Cancellations must be made at least 10 days before the start of the booked sessions, to
allow enough time for others on the waiting list to be given the opportunity to attend.
Whilst Forest School takes place in all weathers, sessions will not be refunded if
cancelled because of dangerous weather on the day.
There are no refunds given for individual sessions missed on the day.
If your child requires an epipen for their allergies, an inhaler or other medication the Forest School
Leader must be informed in advance by completing this information on the booking form, or
emailing kay@forestschooling.co.uk . Allergy plans should be sent to this email address.
Upon arrival please hand your child’s medication to the Forest School Leader who will keep it in the
designated First Aid space/ bag for the day. Medication will be given back to parents at the end of
the day.
Hazelnut allergies: please note we have hazel trees on site that start to produce hazelnuts from
spring. Nuts ripen and fall to the ground in late summer/ autumn. Risk of hazelnuts on the ground is
present year round.
Forest School takes place in an outdoor environment, whatever the weather. A woodland
environment is ideal, with plenty of green resources to spark the imagination: a great
source of environmental and cultural inspiration.
Each and every child is valued equally. Different learning styles and personalities are
supported. All aspects of a child’s being are developed: social skills, physical capabilities,
intellectual knowledge, communication skills, creativity, emotional intelligence and a deep
connection to the natural world.
Sessions are child-led with the flexibility to deviate away from the plan. Children learn
through exploration, experimentation and play. Appropriate risk-taking is encouraged.
When ready, children will have the opportunity to climb trees, learn how to use tools
safely and see how to build a fire, under close supervision by a fully qualified forest
school practitioner.
Whilst the forest school leader will plan a session and come up with ideas for activities
and inspiration, it is ultimately up to the children to choose what they would like to do.
This choice allows children to find something that suits their personality, mood, interests
and learning style.
As a volunteer, an assistant and even a forest school leader, we are here to support their
play, rather than lead it. Sessions will evolve spontaneously as the children take
inspiration from their surroundings and come up with new ideas. Given the opportunity,
it’s amazing to see what they come up with!
Allow them to follow their imagination, rather than encouraging them to stick with an
activity that they have lost interest in. If they are engaged in what they are doing then
deep learning will take place.
Risks are present in everyday life – from cooking to crossing the road - so children need
to learn to manage them. Only by exposing children to risks can they develop an inherent
understanding of which risks are appropriate to take and which are not.
Specific safety rules at Forest School will be introduced at the beginning of the session
and these must be followed. The main risks through play include trips and slips, bramble
scratches and nettle stings. Additional risks are presented through climbing trees, use of
tools, and use of fire, all of which are closely supervised. The Forest School Leader has
an outdoor first aid qualification with paediatric elements.
Children are naturally explorative. Whilst we must protect them from actions that will
immediately lead to a high degree of harm to themselves or others, certain aspects of
learning development can only take place through exposure to risk. For example
navigating an uneven forest floor enables the development of leg and foot muscles and
balance. Most of the time the learning benefits greatly outweigh the risks.
Additionally, the presence of risk can enable deep communication skills to develop
between children, adults and peers: genuine trust, respect and listening skills. If a risk is
only minor, rather than automatically telling them to stop, try to use this opportunity to
discuss how to manage risks. “Do you think that it’s safe to run at that speed with a
stick? What might happen? What can you do to make it safer?”
As part of Forest Schooling UK all of our policies can be found on our main school site here.