Trees!
It has been a week of trees, trees and more trees! And it was wonderful!
In Forest School children are more confident climbing them, the Junior Foresters are getting more confident identifying them, especially as they have helped sort 210 trees into packs of 10!
We've started on a 4 week schedule where every one of 15 classes will have the opportunity to plant 10 trees each.
Year 1 helped to extend the copse where our hidden basecamp lies, with 20 'baby' trees to include an established tree and create an enclosure with a small access gap
The RHS group, The Year 2s and the Year 4s all helped to plant in the wildlife garden, selecting saplings which will produce a harvest for birds and mice.
EYFS planted a hedge having found the Woodland Trust Assembly on The Man Who Planted Trees (download from their website) really exciting!
Finally as we end a mad week with all kinds of C19 possibilities awaiting to disrupt indoor and outdoor education, Year 4 decided outside was the healthiest place they could be, and created their own outdoor gym. We had a see-saw, dangling monkey bar, a rope swing, a tyre swing, a swing to aim at a tower of sticks, a pine cone launcher, a balance beam and hurdles. They worked hard. They cooperated, designed, explained, shared, collaborated, planned, adapted and trialed every activity they devised. They engaged in problem solving and trouble shooting. They showed kindness and care for each other. They laughed and joked, they encouraged and supported, they praised and helped.
And during all this - staff stepped back. We watched. We observed and ensured their safety as best we could. We helped if asked. And we enjoyed watching them grow and learn and play and develop before our eyes
Sometimes we need to stand away from them and let them explore and discover all by themselves
In Forest School children are more confident climbing them, the Junior Foresters are getting more confident identifying them, especially as they have helped sort 210 trees into packs of 10!
We've started on a 4 week schedule where every one of 15 classes will have the opportunity to plant 10 trees each.
The small groups that work towards RSPB challenges (year 4), Woodland Trust Green Tree Award (Year 2), RFS Junior Forester Certificates (Year 3 and Year 5), AND RHS School Garden Campaign levels (Year 5) have already planted one short hedge to form a second barrier in what will be a quiet area, and one longer hedge to guide visitors to the new outdoor classroom and to prevent the younger children simply running straight to the pond!
The RHS group, The Year 2s and the Year 4s all helped to plant in the wildlife garden, selecting saplings which will produce a harvest for birds and mice.
EYFS planted a hedge having found the Woodland Trust Assembly on The Man Who Planted Trees (download from their website) really exciting!
Finally as we end a mad week with all kinds of C19 possibilities awaiting to disrupt indoor and outdoor education, Year 4 decided outside was the healthiest place they could be, and created their own outdoor gym. We had a see-saw, dangling monkey bar, a rope swing, a tyre swing, a swing to aim at a tower of sticks, a pine cone launcher, a balance beam and hurdles. They worked hard. They cooperated, designed, explained, shared, collaborated, planned, adapted and trialed every activity they devised. They engaged in problem solving and trouble shooting. They showed kindness and care for each other. They laughed and joked, they encouraged and supported, they praised and helped.
And during all this - staff stepped back. We watched. We observed and ensured their safety as best we could. We helped if asked. And we enjoyed watching them grow and learn and play and develop before our eyes
Sometimes we need to stand away from them and let them explore and discover all by themselves
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