Tuesday 30th June

We had another fantastic day at Forest School during what is always one of the children's favourite weeks!

The children took on the challenge of preparing a delicious three-course meal together. They started with garlic bread, followed by a hearty full English breakfast and finished with fresh fruit for pudding. It was wonderful to see everyone working as a team, building their cooking skills and taking pride in creating such an impressive meal from start to finish. We were also delighted to welcome our volunteers, who enjoyed sharing our meal.

After lunch, we spent time outdoors caring for our environment by watering the plants and garden areas. The children enjoyed taking responsibility for looking after nature and seeing the difference their efforts make.

It was a fun-filled day of cooking, teamwork, learning and outdoor activities. We are so proud of everything the children achieved and can't wait for the next Forest School adventure!

Thursday 25th June

It was a hot day today at Forest School, but we were well prepared with plenty of extra water and our lovely shaded site helped to keep us cool.

We started our session by exploring the site to see if anything had changed since last week. We were shocked to discover that something had eaten our spinach and lettuce! The children had lots of ideas about who our mystery visitor might have been. We also found some exciting new growth in our planting beds, our pumpkins have started to sprout! We were all so excited to see the tiny shoots appearing.

After our site walk, we planned our day and got started on the jobs we had chosen. One group worked together to build new shelves for our shed, another group planted more seeds because the children decided they would like to grow flowers to make our site look even prettier, and the final group watered all of our plants, which were looking very dry in the warm weather.

As everyone was busy working, Tara spotted a familiar truck arriving. It was the "Bark Man," as the children call him! He arrived with a tipper full of bark chippings that we were going to use to cover our pathways. The children were fascinated as they watched him pour out the enormous pile of bark. All the excitement left everyone feeling tired and thirsty, so we stopped for a well earned lunch.

After lunch, we were refreshed and ready to get back to work. Our first job was to prepare our new fire circle using logs. Once this was complete, the children were eager to spread the bark, even though it wasn't part of our original plan. They quickly grabbed wheelbarrows and trowels and worked brilliantly together as a team. It wasn't long before we had covered the entire area, and it looks amazing!

We have had such a productive day and we cannot wait for Forest School next week and are so excited to use our wonderful new area for fire week!

Tuesday 16th June

We have had another busy and exciting day at our outdoor learning site, with lots of opportunities for teamwork, creativity and discovery.

This week, we continued developing our pathways around the site. The children worked hard collecting bark to cover the paths and helped line them with large stones and wooden logs. It has been wonderful to see the pathways taking shape and becoming a more defined part of our outdoor space.

We also began building a dead hedge to help separate different areas of the site more effectively. The children enthusiastically helped to hammer stakes into the ground before using branches from recently cut trees to fill the spaces between them. To add a decorative touch, they carefully wove leaves through the branches, creating a beautiful natural boundary that blends perfectly into the environment.

Some of the children spent time helping our volunteers weed the allotment. However, their attention was soon captured by the beautiful wildflowers growing nearby! This led to some wonderful conversations with the volunteers about the different flowers they could see. The children were especially excited when they spotted a bee visiting the flowers, providing a fantastic opportunity to talk about pollinators and the important role they play in nature.

It has been another day full of hands-on learning, teamwork and exploration, and we are looking forward to seeing what discoveries next week will bring.

Tuesday 9th June

The children have once again been incredibly busy helping to develop their new outdoor learning site. It has been wonderful to see their enthusiasm and sense of ownership as they continue to contribute ideas and support the ongoing improvements to the area.

This week, we purchased new shelving units for our shed to help organise and store our growing collection of outdoor learning resources. Assembling the shelving proved to be quite a challenge at first, but with determination, problem-solving, and our favourite motto, "Teamwork makes the dream work," we soon figured it out. Working together, we successfully built and installed two shelving units, creating a much more organised and accessible space for our equipment.

The children were also keen to continue developing our growing area and helped to plant additional vegetables in the garden beds. Through this hands-on experience, they learned more about planting, caring for crops and the importance of patience as they wait for their vegetables to grow.

We are hopeful that our latest plants will thrive over the coming weeks, provided our local deer and rabbits decide to leave them alone! The children are excited to monitor their progress and take responsibility for caring for them as part of their ongoing outdoor learning journey.

Thursday 4th June

The children have enjoyed another productive day of outdoor learning, spending time preparing our growing beds for the season ahead. They worked collaboratively to fill and prepare the beds, developing their understanding of the care and effort required to create a successful growing environment.

