Getting Outdoors Ready For Learning

Since school ended in July there has been a heatwave, a drought, a few pelting-flood-threatening showers, and two gusty storms, all with the ability to wreak havoc on any Outdoor Learning Area. Walking onto site this week to check how things survived took a little bravery! Luckily the sun was welcoming and I was up for a challenge...!

The parachute by the mud kitchen was still hanging high, which is fairly miraculous as it's often the first thing to drop when the winds come! However 'unauthorised visitors' had been in over the summer making a mess. Mostly it seems to be children trespassing to play, which is irritating as they never tidy up after themselves. 

Sometimes there are crisp packets and water bottles scattered around. 

Other times it's empty cans of beer and small silver canisters... which I assume (and hope) means it's not current pupils gaining entry!

Other than a lottery win that would allow us to put a secure structure around the entire site, there is no answer to this problem as yet.

The first thing I found was the new and inevitable huge gap in our fence...

Then the evidence of much 'playing'. I don't begrudge the fun, I just wish it wasn't so time consuming making the environment both safe and useful afterwards. This week I have done very little except clear up after the Summer. No real planning, and only a tiny bit of development of site.

Some of the supports for the baby trees had been pulled up as had most of the (dry) willow structure, both required re-building. When it came to the structure I took the opportunity to move it onto the the only spot the grass has managed to regrow after heavy footfall last winter!

It took 10 labourious hours to move over a thousand bricks that had been dumped all over the area, plus the reassembling of basecamp logs and the firepit, and then tracking down the pots and pans from the Mud Kitchen which were scattered everywhere! A day and a half later at least this part of our site will start the year tidy!

Who knows how long it will last!

I also took the opportunity to 'upgrade' the broken bucket scales...

If you have any ideas to share to improve Outdoor Learning and Forest School send them over to Mama Beech on PINTEREST!

We are lucky enough to have two entirely different basecamps, so I had to wrestle the Copse area back into shape too!

The parachute over this basecamp cannot fall as it is held up by a huge tripod and secured with para-cord, however it does rip if strained too far. Plus there's a local cat that thinks it's a gigantic pet toy he can stalk around, and the crows enjoy perching there too, and the leaves collect, as does stagnant rainwater... It is definitely no longer new and glamorous! But it is secure and mostly watertight!

The bees are having a field day in the Copse with the ivy still having a little blossom, which means it's difficult to take children in there right now. The bees are not particularly dangerous, but any children swatting at them are likely to get stung. I'm hoping they'll move on by next week.

Many of our trees are mature, some have dead branches that snap easily in high winds, so the hunt for those dangling dangerously above our heads is more important than collecting up those cast to the ground. It does help restore the stick pile, as long as you win the tug of war with a 6m tree (the tree always manages to either scratch or throw dust in your eyes while you struggle though!). And I had to attack the ivy that was weighing down part of the parachute, and blocking light to some areas, with loppers and a saw. This battle always seems to result in me taking home way too many twigs, and broken leaves, in my wellies, my hair and even my bra! Am I the only one?!?!?

Not to mention dragging old broken pallets, and some traffic cones (they really do get EVERYWHERE!), and a broken cable reel, to the skip.

The bees in the ivy and I worked side by side - no bother. I then discovered sand wasps buzzing around the digging area, hundreds of them. On close inspection they have tunnelled holes into this, our only piece of sandy ground, and it seems to be quite a palace judging by the size and scale of it.

The wasps have an eviction notice hanging over them. Cue specialists with long sleeves and long trousers and masks....

Six hours later the Copse was looking serviceable!

The Wooden Roundhouse was unscathed although the Wildlife Garden itself needed a good litter pick. Next week we start Forest School in here as I will take the classes for sessions in different areas over this term. This is a way of introducing and reminding them of Forest School rules, and how to treat the environment with respect while Outdoor Learning.

The gamble of planting succulents around the pond paid off, as they loved the hot summer and are raised enough to not sit in water when the deluge hit!

Because of the Bank Holiday there were 3 days dedicated to readying the site for a lot of use this coming term, some of this prep involved a meeting with the Kent Wildlife Trust discussing how school could support, and be involved with, the Wilder Blean Project (a little background via our Blog in June HERE) which was very exciting and as soon as there is concrete news I will be telling more!

Next week Forest School starts in earnest. The site is as ready as it'll ever be! If you're about to open up - good luck! The Risk Assessment we're using is still on the blog (short cut) if you think it might help.

Mama Beech has spent the Summer watching butterflies, listening to bees, feeding squirrels, and enjoying the breeze off of the field while she basked in the sun...

Her peace is about to be well and truly shattered!