Spring into action?

It's almost May. We're hurtling towards half way through 2023. Yes, it is my age that makes time fly, but so does the pace of life. We're all so busy, all of the time. Once upon a time I scheduled in 'things to do', nowadays I plot time to chill onto the calendar!

Is Spring here now? We're way past the equinox, and the clocks have sprung forward, and a solid 4 months of the year have passed...

It's impossible to tell from the weather, this is Britain, 4 seasons in one day is a fairly frequent occurance, but the minus temperatures have faded in the South East, and even frost has vanished. The sun does like to peek out now and then and it does have some heat in it. The result is a mass of trees bursting into life, blossom like confetti on the breeze, dandelions polka dotting the grass, and twigs retreating behind green shrubbery.

I love Spring. Actually I love all seasons, but I love watching Spring emerge and change the landscape dramatically. But it brings a lot of work!

Pushing back the nettles into their allocated space! Taming the bramble shoots that seem to be aiming for the moon. Trimming the new twigs trying to narrow the paths. Protecting the new elder leaves sprouting from the trunks. Checking the 'baby trees' planted over the last 4 years (over 1000 of them!), clearing their bases of grass and wildflowers and training those on hedges to grow sideways...


For anyone who has experience of keeping a classroom up to date and relevant in an ever changing curriculum, just imagine your carpet needs mowing, the mobiles sprout, the wall displays multiply, everything gets drenched regularly, and you're prepping to do all subjects at the same time!

Meanwhile, small group work has produces lots of small seedlings, tiny flowers-to-be that need re potting and planting out. Ponds need checking as the sun encourages a bloom of weed, creating space for sunlight and escape routes for wildlife, and the birds, squirrels, and voles are all eating for 4

The improving weather means we've had more dry sessions. Sometimes sunny, sometimes grey, but the lack of rain means extending activities.outside of basecamp. Rugs with books, new pathways through undergrowth, and areas to just sit and be.

Year 6 are working towards SATs and enjoy their Forest School time as a release from the classroom. All other Year Groups are truly established as classes and their capabilities in Forest School and grow more independent. Everything feels more settled, which means it's time to introduce new things and to consult the children on what they like and would like to do.

This term is also more hectic than usual. We have two strike days to work with, two Bank Holidays to work around, and we have Forest School Leader students arriving next week to commence their face-to-face learning onsite. Oh, and let's throw a Coronation into that mix!

None of Term 5s specific challenges negates the usual ups and downs of Forest School. We had intruders who stole one of our trail cameras, we have the regular issues of fluctuating winds and deluges, of children's lives and education making their emotions rise and fall, and of staff absence, leaving, joining, and fitting all other responsibilities into days that never feel long enough!

I don't think there is enough time in a week to plan and prep everything entirely. I swear I could spend the entire term 'gardening', checking equipment and activities, developing areas, and improving learning materials, and nothing else!

Being bored is not an option!

So here we go. Spring has sprung and will blur seamlessly into Summer bringing more opportunities to explore and investigate. Pupils will gain new skills and knowledge, and so will the Students here to qualify. We will continue to work together to adapts and improve Forest School provision, through developing the childrens ideas and gaining a deeper understanding of the environment and each other.

It's 'Game On'.

Currently I plan to use the 3 day weekend to see family, friends, and to relax before a very chaotic schedule dawns next week! 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Indoor Forest School

Image
On rare occasions, we need to cover a Forest School session INSIDE. It may be because the weather prevents a session, it may be a staffing issue, it may be an introduction for children who will find the outdoors challenging, but whatever causes it, there are times when setting up activities in a classroom is suddenly needed. I've said before that I have a large IKEA blue bag that I keep certain activities in, these are not necessarily ones I can/will use in Forest School, like jigsaw puzzles, colouring, cutting out, etc. It's fairly quick to add some of the nature table items, bug ID, and bird guides, etc. into the bag to make what is basically 'nature learning' feel a little like Indoor Forest School! One week in December started with me under the duvet with a fever and headache, and a PCR test pending. School canceled Forest School because waiting each day to decide what the following day's timetable would be was too hectic. So once back in on the Wednesday indoor...
Read more

Stormy weather

Image
At the risk of sounding even older than I actually am "We have way more storms than we uses to"! Which may or may not be statistically true, but definitely a lot more have impacted our Forest School since 2021 than before. (Red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning!) Often, these charge in overnight or at weekends leaving me tip-toeing onto site to see what damage has been done. Frequently they gather pace at 4pm leaving the school day clear for sessions, and sometimes, the gods are smiling and they blow themselves out in the morning before the first class is due on site! They always make their mark though. Torn parachutes, flapping tarps, tree debris everywhere, litter blown in, on one occasion a 6ft trampolines rolling across the school. Field... There's the risk assessment required to ensure the site is fit for use, and damage to manage or remove. We're never totally unscathed! Sitting on a plateau at the edge of the South Downs doesn't help. The wind rush...
Read more

Outdoor Learning

Image
In my own head, I separate Outdoor Learning and Forest School.  They are interconnected but to me, FS offers activities and supports what the children choose to do, whereas OL has learning intentions and aimed-for outcomes. Year 3 are currently looking at the Stone Age as a theme, and I was asked if I would provide activities to support this. In doing so I would have to remove the children's usual choice, their opportunity to follow their own interests & learning outside, and the ability to respond to what they discover and expand on it. This isn't a 'bad' or 'wrong' thing, but it isn't Forest School. Hence approaching it with a different ethos. In giving 21st Century children a tiny taste of life over two million years ago the week began with a definite learning intention. I went with 6 activities that every child could try on rotation. They would end up with perhaps 10 minutes at each exercise in life long ago, after a chat at basecamp that explained w...
Read more