Forest School
Wishing you all a blessed and peaceful Easter.
I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
John 11:25
No winter lasts forever : no spring skips it's turn.
Hal Borland
Hello and welcome to the St Michael's Forest School page.
Here, you will be able to find information about our Forest School activities and club. Each term, children from two classes will attend Forest School every week. A number of other children will also visit our Forest School in a nurturing capacity. The activities involved serve to enhance and support our creative, diverse and interesting curriculum for all children at St Michael's.
In Term 5 it will be the turn of Reception and Nursery to attend Forest School sessions. They will be engaging in a range of activities as well as having fun and enjoying the outdoor environment.
It is advisable for the children to bring a pair of wellington boots or other sturdy footwear for their sessions, although we generally have a good supply of spare wellingtons should your child need to borrow some. A waterproof coat with hood is also a good idea as preparation and the correct clothing means we can have fun outside whatever the weather!
Forest School Club will be for KS2 children this term. It will be held on Wednesdays, after school until 4.30pm. Children attending are more than welcome to bring a change of clothes and appropriate footwear.,
WANTED!!
Wellingtons in sizes 4,5,6,7
(metric 38,39,40,41)
Please donate to the school office.
Many thanks!
(And thank you so much to those who have already donated! We really appreciate it)!
Forest School Friends are children who demonstrate a great understanding of Forest School ethos and principles. As such, they are good role models to the rest of their class when visiting our forest area outside their specified Forest School sessions.
Mrs Rogazinska has been busy again! She has created a super forest building for us all to share! Thank you so much!
Children in our Nursery had fun looking for signs of Spring. They found flowers, worms, woodlice, a bee and other minibeasts during their search.
During Forest School Club, the children were inspired by the newly hatched chicks to make their own. Of course, the children were eager to show off their creations!
Elsewhere, some of the children enjoyed using eggs on spoons in different poses to challenge their balancing skills.
While the children in Year 5 worked together to create some beautiful Easter Gardens. (Please see above).
Year 6 also enjoyed the peace of our forest area to create beautiful Easter gardens.
Children in Year 5 used palm drivers to make a wooden token, decorating appropriately for Easter.
To celebrate the coming of St. Patrick's Day, the children attending Forest School Club made leprechaun wands, enjoyed a leprechaun hunt and planted Shamrock seeds, decorating the pots in traditional Irish colours!
La fheile Padraig sona dhuit if you are celebrating St Patrick's Day!
The children worked in teams to create amazing art work inspired by Andy Goldsworthy.
As we start our journey into Lent, where better to immerse ourselves in our faith and spiritual reflection than outside among God's glorious creations.
Gong hey fat choi! Thinking about the approaching Chinese New Year, some children explored using chopsticks to manipulate a variety of objects while others designed and made Chinese pellet drums.
At Forest School Club the children learned how to boil water using a Kelly Kettle. They were extremely sensible and aware of the possible danger and safety aspects needed. A lovely cup of hot chocolate was a just reward!
Year 4 had an interesting week making Tesserae pictures and patterns using natural materials.
While Year 3 enjoyed practising knots... a human knot...
... and an underhand knot which is the basic knot used when tying shoelaces etc.
As it was Squirrel Appreciation week we thought we would appreciate them further by learning a little about them and making squirrel feeders. There are definitely more squirrels than we thought in the vicinity of our forest!
At Forest School Club the children learned how to make stretchers from materials to hand - just in case an injured person needed to be moved to a safer area.
During multi faiths week some of the children enjoyed playing meditative music. They said it made them feel calm, joyful, peaceful and empowered!
We are very excited to report that we have taken delivery of 30 saplings from the Woodland Trust!! We have ten each of Rowan, Wild Cherry and, my favourite, Silver Birch. Because of existing conditions and the canopy in our school forest area, it is not suitable to plant the saplings there. Instead, we are going to plant them around the school grounds and also on the field next to St. Michaels, which is owned by St. Michael's Church. With a little care and attention, these saplings should grow to provide some shade and privacy as well as to support some of our local wildlife and our own wellbeing. Father Peter came along during National Tree Week to help us plant some of the saplings, saying a blessing over them.
Woods and trees are essential.
For people. For wildlife. For life.
During Anti-bullying week, the children in Forest School Club decorated stones with kind words and placed them carefully in the forest area.
We have been having so much fun with our new Hoop La game! Thank you for making it Mrs Rogazinska!
We remembered those who have fallen in war and conflict .
Children in the Reception classes had a lot of fun creating firework pictures in the forest!
This week the children in YR and Nursery have been exploring the forest, learning how to keep safe - and having fun!
These are Worry Dolls which some of the children made during World mental Health Day. Something of their own making that they can talk to if they feel anxious.
The children in Year 1 made their own Forest Friend, a bit like a Worry Doll, to help them during any anxious moments.
During Space Week, children in Year 1 created their own, new planet using interesting things they found in the forest.
While children in Y2 made their own planets using card and wool.
During International Languages Day, the children sang French songs and played Boules.
Some of the children have been looking after our Reflection Area.
It is starting to look truly beautiful now. Many, many thanks to those of you who brought in plants and flowers - we really appreciate it!
What we got up to last year in Forest School.
Children attending the Forest School Club made their own paintbrushes using sticks, leaves, feathers and other natural materials. (Finger painting is also great fun)!
The Year 6 children have been using compasses to find their way around the forest, looking for clues and completing challenges.
They have also been playing games, building dens and generally chilling out!
Meanwhile, some of our nurture children enjoyed using their imaginations and natural resources to make forest faces!
