Home Education Groups with The Nature Box
Welcome to our Home Ed Groups!
What We Offer
Our Home Education Groups are perfect for children who love the outdoors! These sessions are for children who are educated at home.
Our experienced forest school leaders plan exciting sessions, incorporating a variety of skills from tool work, den building, camp fires and much more!
Where?
Our home Education groups are based at Shirebrook Valley Nature Reserve, Stone Lane S13 7BR. With access to the newly renovated Visitor Centre, alongside the variety of natural clearings on the beautiful site, we have endless opportunities to learn about the environment around us, and get connected with the natural world.
Sessions
Mondays 9.30-3.30 - Ages 5-12 Years
Tuesdays 9.30-3.30 - Ages 5-12 Years
All of our sessions provide snacks that consider all dietary and allergen needs and requirements.
Why Forest School?
What skills can your child learn from being at Forest School?
Nature and the Environment:
Your child will be experiencing the world in its natural form, watching the changes of the seasons with their own eyes, and making sense of it in their own unique way.
Positive and Healthy Enquiry:
We encourage children to question and debate about what they discover, and lead their own enquiries into things they find interesting. This gives children practice with their own voice and the skill to reason and make sense of things from what they have discovered themselves.
Social skills:
Our sessions encourage team work and give children the opportunity to explore friendships and developing social skills. Friends who forest school together...stay together!
Physical ability:
The nature of Forest Schools exposes children to a variety of physical stimulation and challenges. With sensory experiences from the weather, and the ever changing natural environment, children develop a strong connection with their own abilities and also with the natural world.
Core subjects:
Maths, literacy and science should not be confined to a classroom. These subjects are woven into every aspect of our everyday lives, and we encourage children to gain understanding and use of these core subjects from a practical and real life perspective.
Self care, confidence and wellbeing:
In a tough world, it is so important to realise one's own worth, value and place. Our sessions are dedicated to drawing out children's true self and ability, facilitating self love and providing the space that is needed for a healthy and happy mind. With so much research evidencing the benefits of nature immersion and positive wellbeing, it is clear to see why Forest Schools is gaining popularity.
Why not try one of our Home Education groups?
Our Home Education Membership Scheme
Choose a membership that is right for you!
Types of Membership
Yearly Memberships
What is included? - Ideal for families wanting to guarantee a place for the whole academic year. - Available on Monday and Tuesdays Only- Can be used for 1 day a week or 2 days a week - 9.30am-3.30pm sessions - A place on our Forest School sessions for the whole academic year. No need to re-book. Childcare vouchers can be used
Termly Memberships
What is Included? - Ideal for families wanting to commit for a whole term, but not the whole year. - Available on Monday, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays - Can be used for 1 day a week or 2 days a week - 9.30am-3.30pm sessions - A place on our Forest School Sessions for a 12-week term - Childcare vouchers can be used (Admin fee will be charged) - Booking for each term membership will be available on our booking site 1 month before the term.
Half Termly Memberships
What is Included? - Ideal for families wanting to commit to a half term only - Available on Monday, Tuesdays and Wednesdays- Can be used for 1 day or 2 days per week - 9.30am-3.30pm sessions - A place on our Forest School Sessions for a 6 weeks term- Childcare vouchers can be used (Admin fee will be charged) - Booking for each half term membership will be available on our booking site 1 month before the half term.
How to Book...
Book through our quick and easy booking site!
Parents can now book via our online IPAL booking system. Follow the moving link above to access the system.
Here you will have access to all our available sessions, access our availability calendar, upload your child's details, and pay for your chosen sessions.
Staff will be able to communicate with you through your account on this system, and you will also be able to pay via childcare vouchers, and request sibling discounts.
This is a secure, safe and efficient way to store your data, and is aiding us to create a smooth booking system for our holiday club!
Create an Account!
Once you have created an account, you will be able to login and re-book time after time. This means you can store your child's details, amend them or add further details or any changes quickly and easily. no ned to resend registration forms each holiday club!
With an account you can also store credit to pay towards your child's sessions. You can also cancel, and amend any bookings at any time.
If you require any support with this, please do not hesitate to contact our team.
