Woodland Wellbeings CIC.

What makes Forest School different?

Our Forest School was visited by staff from a mainstream primary school a couple of weeks ago - one of the pupils from their school attends our Forest School a day a week. After they had been shown round, I said “If you’ve got any questions, please do ask.” She replied, “Yes. Can I see your planning please?”
I haven’t been asked that for a long, long time. It shows the gulf that still exists in understanding one of the principles of ‘full-fat’ Forest School: it is participant-centred. This does not mean that there are no plans and no thought to a session. Indeed, nothing could be further from the truth. Our knowledge of the passions and interests of our group lead us to bring ‘invitations’ or ‘springboards’ which might further develop those interests and passions. The latest guidance note from the Forest School Association puts this really well:
“Often, the most effective Forest School sessions don’t have detailed plans. It takes courage to allow simplicity and to make space for the group to take ownership, recognising rhat Forest School is not abandoned play nor is it driven by adult agendas.”
The photo shows the one firm plan we start each session with: to have time to have a ‘check-in’ with each other as a staff team over a good cup of coffee :)

What a difference a day makes!
The high winds on Tuesday meant we had to cancel our session. Working in the woods yesterday, we could hardly believe it was the same space. Blue skies, no rain, barely a breeze and so very calm and peaceful. This really is the best office to have 🙂
As has been said before, there may be no wifi and little signal, but the connection is so much better 💚

Happy New Year! 💚

It was cold yesterday, but so beautiful 💚

We had a great time last week with Level 3 T-level education and Early Years students from Liverpool City College. They engaged so fully with our ‘deep dive’ experiential day of Forest School. They were able to put some theory learnt indoors into practice out in the woods. Feedback we received enthused about seeing the students relax and hearing them laugh; and about them not being on their phones. As Forest School isn’t just about what we learn, but how we feel, this was great to hear. As someone once said - out in the woods the signal may not be great, but the connection is far better 💚
Thanks so much to the staff and particularly to Kerry Hunter for the booking and to all of the students for engaging with it all so wholeheartedly.
The City of Liverpool College

Warming ourselves inside and out 💚🥶💚

The recent heavy rain has been a springboard for all sorts of learning out in the woods. Over the last couple of weeks the children have been creating a water course; we have all been curious about why water moves in a certain way; the children found ‘wells’ of water elsewhere in the woods to top up their supplies; a dam and a bridge were built; we all learnt (from one of the children) about the first beaver kit to be born in the UK in 400 years 💚

We’ve had lots of fun on the slackline over the last few weeks ☺️

Chilling, chatting, digging, playing, dog walking 💚

Some chilled out time in the woods with our Home Ed group 💚

https://eequ.org/book/tree-id-walk-and-talk-with-ged-11518

Come and join us in Woolton Woods and learn from the brilliant James Kendal from The Woodland Classroom. It’s like walking round a woodland with a living, breathing encyclopaedia! Tips on how to ID, folklore stories and much much more!

Tree ID Walk & Talk with Ged · Eequ A guided walk to discover the wonder of trees

The office this morning 💚