Mama Beech

I spend a lot of time trying to ensure the children are capable of risk assessing for themselves. We do have a comprehensive Risk Assessment as well as a Risk Management document, but once in Forest School, this is of little use to the actual children. It's not something I can read allowed to a group so they understand how to stay safe! I try to make sure that the children understand the basics. We revisit them each week and most of the school can recite them verbatim! This however can make them routine and something that is said  but not necessarily adhered to. The most basic concept I try to communicate is this: 'Who is the first person to keep you safe in Forest School?' This at first brings answers such as 'YOU!', or 'the grown ups', or 'the teacher!'. They're usually shocked when I tell them: 'No. YOU! You are the first person to keep YOU safe!' 'When you see a stinging nettle do you choose to grab it, or do you leave it alone an...

When I worked in London immediately after Easter came Summer Term.Term 3. In two halves. Now I work within Kent and this is the dawn of terms five and six. It's the same time period, it's the same season, and it's the same chaos across all education. If you work in a school your year is divided into six no matter what. You are technically at work nine months of the year, but you squeeze in twelve months of work during that time! Summer Term(s) feel the easiest. You've had your class for two-thirds of the school year and you've all got to know each other and the routine. no longer does the commute to school and the drag home happen in darkness. Everyone and everything seems more cheerful. Somehow, in our perspective, this overshadows the end of year reports, school journeys, SATs, pending staff changes, school fetes, sports days, parent evenings, leaver's concerts, parties, and the emotions of year six children getting ready to move on... Forest School remains co...