Booking Term Dates 2022-2023
You can book our sessions from:
Date:
Thursday 11th August 2022 at 10.00am
Sessions Bookable:
- Annual Membership
- Monday and Tuesday 12 week Term - Autumn Term (one and two)
- Monday and Tuesday 6 week Half Term - Autumn Term (One)
Date:
Thursday 13th October 2022 at 10.00am
Sessions Bookable:
- Monday and Tuesday 6 Week Term - Autumn Term 2
Date:
Thursday 8th December 2022 at 10.00am
Sessions bookable:
- Monday and Tuesday 12 Week Term - Spring Term (one and two)
- Monday and Tuesday 6 Week Term - Spring Term (one)
Date:
Thursday 2nd March 2022 at 10.00am
Sessions bookable:
- Monday and Tuesday 6 weeks Half Term - Spring Term (two)
Date:
Thursday 6th April 2022 at 10.00am
Sessions bookable:
- Monday and Tuesday 12 week Term – Summer Term (one and two)
- Monday and Tuesday 6 week Half Term – Summer Term (One)
Date:
Thursday 4th May 2022 at 10.00am
Sessions bookable
- Monday and Tuesday Half Term – Summer Term (two)
Home Education Group term Dates 2022 - 2023 :
2022-2023
AUTUMN
Monday (Full Days)
Tuesday (Full Days)
Week one
12th September 2022
13th September 2022
Week two
19th September 2022
20th September 2022
Week three
26th September 2022
27th September 2022
Week four
3rd October 2022
4th October 2022
Week five
10th October 2022
11th October 2022
Week Six
17th October 2022
18th October 2022
HALF TERM - W/C 24th October 2022
Week Seven
31st October 2022
1st November 2022
Week Eight
7th November 2022
8th November 2022
Week Nine
14th November 2022
15th November 2022
Week Ten
21st November 2022
22nd November 2022
Week Eleven
28th November 2022
29th November 2022
Week Twelve
5th December 2022
6th December 2022
Christmas Break
SPRING
Week one
BANK HOL MONDAY CLOSED
Tuesday 3rd January 2023
Week two
9th January 2023
10th January 2023
Week three
16th January 2023
17th January 2023
Week four
23rd January 2023
24th January 2023
Week five
30th January 2023
31st January 2023
Week Six
6th February 2023
7th February 2023
HALF TERM - W/C 13th February 2023
Monday 13th February 2023 (make up for Bank Holiday)
Week Seven
20th February 2023
21st February 2023
Week Eight
27th February 2023
28th February 2023
Week Nine
6th March 2023
7th March 2023
Week Ten
13th March 2023
14th March 2023
Week Eleven
20th March 2023
21st March 2023
Week Twelve
27th March 2023
28th March 2023
SUMMER TERM
Week one
17th April 2023
18th April 2023
Week two
24th April 2023
25th April 2023
Week three
BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY - CLOSED
2nd May 2023
Week four
8th May 2023
9th May 2023
Week five
15th May 2023
16th may 2023
Week Six
22nd May 2023
23rd May 2023
HALF TERM W/C 29th May 2023
Monday 29th May 2023 (make up for the Bank Holiday)
Week Seven
5th June 2023
6th June 2023
Week Eight
12th June 2023
13th June 2023
Week Nine
19th June 2023
20th June 2023
Week Ten
26th June 2023
27th June 2023
Week Eleven
3rd July 2023
4th July 2023
Week Twelve
10th July 2023
11th July 2023
Finish for the year.
Our Curriculum
Explore, Excite, Educate
Our Curriculum…
We have devised a Forest School Curriculum for the whole year for your child to have access to:
Autumn Term: Spark Curiosity
Each learner will be assigned a key person who will be their main adult advocate while at Forest School. This person will observe their learners and provide learning experiences that foster any interests they may have. As learners and staff become more familiar with each other and the expectations, we will begin to introduce more risky play experiences, such as tool work and fire lighting.
