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Forest School
Summer 2024
Finally, we’re enjoying some sunshine. Our site has erupted into a green and beautiful space to play and learn. Our trees and flowers have benefited from the (seemingly endless) rain and our pond is thriving with newts, frogs, water snails and other creatures waiting to be identified.
The children have started to do some pond dipping now that the baby newts are growing. Because we take care of their winter habitats, the newts have returned to the pond and the life cycle continues. Learning to protect the log piles is very important and the children learn this as soon as they come to Forest School.
During these months, our site is buzzing with insects. This is why it’s important for children to wear the right clothing to Forest School, particularly covering legs and arms. However, we do realise that some children may find this uncomfortable so we are just raising awareness of the risk of bites and nips. Nettles and brambles are encouraged to grow in certain areas (important habitats).
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month and details can be found at https://lymediseaseuk.com. This is a useful resource, offering information and advice should you get a tick bite.
Over the past couple of months, we have enjoyed seeing the snowdrops, followed by daffodils, then the bluebells. We have reminded the children about not picking or eating anything that is growing on site, without first checking it is safe to do so. Our mint is growing well and we will be making and drinking mint tea (and other concoctions) over the coming weeks.
We’ve recently signed up for the 30 DAYS WILD 2024! challenge with The Wildlife Trusts. This challenge is designed to encourage everyone, everywhere to connect with nature. You can do this at home too – full details can be found at www.wildlifetrusts.org.
If you feel that you could volunteer some time to help us at Forest School, then you would be very welcome. Please get in touch with me, via the school office (office.2560@drayton-pri.oxon.sch.uk). I would be very happy to have a chat with you.
Thank you.
Mrs Laws
September has been a busy month in Forest School
Forest School Intent
At Drayton we want to provide every child with the opportunity to develop a real passion for the great outdoors, through play and hands on learning in our beautiful wooded environment. The activities undertaken in Forest School will also help support the healthy lifestyle ethos we have at Drayton school.
We want children to celebrate their local, natural environment and gain a closer connection with nature, whilst acquiring knowledge about their local habitat and how to look after and nurture it.
Our intention is to provide children with opportunities for collaboration and teamwork, problem-solving and appropriate risk-taking, whilst increasing resilience. Children will be able to embrace the physical and personal challenges that working outside can present.
It is our intention to give our pupils the time and space to develop holistically as individuals, whilst still learning to be part of our school community.
Forest School offers opportunities to complement the learning that takes place in the classroom. Children can practically use their language and literacy skills alongside maths, science, PE and the arts.
Our Forest School pledge
We promise to:
Be kind to ourselves
- Be kind to each other
Be kind to nature