Please reach us at info@thenatureboxforestschool.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
We do not have a set kit list because we want to make Forest School as inclusive to everyone as possible. We do however require that your children wear suitable clothing for the weather, a water bottle, a packed lunch, and closed-toed shoes. In the summer we require you to bring sunscreen and a sun hat.
Other recommended items to help optimise comfort:
- Ski/snow boots during winter to stay warm
- Waterproof shoes/boots for all seasons
- A change of clothing
- Waterproof trousers with elasticated straps (fishing waders)
- Waterproof jacket with a hood
- Layers (long sleeve and short sleeve tops, fleeces, thermals, etc.)
- Winter hat, gloves, but not scarves
- Thick socks
- Suitable backpack that your child can comfortably carry
- Ice pack in lunch bags
Forest Schools is a unique way of promoting learning in children. It focuses on the child's needs rather than the child's ability, which makes it accessible to any child of any ability, language, race or ethnicity.
The beauty of nature is that it is a universal language, and it can speak out to everybody and touch everyone in a unique way. Forest Schools provides access to the outdoors, giving the opportunity to explore risks, challenge emotions and push personal boundaries. Forest School does this by providing unique experiences that children may not usually have access to them.
Forest Schools is a child-centred approach with a respect for the play cycle. We believe that children learn through play and we create an environment that allows children to play and thus, learn in a variety of ways.
We offer a range of experiences each session based on the children’s interests that children can choose to participate in, however, participation in each activity is not mandatory. As a staff team, we engage in reflective practice to observe the play of the learners and adapt sessions to meet their learning needs.
Please keep your children at home if they have or have had, in the previous 48 hours, any infection or sickness, temperature of 38 degrees or higher, or have had diarrhoea even in the absence of sickness. If this is the case, please call us and inform us your child will not be attending the session. We are unable to offer a refund or credit for missed sessions due to sickness.
We recommend that you choose a membership that suits your needs and economic commitments. As stated in our contract, the membership you selected is non-refundable. If you are unsatisfied with the any services provided, we have a compliments and complains procedure outlined in our terms and conditions.
We have developed a range of memberships to offer flexibility for our participating families. If you are unable to attend a session included in your agreed membership contract, we will not be able to offer you a refund or credit for the session. Please be mindful of this when selecting your type of membership with any upcoming holidays you may have booked.
Our Forest School activities are based outdoors, and we intend to run these in all weathers except thunderstorms, high winds, and excessive snowstorms. Because Forest Schools is based outdoors, we do face greater risks due to weather. Our priority is the safety of our explorers. If we have to cancel a session for any health and safety reason that is out of our control, we will not be offering refunds or credits for the session.
Unfortunately, we do not offer sibling discounts as of September 2021. However, we will waver the booking fee on the website if payments are made with childcare vouchers.
We can offer record attendance and receipts of payments made. If there are any other requirements, please get in contact and we will do our best to assist you with this process.
Contact info: Laura Gregory – info@thenatureboxforestschool.co.uk
The Monday bank holiday dates that fall during term time will be moved to the following Wednesday. The dates for this can be found on the Home Education Session Dates document.
We recognise that developing an understanding for the complexities of peer relationships is an experiential process. We will support children to mediate disagreements in a calm and considerate way. We want to foster a community that allows all voices to be heard. We recognise that not everyone will have the same views and ideologies and we want to encourage tolerance and respect for other viewpoints to avoid polarisation. Staff members are available to listen to concerns and assist with resolving any disagreements or concerns.
Before the child attends, we recommend a site visit to familiarise themselves with the area and meet the staff team. We also recommend you look at our website, Facebook page and information pack with your child so they can visualise some of the experiences they may encounter while attending. Our staff are aware of the anxieties that a child may feel when starting at The Nature Box Forest School. We strive to adapt our sessions to be inclusive of all children’s comfort levels and feelings that day.
We currently use an app called Famly, which is password protected and allows the staff team to share photos, videos, and any messages about your child’s daily experience. We also conduct verbal debriefs of the day at pickup time. On a termly basis, we will provide information with each parent/carer about their child’s development and interests while at Forest School.
The staff team all hold up-to-date Forest Schools First Aid and Paediatric First Aid certificates. We have a first aid kit at hand both onsite and in our travel packs that are checked and restocked regularly. We will complete an accident form for you to sign at pickup. If it is a serious injury, we will call the child’s emergency contact immediately to discuss any further actions. We have emergency action plans in place and conduct general, daily, and dynamic risk assessments to prevent injuries and accidents from occurring.
Forest School sessions are constantly changing and adapting to the weather, season, and needs and interests of the learners. On a typical day, children will arrive and be greeted by our staff team. Staff will have a brief conversation with the parent/carer about the child’s well-being and provide an opportunity for parents/carers to pass on any necessary information. Once everyone has arrived, we will go through the golden rules and discuss the plan for the day. The day plan could include activities on-site at Wood Lane or involve a walk or full day out in one of the neighbouring woodlands. All our sessions will include activities that address the holistic development of each child through the space, time, and resources provided by the natural environment. Children will be provided with a morning and afternoon snack and enjoy a picnic lunch all together with their packed lunches. Nearing the end of the session, the group will come together to have a reflection and debrief of their day and experiences, which will help build plan for the next session.
Your child will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of experiences, which will differ depending on group dynamics, individual interests and skills, weather conditions, season of year, and natural materials available. Some of these experiences will include, but are not limited to: tool work, tree climbing, foraging, den building, team games, reflective practice, nature identification, fire building, and campfire cooking.
We recommend you look closely at the payment structure for each membership and choose a membership option that works for you and your economical needs. If you are paying through the website, it needs to be paid at the time of booking. These dates can be found on the Booking Dates Schedule. If you’ve paid the booking fee and we are sending an invoice to be paid via childcare vouchers, and you need to extend the date of payment, please contact us in advance.
Contact info: Laura Gregory – info@thenatureboxforestschool.co.uk
The Nature Box Forest School strive to create a programme that is accessible to as many children as possible. We have a designated SENDCo, Anna King, for the organisation that will communicate directly with parents/carers and their children before they begin their sessions to create an action plan to ensure any necessary accommodations can be met. The staff team, including the Home-Education Coordinator and SENDCo, will discuss any alterations or additional supports necessary to ensure each child has a safe and enriching experience.
Contact Information: Anna King – Anna@thenatureboxforestschool.co.uk
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The Nature Box Forest School Ltd
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