Spring Term: Facilitate Curiosity
Learners will have an opportunity to further explore working with tools and building and maintaining fires. We will focus on the safety and risk management elements of these activities and demonstrate the steps learners can take to further their knowledge and understanding of their interests. We will also provide the opportunity for team building experiences to help create a strong community of learners with the tools to navigate complex peer relationships.
Summer Term: Deepen Curiosity
Learning will shift at this stage from being facilitator guided to independent. Leaders will still be there to support learners with their projects and explorations, encouraging them to trust in their own abilities to find the resources they need. At the end of this term, we will hold an alumni feast where learners can demonstrate the skills they have learned and share with the Home Education community their experiences. Children on a yearly membership will cover all 3 areas of the curriculum. Children on a termly membership will join onto the curriculum of which term they join. Our aim is to guide and facilitate a love of learning, sparking imagination, and deepening the knowledge that the explorers already have through interaction with nature!
Assessments, learning and observations
Project-Based Approach
Learners will have the opportunity to participate in long-term, short-term, group and individual projects focused on Forest School skills. These projects include flora and fauna identification, woodland management, tool mastery, fire mastery, and shelter building. These projects will provide further structure and guidance to the learning process and will be based around the learner’s interests.
Feedback and Assessments
Each learner will be given a journal that will stay at Forest School until the end of the term. This journal is a space for both learners and their key person to reflect each week and write or draw about their experiences. The journal will provide qualitative documentation of the progress they have made throughout the term. At the end of each term, staff members will complete an assessment sheet for each learner. This assessment considers the holistic development of the learner, highlighting their abilities physically and socially, as well as their self-esteem, emotional intelligence, motivation and persistence, and knowledge and understanding, with statements demonstration how learners love them self, each other, and the world.
Terms and Conditions
Please read through these carefully before booking...
Booking and Memberships for Sessions
Booking will be taken on a membership basis. The four membership types available are: - Yearly Membership- Termly Membership - Half Termly Membership Taster sessions are available on Wednesdays for children wanting to try before committing to a membership. This is offered for 1 half term only. After this children will be required to move onto one of the above memberships.
Childcare Vouchers
Payments by Childcare vouchers will need to be made within 7 days of receiving an invoice. If payment is not received in this time, the place will be released again and bookable by another child.
Late Payment of Fees
Late payment charge of £25 will be added to each day after any invoice processed is paid late. Failure to pay will mean places will be no longer reserved. If you think you may not be able to make a payment, please speak to an admin or management team member as soon as possible.
Cancellations, Contractual Agreement and Refund Policy
Cancellations by Nature Box 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.
Cancellations by a Parent
We recommend that you choose a membership that suits your needs and economic commitments. The membership you selected is non-refundable. For Yearly Membership, a fee of the total amount left to pay will be payable if families wish to exit the membership early.
Contractual Agreement
A completed registration form acts as a contractual agreement that you have read and fully understood our terms and conditions of attendance of our sessions. Once signed and agreed, the terms and conditions must be followed by both parties.
Refund Policy
Unfortunately, we are unable to give refunds once this contractual agreement is signed. This is due to the nature of our service, and the high staff to child ratio we provide.
Sickness and holidays Child Illness
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.
Staff Illness
If we have a staff member ill, we will do everything to ensure ratios are abided to. If this is not possible it may be that the session will be cancelled.
Covid-19 and Self -Isolation as advised guidance from the Government
We as an education setting will follow the most up to date guidance on Covid-19 and self-isolation. We expect full transparency from parents when disclosing to us cases of self-isolation or positive Covid tests.
If we have to close our sessions due to covid-19 self-isolation, we will notify parents immediately, and provide a refund for the sessions missed.
If a child has been told to isolate and misses a session, we will do our best to find an alternative session for this to be credited to.
Child Holidays
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.
Nature Box Holidays
Our Home education sessions run on a term time basis only. This is in line with Sheffield City Council School term dates. We are also closed on Bank Holidays and 2 weeks at Christmas. Dates for this will be provided.
Assessments, learning and observations
Project-Based Approach
Learners will have the opportunity to participate in long-term, short-term, group and individual projects focused on Forest School skills. These projects include flora and fauna identification, woodland management, tool mastery, fire mastery, and shelter building. These projects will provide further structure and guidance to the learning process and will be based around the learner’s interests.