As part of our day, we have planted lettuce, spinach, beetroot, and beans. The children have shown great interest in the planting process and have enjoyed discussing what plants need to grow and thrive. We are looking forward to observing their progress over the coming weeks and caring for them as they develop.

During our time outdoors, the children also encountered a special visitor, a bee that appeared to be tired and lacking energy. This provided a valuable opportunity for discussion about the importance of pollinators and how we can support wildlife. After considering what the bee might need, the children offered a small piece of fruit and carefully observed as it fed before continuing on its journey.

To conclude the week, we met with one of our dedicated volunteers who is working with us to create a mud kitchen for the children. We reviewed the plans together and shared ideas for the project. The children are extremely excited to be involved in the development of this new learning space and are looking forward to seeing it take shape in the weeks ahead.

Tuesday 2nd June

Today, we continued developing our outdoor learning site and made great progress together.

The excitement began on the minibus journey, where the children discussed with their friends’ which jobs they would like to take on once we arrived. Their enthusiasm and sense of responsibility were clear before we had even reached the site.

As soon as we arrived, we quickly got busy, working together in smaller groups to complete a variety of exciting activities. Some children planted radishes and green beans, helping to expand our growing area and learning about the care and patience needed to grow food. Others worked hard building new vegetable beds, creating additional space for future planting projects.

We also began clearing and preparing an area for our exciting new mud kitchen. This project is being planned and developed by the wonderful volunteers at Pathhead in consultation with the children who have enjoyed choosing the design and visiting the workshop for updates.

It was fantastic to see everyone working together, showing teamwork, determination, and enthusiasm throughout the day. The outdoor learning site continues to grow and evolve, and we are looking forward to seeing our plants flourish and our new mud kitchen take shape in the coming weeks.

Thursday 28th May

Today was our first visit to our outdoor learning site at Pathhead Watermill for the new group, and the children were full of excitement as we arrived. For many, the new environment felt huge and full of possibilities, and some were understandably overwhelmed by all there was to see and explore.

We began our visit with a tour of the site, taking time to look around and discuss what we might find there. We also talked about potential risks and how we can keep ourselves and others safe when learning outdoors. As part of our outdoor learning programme, we have clear procedures that are introduced during the first visit, and over the next six weeks the children will quickly become familiar with these routines and learn how to manage risks safely and confidently during our outings.

Once we reached our area of the site, the children were eager to explore. There was great excitement as they discovered the bug hotel, which quickly became a point of interest. Throughout the day, the children enjoyed watching "Steve" the robin swoop in and out of the hotel as he visited. This sparked lots of conversations about wildlife and the creatures that might make the site their home.

We spent time discussing what our site might need and how we could help develop the space. The children enthusiastically got to work, collecting materials and transporting them in wheelbarrows. This proved to be a popular activity, with many children enjoying the responsibility of moving items around the site. Others chose to use trowels to transfer soil between the vegetable beds, demonstrating teamwork, determination, and a willingness to help improve our outdoor space.

It was wonderful to see the children's curiosity, enthusiasm, and confidence grow throughout the visit. We are looking forward to returning next week and continuing our journey as we develop the site together and learn more about the natural environment around us.

We look forward to seeing how the group develops their ideas over the coming weeks and watching their confidence and independence grow within the outdoor environment. It will be exciting to see how the site evolves as the children share their creativity, work together on projects, and take ownership of the space. We can't wait to discover what other exciting areas and opportunities for learning may be created as our outdoor learning journey continues.

Tuesday 19th & 21st May - Fire Week!

 This week was an exciting one on our new outdoor learning site as both groups enjoyed their very first fire week at Pathhead. The children had been looking forward to this experience, and there was a real sense of excitement as they arrived each day, eager to begin their outdoor learning adventures.

As part of our fire week, we introduced the children to the fire pit and discussed the important safety rules that help keep everyone safe. We revisited these rules with each group, and the children demonstrated how well they had remembered them. They took their responsibilities seriously, confidently explaining how to build a fire safely and identifying the materials needed. It was wonderful to see their knowledge and confidence in doing so.

One of the highlights of the week was preparing and cooking our very own forest school pizzas. The children enjoyed being involved in every stage of the process and were excited to see how their pizzas would turn out. As the delicious smells drifted across the site, the volunteers were intrigued and popped in to see how the fire was going.

We were delighted when some of them decided to sample our pizzas and even more thrilled when they said they were the best pizzas they had ever tasted. The children had huge smiles on their faces as they were able to share their creations with their friends, and everyone enjoyed them together. They could even share their knowledge of how to build a fire with the volunteers.