This week its all about bees ! Saturday 19th May is National Bee Day so the children in Early Years have been learning just how important bees are to our environment. They have enjoyed painting on wood to create their own swarm! (We also talked about ladybirds and how they eat the little green aphids on our plants).
This week is Hedgehog Awareness Week. We all think how cute they are but hedgehog numbers are seriously dwindling due to many factors such as laying Astro turf and paving over gardens, overuse of pesticides and increased traffic and road systems. The children enjoyed making hedgehogs from clay and natural materials.
Our cross is finished! Children across the school have contributed by painting small pictures. The cross now hangs in our outdoor Reflection Area.
World Earth Day
April 22nd was World Earth Day and the children in Forest School Club celebrated by making a huge 'B-earthday' cake as well as singing 'Happy B-earthday'! We talked about how important it is to look after our world.
The Coronation of King Charles III. We were very busy preparing for the coronation! Planting, gardening, painting and making sumptuous jewellery fit for a King...and Queen!
As we journey with Jesus to his cross, death and resurrection let us open our hearts and welcome him in. Wishing you a very happy, restful and blessed Easter.
There is always time to have fun in the forest with a seasonal Easter Bunny Paw Print Hunt!
I never tire of making and enjoying Easter Gardens and it seems the children feel the same.
The children have been busy painting small pictures on wood. The idea is to put them together to make a large, beautiful, colourful cross to put up in the forest.
FOREST SCHOOL FRIENDS
These are children who have been chosen because of their understanding and appreciation of the ethos and principles of Forest School. They will be working together with our Eco Warriors throughout the year to look after and enhance our natural school environment. They will also be good role models to their peers and other school members when visiting our forest area for various learning activities and opportunities, demonstrating appropriate behaviour and expectations.
YR - Tommy and Zena Y1- Caleb and Georgia Y2- Ellie-Mae and Norah Y3 - Tianna and Shifa
Y4 - Zayn and Shloka Y5 - Perrine and Beau Y6 - Alayna and Shalom
Well! What a turnaround in the weather! From watching the blossom start to appear to wrapping up warm again and playing in the snow! The children have been busy!
The animals have been busy too! Whose footprints are these?
A squirrel's!
Term 4 is one of my favourite terms of the year! As we enter Lent and remember the events leading up to and including the death and ressurection of Jesus, we can also wonder at the beautiful and amazing things that happen in God's world. Nature is waking up and preparing to dazzle and astound us with it's glory. Things are happening in our school 'forest' too!
We had such an enjoyable time during Children's Mental Health Week! We meditated, hugged trees and generally chilled out. It was great to have some parents join us in our Forest School for some relaxing activities and hot chocolate!
Year 3 have been practising and perfecting knots and lashing.
Year 4 have been making their own versions of dream catchers.
It has been so cold that we decided to feed the birds - although we saw the squirrels enjoying a nibble at the food too!!
We also explored how different the forest is during the frosty weather conditions. We found some ice in the mud kitchen and enjoyed the different sounds we could make on the extremely hard ground.
This is the Forest School Club project for this term...can you tell what it is going to be? (Minus the hat)!
The children had fun tying themselves into a human knot...then trying to undo it without letting go of each others hands! It was much harder than it sounds but was also great fun!
Remembrance Day
Well-being and Forest School
We hear time and time again that being outside is good for our general well being - and it's true! Here is what some of our children say about being outside in our 'forest'.
Ayushi "The rain is beautiful".
Dragos "I like the rain because it makes plants grow, then we get things to eat".
Gabriel "I am super happy because I like all the trees".
Harvey "The sun makes me feel good".
Caleb "Forest School is calm and relaxing".
Juna "Nature makes me feel calm".
Victor "I am happy, respecting Mother Nature"
Charlene "I feel overjoyed as I get to see what nature is like".
Theo "I like being with nature. I feel happy".
Levi " Climbing trees makes me feel powerful like Spiderman".
Seweryn "I get to make things and spend time with my friends. It makes me happy".
Lewis "It's calm - I feel calm and I can make stuff".
Abraham "It's peaceful".
October the 7th was World Smile Day where we were encouraged to do a simple act of kindness for someone to make them smile. Some children found this really easy to do by making clay smiles and sharing their creation with others. Click on the document and take a look - it certainly made me smile!!
At the beginning of Term 1, we were saddened to hear of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In her honour, the children from Forest School Club made tributes using various materials.
Children in Year 1 have been excited to find important features in our forest area which help with following instructions and directions.
What happened last year at St Michael's Forest School.
We were excited to announce the arrival of a mud kitchen to our Forest School area! Many thanks to Mrs Rogazinska for making it during the school break. I am sure the children will enjoy using it!
The nursery children enjoyed collecting natural items safely to make pictures. They also remembered to wash their hands afterwards!
During the warm weather in Term 5, the children have enjoyed a variety of activities. From painting on wood and weaving Mandala patterns to team and group games and activities. Following our progression of skills, both Year 5 and Year R have enjoyed Scavenger Hunts!
YR used pictorial clues to find objects, collecting them in small bags.
Year 5 used written, cryptic clues to find objects during their Scavenger Hunt. It made them think and it sometimes helps to ask a friend!
Did you know that Friday, 22nd of April was Earth Day? To celebrate this, the children attending our Forest School Club made an Earth Day Birthday cake using mud, sticks, stones and leaves. They had a great time collecting all the resources then making and decorating the cake! They then found sticks and stones to bang together, making lots of noise as they sang 'Happy Birthday'! As our planet is more than 4.54 billion years old we decided not to use any candles!
Checkout the documents below to find out more about the benefits and ethos of Forest School at St Michael's.