Forest Schools
18.04.24 Willow - Habitat hunting!
29.02.24 Today Willow class used loppers to help thin out the branches, They learnt how to hold, walk with and use the loppers safely.
01.02.24 Willow class have been learning about fire safety outdoors and how to create a large fire. They then explored the outdoors, using communication and great teamwork!
25.05.23 Willow class discovered the art of tree beating and using sweep nets to discover different types of minibeast hidden in the tree canopy's and undergrowth.
04.05.23 Willow class created minibeast sculptures using natural materials.
09.02.23 Willow class have been learning to use loppers safely, cutting the Hazel trees to encourage new growth and providing short sticks for the birds to build nests with.
Beech had lots of fun making natural art pictures in Forest School.
28 November 2022 Oak Class Tree Planting at Cadley Park
10.11.22 Willow class used bow saws to create wooden cookies which they then painted to represent poppies to help remember.
4.11.2022 Oak recreated Stonehenge, we worked as a team and built out miniature version!
07.10 22 Willow class chose a 'special tree' in forest school this week, exploring the texture of it's bark by creating a bark rubbing and a drawing of their tree. They were also challenged to see if they could name their tree too!
22.09.22 Willow class have been learning about deciduous and evergreen trees this term in Forest School, this week the children collected lots of different leaves and sorted them according to their different properties including colour, texture and size.
05.05.22 Forest School gardeners and scientists in Beech class!
24.03.22 Today Beech class created a new wildflower bed, throwing seed bombs in the flower bed to help create a wildlife haven for our bees and butterflies.
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust
17.03.22 Beech class - Spring fun in the Forest!
26.11.21 - The children in Willow class made bird feeders out of wool and cereal. They threaded the cereal and then tied it up before hanging them on the trees in forest school.
04.11.21 Beech class discovered why it is important for adults to check bonfires before lighting them for hedgehogs. They heard the story of Hovis the hedgehog and we then went to find our hedgehog house in Forest School. We then talked about how to stay safe around fire and Mrs Ganley lit a fire so we could learn what to do when smoke gets in our eyes when sitting around a fire.
15.10.21 - Oak took their science outdoors today and looked for natural objects and their properties.
14.10.21 Beech class discovered how Tom and Tessa, our Christian puppet friends, had been looking for minibeasts and had been careful with them because they are part of God's world just like you and me. The children looked carefully for minibeasts using magnifying glasses and treated them with compassion and respect. Then they showed an interest in tidying the leaves, so collected brooms and swept up!
1.10.21 - The children in Willow class discovered some conkers that had fallen from the trees and collected them. Some were still in their case!
17.9.21 - The children in Willow class were given an extra task to do whilst in the forest school liked with our Science topic "Animals including Humans." They had to look for any animals living in the forest school area and they saw lots of little creatures.
Our first forest school session this year!
30.09.21 Beech class have been learning how to carry a stick safely and using their imaginations to find different uses for sticks. It's Not a Stick it's a...
23rd September 2021 - Beech class of 2021 exploring our lovely nature area together.
24th June 2021 - RSEDay2021 - Reception made bug hotels for all the minibeasts and their friends!
13th May 2021 Beech class used natural materials to create minibeasts, we loved seeing so many spiders, worms, snails and many more!
29th April 2021 -Beech class worked together to create their own minibeast homes this week for the tiny creatures they had found last week.
22.04.21 Beech class enjoyed hunting for minibeasts today, they found out that not all minibeasts are insects and looked closely at the features of the minibeasts they found.
13.01.21 Forest School home learning winter challenges.
3.12.20 Beech class have been exploring the changing season and celebration of Christmas through splashing in puddles, painting using rain water, collecting rain water and helping to create a fabulous star using natural and manmade resources.
19.11.20 - Beech class creating wooden poppies to help them remember people who have served for our country.
22.10.20 Beech class have been using hammers safely to create their own Japanese 'Hapa-zome' creations. Did you know hapa-zome means leaf-dye? This hands-on activity allowed the children to discover art as a process activity and find out how the pigment from the leaves transferred onto the material.
15.10.20 Beech class have been exploring sounds using sticks.
16th July 2020 Gone fishing...
27.5.2020 Leaf owls
6th May 2020 VE day style Forest School -We are all so "tyred" after today creating a lovely seating area, building "bunkers" and cooking Jackie's special apple crimble crumble!
2nd April 2020 Forest Schools home learning ideas for all ages to try, you can find more at https://www.wildlifewatch.org.uk/resources. Don't forget to email in your pictures to your class to share with us how you are getting on!
2nd April 2020 - More outdoor ideas here!
16th March 2020- We have been exploring the nature area today after what seems like months of not being able to use it because of flooding. The ground is beginning to become a little less muddy and looked beautiful with all the daffodils too!
02.03.2020 So much fun exploring the mud on muddy Monday !
10.02.20 Feeding the birds - Willow class helped to make bird feeders to encourage birds to feed in our playground.
19.06.17 Making Boats and Using a Bow -Saw.
In the warm weather today we enjoyed the shade from the trees and heard chapter 2 in the story from the Forest Club gang, they had left us a puddle boat to explore , so we tested it to see if it would sink or float. We then looked for our own natural and man-made resources to make our own boats, and of course we tested them too!
Beech class have been learning about safety using tools , they learnt how to use a bow saw to cut small discs and were very sensible , listening carefully to all the instructions. Well done!
06.04.17- Family Forest School Day
Thanks to the free trees for schools offer from the Woodland Trust the whole school and community were invited to help plant new trees and hedgerows, cut back large areas of bramble and help to dig over large areas of neglected and overgrown land within our Forest School and school fields area.
We were delighted to have so many people join us who were willing to tackle the growth and help as much as they could. The children all enjoyed being outdoors all day and helping out, learning lots of new skills from the adults and being very physical too.
Thank you to all who came and offered support, we all appreciate the hard work you did as it has made a huge difference to the area available for the children to learn in through their outdoor learning and Forest School sessions. 
Mrs Ganley x