Feedback and Assessments
Each learner will be given a journal that will stay at Forest School until the end of the term. This journal is a space for both learners and their key person to reflect each week and write or draw about their experiences. The journal will provide qualitative documentation of the progress they have made throughout the term.
At the end of each term, staff members will complete an assessment sheet for each learner. This assessment considers the holistic development of the learner, highlighting their abilities physically and socially, as well as their self-esteem, emotional intelligence, motivation and persistence, and knowledge and understanding, with statements demonstration how learners love them self, each other, and the world.
Children bringing items from home Toys and attachment items
We understand that some children may need to bring an item that they are close to in order to feel secure, especially during the beginning of joining us. We are happy for children to bring this, as long as the children are aware that this will not be the responsibility of the leader to take care of. Please be aware of the risk of damage and loss during the session.
Bringing in own tools and equipment
We provide all the equipment that children will need to complete the session to a high standard. We do not require and will not allow any child to bring in any tools, pen knives, or anything else similar to a session.
Packed Lunches
We require children to bring a healthy and filling packed lunch with them. Examples of healthy and practical lunches for the seasons are:
Summer:
Ice pack and cool lunch box
Sandwiches
Wraps
Veggie sticks and dips
Fruit
Cereal bars
Winter:
Flask that holds hot food and/or drink
Soup
Beans
Stew
Hot chocolate
Warm milk
Hot honey and lemon
Cereal bars
Fruit
Veggie sticks
Kit List
What shall I bring?
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
Allergy Policy
We have a strict NO NUTS policy at The Nature Box. Please be aware of what you are providing in your child’s lunch box.
We take dietary requirements and allergies very seriously, and it is of great importance to let us know of your child’s requirements and speak through this with a leader as soon as possible.
Arrival and Departure
Please arrive for the session on time. Please ensure that social distancing rules are being adhered to during pick up and drop off times. Please ensure you are ready to collect your child on time. A £5 late collection fee will be added every 5 minutes after 15 minutes of late collection.
Data Protection
Your data is stored on a lockable computer, and a lockable filing cabinet. We are registered with ICO.
Communications with you as a parent/carer
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.
Photographs
We ask permission on this form to take photographs of your child during the session. This is done on password protected work only devices. Photos will be used for: - Observation and Assessment - Sent on our Famly app to you to notify of activities throughout the day - Website - Social Media Please inform us on this form if you do not wish for your child to have photos on any of the above. This can be changed at any time.
Weather Policy
Our sessions are running mainly outdoors, in most weathers. The weather we are unable to run in are:
- High Winds
- Thunder and Lightening storms
- Heavy snow or flooding
In the event of weather forcing us to cancel, we will ring parents immediately and ask them to collect. We will notify parents as soon as we can if we plan to cancel prior to the session. Unfortunately, we will not be able to refund for this cancellation.
Use of tools and risky play
This agreement highlights you are aware of and give permission for children to use tools, climb trees, build fires and other elements of risky play during our sessions. These activities are supervised by qualified FS leaders, who also have paediatric and FS First Aid. Such activities will be slowly introduced, managing and monitoring children’s competency throughout.
Our Setting Ethos
- We love ourselves.
- We love each other.
- We love our world.
The Nature Box is invested in creating a community of learners who feel respected and are respectful of others and the world around them. We develop our programming with the 6 Forest School Principles of best practice in mind, ensuring we offer long-term, woodland-based sessions that are learner-centred and take a holistic approach to development.
Our staff team are all trained or training to be qualified Forest School Leaders. We come from a range of backgrounds within the field of education, but all have a passion for the Forest Schools approach. Our team engages in reflective practice to ensure each session provides experiences based on learners’ interests and developmental needs.
We strive to continue to build the Nature Box Home Education community, fostering a relationship with each family attending our sessions. We ask parents to support and work together with us in the same ethos, valuing each other, themselves, and the world, and role modelling this with their children.
Behaviour Policy
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.
Our ethos informs our positive behaviour strategy, ensuring that children are talked through any concerns, worries, triggers, or emotions. This helps children to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and other people around them.
