Our fabulous Forest Schools lead is Mrs Fletcher-Newbold!

‘Fun, exploration and development of skills and crafts in our natural environment’.
Havenswood Forest School

Forest Schools Intent

Forest School is originally a Scandinavian ethos that emphasises the importance of child centred, outdoor based teaching and learning. It is predominantly a child led programme that allows children to explore and experience the outdoor world through play and practical activities. Children experience the natural world whatever the weather and consequently learn about and appreciate the seasonal changes and how the environment changes over time. Children also learn how and why it is important to dress appropriately for the weather and time of year. Children are encouraged to take reasonable risks and be involved in the risk taking process in order to build upon their experiences and develop their resilience. Children develop their language and communication skills alongside taking turns, working as a team and building upon their knowledge of the outdoors, and learning the names of different animals, plants, birds and trees.

Forest Schools Implementation

Throughout the year, all children at Croft Infant School are lucky enough to be able to visit Havenswood for their Forest School sessions. The sessions are led by Havenswood staff and are great fun and contribute greatly towards the children's learning. The huge range of activities offered include using tools such as hammers and saws, making and baking bread using the fire pit, toasting marshmallows and drinking hot chocolate made using a Kelly kettle and exploring the huge woodland area. Havenswood is home to a range of animals such as chickens, ducks and goats and the children are involved in discussions regarding how they are cared for, including feeding them and collecting eggs laid by the ducks and chickens. The woodland area also includes climbing and swinging obstacles, a zip line and agility courses, all of which help to develop the children’s resilience and perseverance. There is also a practical building and construction area with loose parts and tools, wooden houses, a tree house, mud kitchen and dens, all of which encourage children to use imaginative play.

All children at Croft are able to visit Havenswood three times a year in small groups throughout the school year, which enables them to experience the outdoor environment during a range of different seasons and weather conditions. Activities are planned to build upon progression throughout the year and through the different year groups.

Forest Schools Impact

The children at Croft love Forest School and talk about their visits to Havenswood with enthusiasm. As a result of the sessions the children develop self-esteem, self-confidence and form positive relationships with other children, whom they may not necessarily talk to or play with at school. They also experience using a range of tools with growing confidence, cooperate and work with their peers and adults and develop strategies in order to take risks within the boundaries of safety. Children develop an appreciation of the outdoors throughout the beautiful seasons regardless of the weather, and understand that going outside is not just for sunny days! They also start to learn about how to care for and respect the outdoor environment in nature including animals, birds, trees and plants.

Click on the PDF file below to see our recent Forest School sessions published in our local Parish Magazine!

• February 2024 St Martin's Parish Magazine

Throughout the year, all children at Croft Infant School are lucky enough to be able to visit Havenswood for their Forest School sessions!

The sessions are great fun and contribute greatly towards the children's learning. The huge range of activities offered include using tools such as hammers and saws, toasting marshmallows and exploring the huge woodland area!

Making spinning tops and decorating them!

Climbing, pulling, pushing, exploring and playing!

The children made an incredible den from a tractor tyre!

The children used saws and hammers to make wooden daffodils!

To support their learning in geography, all classes visit Alfreton Park regularly throughout the year to observe the seasonal changes and compare how the environment, trees and plants change through spring, summer, autumn and winter.

In science the children learn about plants, and visit Alfreton Park to identify and learn the names of a range of wild flowers and plants that flower at different times of the year. Some that we are lucky to see at the park include: forget-me-nots, daisies, dandelions, bluebells, daffodils, geraniums, buttercups and rhododendron flowers.