Forest School at Ascot Heath
Our Forest School leader is Miss Ringrose
Our Vision
Our vision is to have a school where the benefits of regular time outdoors are valued and appreciated, and outdoor learning, play and connection with nature are recognised as fundamental parts of education, at every stage, for every child.
For each subject we have created a progression of skills and knowledge document. You can view the Forest School documents by clicking on the title below:
SPRING TERM 2025
In Forest School this term, we were able to link our sessions to many different celebrations including the Lunar New Year, Pancake day and Valentines day, Mother’s day, World Book day and Easter, as well as including some outdoor experiments during science week.
We started off the new year and new term by making some new year resolutions on how to look after nature. We agreed to start by helping out the birds over the coming cold months. We learnt how to build our own bird’s nests, ensuring they could withstand the ‘egg test’ of keeping a real egg safe and we made a bird café and bird park by learning how to tie simple knots to tie together sticks to make swings and perches for the birds to settle on.
We celebrated Lunar New Year by trying out some Chinese writing using our own ink that we made from mud and berries and we made chocolate banana boats on the fire. Pancake day saw us making pancakes on the fire and tossing our own pancakes in the mud kitchen!
Together we have noticed how winter has slowly turned to spring by recognising changes in the weather and the plants and creatures that have started to return to the wild garden.
Other activities have included planting seeds and bulbs, scavenger hunts, games and crafts and also experiments during British Science week, which involved building and exploding our own volcanoes and looking at how salt affects ice by driving toy cars on sheets of ice.
World Book Day saw the children making their own stick men and women, making porridge for the three bears in the mud kitchen and creating their own teddy bears’ picnics. A lot of fun has been had by all!
AUTUMN TERM 2024
We have had lots of fun at Forest School this term. In our first few sessions, children were introduced to the important 'No Pick, No Lick' rule as well as other ways to look after themselves and each other when out in the woods.
We have talked about the changes that we have noticed as summer turned to autumn and we have enjoyed looking for and learning facts about mini beasts living in the wild garden.
At the beginning of term, we planted some bulbs ready for spring – daffodils and tulips as well as onions, radishes and garlic, some of which are already starting to grow. Children have helped rake leaves to make piles for animals to hibernate in and some even made an exciting discovery of a fox’s skull and bones while digging in the digging area.
With the arrival of Halloween, we looked at all the different types of pumpkins and squash that you can find with unusual names such as Baby Bear, Cinderella, Casper White and Jack Be Little!
With all the wet weather we have had, we have noticed a variety of fungi growing in the woodland and have identified various species including oyster mushrooms, fly agaric and bearded lichen.
The children have learnt to use different tools safely – rakes for clearing the paths, mallets for banging nails and golf tees into pumpkins as well as vegetable peelers for whittling wood.
We have tried out different crafts using natural materials, including nature crowns for our toys, nature bracelets, whilst others have enjoyed getting very muddy concocting seasonal recipes in the mud kitchen!
The children have also learnt how to be safe around a fire and have had hot chocolate and warm Christmas punch.
With Christmas just around the corner, we spent the last couple of sessions making reindeer food, jingle bell sticks and Santa sticks, yule logs and other Christmas activities.
We look forward to more outdoor adventures in the new year. Have a lovely Christmas everyone and happy new year!