Our first fire week at Pathhead was a fantastic success and created many special memories for both groups. We are already looking forward to our next fire session and wondering what delicious food we might cook next!

Tuesday 26th May

 

This week a new group of children began their outdoor learning adventure and were ready to explore their new site. For some children in the group, this was their very first visit, which made the experience even more special.

The excitement continued as we arrived on site and were greeted by two of our wonderful volunteers. They had brought along some plant cuttings for us to add to our growing area, and the children were eager to learn more about them. After discussing where the plants might grow best, the children carefully planted the cuttings in the growing beds, taking great pride in contributing to the development of our outdoor space.

As we worked together to fill the vegetable beds in preparation for planting, the children uncovered some amazing treasures hidden beneath the soil. Our first exciting discovery was an old one penny coin. The children were fascinated by how large it was compared to the coins they are familiar with today and enjoyed examining it closely.

Shortly afterwards, another treasure was found, a small glass bottle that had survived intact. This sparked lots of discussion as the children wondered what it might have been used for, who it may have belonged to, and why it was so small.

The treasure hunting continued throughout the day, with the children eagerly searching to see what other hidden objects they might uncover while working on the site. By the end of the session, we had decided that we may need to create a special treasure box to store our discoveries, as our site was clearly proving to be a treasure trove of fascinating finds.

As well as treasure hunting, the children enjoyed exploring their surroundings, discovering different areas of the site, and sharing ideas about what they would like to create and grow in the future. There were lots of conversations about plants, wildlife, and how we can care for our environment. It was wonderful to see the children taking ownership of the space and becoming involved in shaping how it will develop over the coming weeks.

Thursday 14th May

This week our outdoor site was full of excitement, teamwork and wonderful surprises. Some of the children continued carefully adding to the bug hotel, transforming it into a cosy and welcoming home for all the mini beasts that may visit. Nearby, another group took on the challenge of building our brand new vegetable beds. The task was not an easy one but the children showed determination and cooperation throughout. One child proudly held the ‘constructions’ (instructions), carefully explaining where each piece should go, whilst another threaded screws through the holes and their friends secured the nuts on the other side. It was amazing to see the children communicating so well and supporting one another, a perfect example of ‘teamwork makes the dream work’.

Whilst we were busy building, the rain suddenly came pouring down. Rather than letting it spoil our fun, we quickly built a shelter so we could stay dry and enjoy our lunch together outdoors. As we sat chatting and eating, one of the children excitedly pointed towards the edge of the site, convinced she had spotted some donkeys. To our amazement, they were actually beautiful deer quietly walking along the site boundary. The children were absolutely thrilled and watched in awe as the deer wandered past, making it a very special and memorable moment for everyone.

Tuesday 12th May

It is official — today we took delivery of our beautiful new shed!

The children stood back in awe, watching every stage of the build with wide eyes and huge smiles as the base was carefully laid, the walls slowly took shape and finally the roof was lifted into place. Excitement grew with every step and before long we were all gathered together for a very special countdown to the grand opening. As soon as the door opened, the children burst inside with pure joy and excitement!

What an incredible addition to our site this will be. At last, we have the perfect space to move all of our outdoor learning equipment across to our new site, helping us create even more opportunities for adventure, exploration and discovery.

The excitement didn’t stop there! Alongside the shed build, the children worked wonderfully together to create a brand new seating area, which we have already begun filling with bark ready for completion during our next visit. We also started preparing our fantastic new bug hotel, carefully collecting bark, stones and natural materials to make a cosy new home for all sorts of mini beasts.

Of course, we couldn’t have done it without some very special helpers, Steve, our resident robin and his lovely wife Stevie, who kept a close eye on the action while busily collecting worms (clearly to help stock the bug hotel, of course!). What amazing little teammates they are!

We were also incredibly proud to finally complete all of the dead hedges around the site before adding locks to help keep everything safe and secure.

There is still lots of work ahead of us but already the transformation has been nothing short of amazing. Seeing the children’s excitement, teamwork and pride in their environment has made every moment worthwhile, and we cannot wait to continue the journey and share even more of our progress with you all very soon!

Thursday 7th May

What a wonderfully busy and rewarding day we’ve had at our forest school site! There was a real sense of excitement in the air today as our beautiful bug hotel was finally completed and proudly put in place on the site. We are incredibly grateful to the fantastic volunteers who gave their time, energy and creativity to help build it. The children are already so excited to begin filling it with natural materials, ready to welcome lots of minibeasts looking for a cosy new home. We can’t wait to see who moves in first!

