Networks

Oh my goodness, what a week!

We celebrated Save Our Wild Isle Week in so many different ways!

In school we were OUT of school, not only taking lessons outside into the great outdoors, such as celebrating the Festival of Holi on the field, but we took opportunities to delve into the nature at Chartham.

Classes came outside to explore their immediate environment by doing Tree Surveys (identifying them, measuring them, and getting to know them), some planting, and getting know the wildlife on the grounds.

Our regular black & white visitor kept us entertained on the Wildlife Camera Trap... and we learned some interesting things from the pictures...

And we deepened the children's understanding of nature INDOORS with eggs to nurture.

We're the first to agree that chickens are not wildlife! However, learning to care for all living creatures is essential to dragging the wildlife crisis in the UK back to some semblance of sustainable.

In many ways Forest School took a back seat and let the school investigate. The children explore with us all the time, and those who had sessions did so again, but we didn't focus any more (or less) on wildlife. 

Instead, we aimed to share the Forest School message of Nature Connection and Environment Exploring with as many adults as we could, to help promote and improve how the children in Kent get to understand our Wild Isle. We looked to the adults.

Firstly we had our Level 3 Forest School Leader students back on site for their Skills days. Increasing the number of schools and settings that offer Forest School, or increasing how much an establishment can offer, has to be a good idea! 

Hosting training was so successful last year that we came back for more!

Along with Robbie from FSLI we helped 20 adults learn a little about the flora and fauna of Chartham, and the skills to identify those on their own sites. They learned a little about tracks and homes, evidence and signs of animals and bugs, as well as how to encourage and support them.

We enjoyed working amongst abseiling caterpillars and speedy squirrels making as little impact on their existence as possible.

Students also got to meet some mean nettles and prickles, some tall grasses, and over a dozen species of tree! Leaves, blossom, emerging fruit, and much needed shade were all appreciated.

By the end of two days they had a much better understanding of how to protect and work alongside wildlife sustainably.

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We also had visits from 20 other Forest School Leaders who came to see our specific site. I know they loved having a look around as much as I enjoy being nosy when we visit other sites! It was an opportunity to share ideas and issues, work through problems, see different perspectives, and hopefully take away something new to try in their own practice, whether in activity or attitude form! 

We weren't hosting as a beacon of perfection! We are far from it! In fact a lot of the conversations were around how we safely compromise around ratios and site, how we manage the grounds, and how we engage staff as well as pupils. Everyone had something meaningful to contribute. 

I hope the biggest thing to be understood by Forest School Leaders to be as well as FSLs with experience, is that we work best as a team, even if we are in a solo role! 

We need to share practice, problems, and praise. We have to visit each others sites and borrow ideas as well as offer solutions to issues. 

We face many of the same challenges, and there are often multiple ways this has been resolved - we need to share these!

We usually plan alone, usually lead sessions as the only trained staff, and frequently work in an environment where not only are we the only FSL on staff, but NOBODY else fully understands that role! 

Managing others expectations, misconceptions, and demands can make them feel unappreciated professionally and potentially impacts their wellbeing outside of work. 

Finding a group of people with the same aims is almost essential to staying sane!! Even trees have a network! 

Save Our Wild Isle Week merged slightly into Save Our Sanity week!

Whatever the personal or professional take aways of the week have been, the fact that none of them are remotely possible without protecting and actively supporting the UK environment is the foundation Forest School is built on.

The curriculum includes this, but it is one of many subjects that children need to know. 

It doesn't underpin all they all they do in school. 

It does underpin all they do in Forest School. 

None of our constant focus on wellbeing works without a natural environment for us to foster it in!

'Respect Forest School and look after Forest School' is something we teach the children.

By which we mean protect nature.

Because if we do, it will in turn protect us.

(I have no idea who to credit for that last image. If anyone recognises it, please let me know!)