupils and our Forest Schools provision is no exception. As a Church school, we have 5 clear aims which are inextricably intertwined with our Christian vision, mission statement, physical and mental wellbeing and Building Learning Power.
- Ready to learn: Children have a positive, confident attitude to learning. They are both physically and emotionally ready to learn.
- Resourceful: Children show initiative, asks well thought out questions and are prepared to use a variety of strategies to learn.
- Reflective: Children are curious, able and willing to learn from their mistakes and can describe their progress.
- Resilient: Children are prepared to persevere and stay involved in their learning, even when the process is challenging.
Our Forest School sessions provide a safe and nurturing learning environment through hands-on activities, where these aims are effectively interwoven within the Forest School ideology. In our outdoor space, children can acquire new skills such as taking risks, building resilience, making autonomous choices about their learning and initiating free play with others. In addition to this, our Forest Schools sessions actively encourage all learning styles and uncover ‘multiple intelligences’ in our children, which support their holistic development.
Implementation
Our Forest school sessions are planned to enrich and enhance all areas of the curriculum and take place each week, in EYFS and LKS2. The rest of the school have opportunities to visit the Forest school site throughout the year. Children also have opportunities to learn specific outdoor skills and make connections with other areas of the curriculum. This provision provides our children with an array of engaging activities to support other areas of their learning, such as maths and science. Forest School is a recognised teaching system that aims to meet the intent of this curriculum through holistic and child-led learning.
Impact
Through the implementation of Forest School throughout the curriculum, we have seen our children become more confident and resilient learners, who are also more inquisitive about the world around them. Through discussions with children and parents, Forest Schools has shown to have a positive impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of our children and this effect is now beginning to resonate within the classroom environment too.