We were also very lucky to receive a generous donation of flowers from one of our lovely volunteers. Together, we carefully planted and watered them, taking great care to help them settle into their new home on the site. We now have forget-me-nots, violas, nasturtiums, mint, sunflowers, radishes and marigolds which we hope will bloom very soon. The forget-me-nots are already blooming brightly and add such a lovely splash of colour, they really do look stunning!

Alongside the gardening, the children also worked incredibly hard helping to build the dead hedges around the site. They are becoming so skilled and confident at creating fences using branches and natural materials, and it has been wonderful to watch their teamwork and cooperation flourish. Everyone worked together brilliantly, showing great determination, communication and creativity throughout the day. What a fantastic day of learning, teamwork and outdoor fun!

Tuesday 5th May

Today at our outdoor learning site, the children continued to develop the space, taking on lots of important jobs and were excited and determined to get them finished.

We continued moving the bark chippings to create an area that we would like to add our shed and fire pit on to. The children showed great teamwork and perseverance as they worked together to transport and spread the materials out to create a flat space. The grown ups also worked hard to clear lots of nettles to make the space safe, and the children were fantastic helpers, transporting the cut nettles in wheelbarrows across the site.

A big focus of the day was building a dead hedge. The children worked incredibly well together on this project and were amazing. They helped to dig holes for the posts and carefully filled them in, learning about how structures are built and supported. They then transported long branches across the site and worked together to weave them through the wooden posts, creating the hedge. I was a very proud moment which the children were excited to share with the volunteers.

It was wonderful to see the children cooperating, problem-solving and supporting one another. Their confidence and teamwork continues to grow with each visit and they feel proud of the beautiful space they are creating. We are excited to see what next week brings.

Thursday 30th April

This week at Forest School, the children continued developing their new site with great enthusiasm and teamwork. We brought along a large pallet, which was carefully cut down and incorporated into the bug hotel that one of our wonderful volunteers is building.

The children also continued spreading bark to cover the membrane we had laid the previous week, showing fantastic cooperation and determination. One of the adults suggested creating a rockery using the stones we had gathered, and quickly set to work. The children eagerly joined in, helping to transport the stones across the site and arrange them into place.

Another volunteer kindly donated a selection of beautiful wildflowers, which we planted around the rockery to enhance the area and encourage wildlife. By the end of the session, we paused to reflect on our progress and were amazed at how much we had achieved together.

To finish the day, we visited the allotment area, where the children carefully watered the plants and observed how well everything is growing.

Tuesday 28th April

This week at forest school, the children experienced another highly productive and enjoyable day in the outdoor environment. The session began with the collection of sticks and stones to continue the construction of our bug hotel, which is now half complete. The children then worked collaboratively to clear the next section of the site using wheelbarrows, in preparation for laying a weed membrane. This task required considerable effort, including lifting and removing embedded sticks; loppers were used to ensure the ground was level, safe, and ready for the next stage.

We planted a selection of seeds including radishes, marigolds, nasturtiums, and violas. These additions will enhance the site as they begin to establish and grow. Time was also taken to care for previously planted flowers. The forget-me-nots, which appeared slightly wilted, were thoroughly watered and quickly revived. Mint was planted at the rear of the site, with the understanding that it will spread readily in the coming weeks.

Looking ahead, we are excited about the upcoming construction of our new shed, alongside the installation of a polytunnel in preparation for the planting season.

The day was further enriched by a couple of special visitors. The children were delighted to meet a small dog named Hercules, whose lively and confident nature made quite an impression. His owner explained he is a small dog with a bit personality! We were also visited by Steve the robin, a long-standing and familiar presence at Forest School. His appearance was warmly received, as he observed the children’s activities and, as usual, took the opportunity to search for worms nearby.

Thursday 23rd April

A Busy Day at Forest School 🌿

Today was a wonderfully productive day at our forest school site, with the children fully immersed in hands-on work from start to finish. It’s been incredible to see how the space is beginning to take shape, and that’s entirely down to the children’s hard work, teamwork and determination.

We began the morning by clearing the area, removing sticks left behind by the mini digger as well as a number of stones. Rather than letting these materials go to waste, the children made the thoughtful decision to repurpose them for our bug hotel, which is currently under construction in the workshop. It’s fantastic to see their awareness of how natural resources can be reused to support wildlife.

With the ground cleared, we moved on to laying the weed membrane. Armed with tools and plenty of enthusiasm, the children carefully hammered pegs into the ground to secure it in place. This required patience and precision and they rose to the challenge brilliantly.

Next came the big task of the day, moving bark into the area using wheelbarrows. This was no easy job and it certainly tested everyone’s strength and perseverance! Although we managed to move only half of the bark, the children showed great resilience and we’re looking forward to finishing the job next week.

