Get Outdoors!

I know I'm not the only person who feels that this last school year has been at least 18 months long! I think the chaos of the pandemic means somewhere in my subconscious it started in the run up to the March 2020 Lockdown and therefore is part of the same time period. For Teachers this was at least punctuated with a either a class of new faces last September, or a move to a different year group, or both. For Forest School it's just the same manic routine squeezing ALL classes into a timetable of four days! 

In 2019 I took on a job to develop Forest School further at Chartham, I had a timetable that included 6 small group session of less than an hour and 4 afternoons of Forest School. The remainder of the time was for site and resource development, and we were chugging along nicely making improvements and extensions to what was in place. When Covid hit it suddenly went to nothing for a few weeks, then started up again with 16 classes, 4 classes a day, doing 90 minute sessions.

Although it feels like a long and exhausting year, looking back also feels very surreal. A lot of the plans had to be altered, some of the site has suffered from neglect, trying to reach goals like the Woodland Trust and RSPB Awards has seemed almost impossible! But somehow we have managed to achieve a lot without really realising it!

I think for me personally, knowing in a 'normal' year we could have achieved more makes it feel like we haven't actually done much. Yet this week I needed to reflect on what we have accomplished for a Governors 'report' and what we think we can aim for next for a development plan. Considering there have been 2 long lockdowns, one interlude, bubbles to contend with, no site management time, and storms, gales, snow, heatwaves, and mud slicks to contend with, we have managed to tick off a lot from the 'to do' list!

A lot of it has been achievable because of brilliant sites like The Woodland Trust, RSPB, RFS, and the RHS who have set challenges you can aim for as a school, and can be optional activities in Forest School. It provides a focus and interweaves to create development of site and interaction with wildlife at the same time.

I'm sure scattered across the last couple of years worth of blog entries I have mentioned all of these sites and organisations before, but here I'm going to list them as recommendation to explore. They work brilliantly for organisations and if they don't have a family option (many do), what they offer is adaptable and just as easy to do with your own children.

Bearing in mind that Forest School is only one aspect of Outdoor Learning, even schools or settings without a Forest School can utilise these to increase the children's connection to nature, to make parts of the curriculum hands on, and to take learning outside more often.

So here goes:

• The Woodland Trust have a series of challenges that you can use to work your way to a Green Tree Award. They also have a fantastic interactive site that also allows information downloads Tree Toolkit.
• The RSPB have their own challenges - some of which WILL overlap. These challenges are great to get the whole school on board as they easily extend to appeal to older children.
• The Royal Forestry Society run a Junior Forester Award that children can achieve. There are six aspects to master and a certificate is downloadable for those who achieve all six. This definitely has a family version on the website.
• The RHS has a School Gardening Challenge which not only helps to focus the tasks, but is there to support those of us who are not overly green fingered!
• The Wildlife Trusts run the #30DaysWild Challenge every year with daily suggestions on how to immerse yourself in nature. The Kent Wildlife Trust also runs a Wilder Kent challenge that other counties may mirror.

Other sites that provide information, support or, resources include:

Eco Schools which help make your building and grounds more eco friendly

Keep Britain Tidy which, as well as their own eco agenda, run a Great Spring Clean every year.

The National Farmers Union has lesson plans and great links during science week.

Learning Through Landscapes has lesson plans too.

Forestry England have a Teachers section on their site.

All of these are a great starting point for getting a class outside, not as an extra, but as part of the curriculum that needs to be delivered.

Useful sites that are worth looking at for information include:

• Froglife for most things pond!
• Amphibian and Reptile Conservation who are also a good source of advice
• The Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland who can be very helpful with flora!

I have to say there are many more I dip in and out of for information. Most of them are very responsive on Twitter and very helpful when I'm stuck!

As always the Forest School Association are very good for most things Forest School, and run useful webinars for Forest School Practioners to dip in and out of.

We are winding down for the end of term. Lots of Forest Schools are heading for a busy time over the Summer. Parents and Carers, Child Minders and Nurseries are all looking for ways to make the most of the great outdoors. So please share this with anyone you think may use the info above. Have a browse yourself, and here's to a lot more learning outside!