Forest School
Education can't always be measured in classroom. Merebrook pupils have many opportunities to learn in different environments.
What is Forest School?
Forest school is an approach to outdoor learning and is about children exploring and experiencing the natural world through practical involvement. Children who experience Forest School are likely to have an increased understanding and interest in the natural environment. They learn about risk and danger and quite naturally become used to looking after and caring for each other.
Experiences
Some examples of some of the Forest School activities that pupils participate in:
- Learning new words and developing communication skills through team work
- Den building
- Measuring trees and looking for shapes and patterns in nature
- Fire building
- Developing skills to use a variety of tools
- Developing knowledge of the names of plants and animals in the local environment
- Creating natural art
- Litter picking
- Bird watching
- Navigating low level obstacle courses
- Observing changes through the seasons
School Forest Learning Trips
Pupils at Merebrook make good use of the local area to enhance their Forest School sessions. Pupils take part in community litter picks, visit the local woods as well as undertake in seasonal walks around Furzton Lake and the surrounding area.
What To Wear
- All children need to wear sensible footwear, ideally wellies, snow boots or trainers.
- Wear long trousers and socks to protect their legs from scratches and stings.
- During cold and damp weather children should wear waterproof tops and trousers.
- If it is cold, please make sure your child has a warm hat, gloves and thick socks for wellington boots, as these don’t provide much insulation and children with cold toes aren’t happy children!
- When the weather is warm children are to wear sun hats or caps and sun cream.
- Please make sure you name all clothing.