To round off the day, we planted some beautiful forget-me-nots that were kindly donated to us. These have been placed along the banks and we’re excited to watch them grow over time. Hopefully, they will one day form a stunning blanket of blue, adding even more life and colour to our forest school environment.

A huge well done to all the children for their effort today. It’s amazing to see what can be achieved when everyone works together!

Tuesday 21st April

What a wonderful day we had at forest school today. We were especially excited as we knew we would have at least one special visitor and sure enough, on arrival we spotted it, a mini digger working on our site. This will soon provide a perfect space for our new mud kitchen and bug hotel, and the children already have lots of ideas for what else they would like to add in the future.

The children spent some time observing the digger before gradually moving closer to take a better look, showing great curiosity and care as they explored the changes happening around them. We then headed out on a bird hunt to see what types of birds live in our area. One child thought they had spotted an ow. How amazing that would have been!

After lunch (and a few more checks on the digger’s progress), it was time for some tree identification. The children could already name a few trees, and we know there is still so much more to learn as we continue to explore our surroundings.

We were then told we had another special delivery arriving, a huge truck bringing a load of bark for our site. The children stood safely at a distance as the truck carefully manoeuvred into position and we watched as it tipped and released the bark onto the ground. One child commented that they had “never seen anything in my life before like that!”. A truly memorable moment.

Our forest school site is really starting to come together now and it’s exciting to see it develop into a rich, engaging space for the children to explore and enjoy.

Thursday 16th April

Today marked another busy and fulfilling session at forest school with our new Thursday group. We started the day by gathering together to talk through the important jobs ahead of us. With our site continuing to develop, there was plenty to be done, and the children showed great enthusiasm in taking on these responsibilities.

Everyone quickly got involved in preparing the space for the upcoming arrival of the mini digger. There was lots of teamwork as sticks were collected, logs were carefully moved, and the area began to take shape. It was wonderful to see the children working collaboratively, sharing ideas, and supporting one another with the tasks at hand.

As always, the woodland had its own surprises waiting for us. Our work was briefly paused as we discovered snails clinging to a tree trunk, sparking curiosity and close observation. Not long after, excitement grew when a frog was spotted hiding beneath a pile of deadwood, followed by another cleverly tucked away inside a log. These moments of discovery brought a sense of wonder to the session and reminded us all of the rich wildlife that shares our space.

After our explorations, the group returned to their tasks with renewed energy. The children worked incredibly hard digging and levelling the ground, showing determination and pride in their efforts. Bit by bit, the site is transforming, and the children are playing a key role in that process.

It was a truly productive day, filled with teamwork, perseverance, and those special moments of connection with nature that make forest school so meaningful. We’re all looking forward to seeing the progress continue when the digger arrives next week!

Tuesday 14th April

This week, a new group of children enjoyed spending time at Forest School. We explored a different area of our site, where the children had great fun climbing and balancing as they discovered the space.

We were also delighted to be greeted by our favourite visitor. Steve the robin has returned from his winter adventures! He happily flitted through the bushes and trees, searching for worms that the children had just dug up. We hope he decides to visit us again next week.

The children took on several important jobs during the morning. These included moving logs and branches to help prepare for our new dead hedge. One child carefully collected sticks for our upcoming bug hotel, while others worked together to dig soil and fill in a hole we had created and all this before lunchtime!

After lunch, the children continued to explore the area and began learning about our Forest School promises. During our adventures, we also spotted a mallard and discovered a magical pond, adding even more excitement to the day.

Thursday 26th March

This week at forest school it was fire week which is always an exciting day as we prepare and cook our own food. This week was even more exciting as we decided to cook a full english breakfast!

We began the session by coming together to discuss how to safely build and manage a fire. The children shared some fantastic ideas, showing their growing knowledge and confidence. They talked about what a fire needs to burn, how to build it carefully, and how to stay safe while working around it.

Once our fire was established and burning well, we moved on to preparing our food. We decided to try something new and began creating homemade patties, which smelled delicious as they cooked over the fire. The children really enjoyed hearing them sizzling in the pan, adding to the excitement of the experience.

The smell of breakfast cooking outdoors was wonderful, and everyone eagerly waited to taste what they had made. The patties were a huge success, so delicious that some of the children even went back for seconds! As the breakfast was served, the children gazed in amazement at the variety of colours on their plates and thoroughly enjoyed every bite of their food. After lunch we had some time left which we spent in the meadow. The children enjoyed exploring the space together.