Below is some important information about how our group runs and what to expect. Please read it to see if it's the right fit for your family and then get in touch to ask any questions and book a trial. 
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Hello and welcome to Wilderdays Forest School!
 
What is Forest School?
Forest school is by definition a “long-term process of frequent and regular sessions in a woodland or natural environment” which “supports the development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world” and which “offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.” (www.forestschoolassociation.org)
 
We are interested in child led learning, learning through play, nature arts and crafts, bush craft skills, natural cycles, ancient traditions and festivals and treading lightly and respectfully on this beautiful earth. We aim to connect children with nature, give them skills and a connection with the planet that they will keep for life, building their confidence, nurturing their desires, challenging them and supporting them.
 
I welcome feedback and open communication so please do let me know if there are any issues about your child that you think it may be useful for me to know. I would also love to hear about your child's passions and what it is that you would like to get out of forest school. Some parents want their children to be as free as possible to connect with nature in their own way, others would like more directed learning which teaches them skills such as bush-craft or art activities. I aim to offer a balance of both.
 
Session times
Monday morning 1030-1330 (ages 5-11)
Monday afternoon 1415-1700 (ages 5-11)
Tuesday morning 1030-1330 (ages 5-11)
Tuesday afternoon 1415-1700 (ages 11/12+)
 
Please send your child with a packed lunch and a drink. Sometimes I will bring food to cook or ask for ingredients, in which case I'll contact you in advance. Sometimes we will go for a walk in the larger woods and collect firewood, play games or build dens etc. but we always start and finish at the site.
 
Kit and Clothing

• Season appropriate clothing but best to wear long tops and trousers whatever the weather to protect against nettles and scratches.

• Waterproof coat and trousers if wet weather.

• Warm clothes including thermal underwear on cold days.

• Suitable, closed toe shoes or wellington boots (brambles, nettles, mud, uneven ground).

• Packed lunch (appetites are often increased in the forest!)

• Water bottle/drink.

• Any necessary medication.

 
Parent Attendance/Participation
The aim is for children to be dropped off. However, you may attend as many sessions as you wish until your child is happy to be left. In busier groups I ask that one parent a week take it in turns to stay and support the group. There will be a rota. If you are staying to help you will need to arrive 20 mins before the session.
 
Group Communication
The group will communicate primarily by Whatsapp. I will keep you informed of important information regarding the coming sessions and payments. I will often check in with you the day before, especially if there is bad weather expected or if I'm bringing food or drinks so do check your messages the day before and in the morning.
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Dropping Children Off and Late Arrivals
Please arrive 10 mins before the start. We start sessions with a circle and chat and this is a very unifying and settling exercise for the children. Children that arrive late miss out on this and it disturbs the group. If you are late please do not assume we are at the fire circle - sometimes we go for walks or use other parts of the site. You will need to walk your child down to the fire circle and make sure that we are there. I will message the night before saying what time we are leaving for a walk and if you arrive after that we will more than likely have left. It's a public park and it isn't safe to drop children at the car park and send them off without checking there is an adult to receive them.
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Cancellation of sessions
Session will go ahead in most weathers except high winds when the risks of being in the woods becomes too high. Please be available to check messages before leaving home in case it has been cancelled. Please see the bad weather cancellation policy at the end of the Welcome Letter.
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Health and Safety
At each session I will have a handbook with me which contains the following information;

• Child protection policy

• Health and safety policy

• Fire policy

• Emergency procedure form

• Medical forms

• Information on ticks and Lyme's disease

• Site risk assessment form

• Daily risk assessment form

• Activity risk assessment forms

• Tool risk assessment forms

• Covid-19 risk assessment

• Volunteer Conduct Policy

 
If you are helping with the fire, cooking on the fire or using tools – please ensure you have read the appropriate safety instructions for doing so. Safety at forest school is paramount as we are using sharp tools and fire and the safer and more mindful we are, the more opportunity there is for advanced activities. Children also learn by modelling. I will be teaching them the safest ways to use tools and fire and it is essential that adults also follow these guidelines to help embed these habits. Please don't be offended if I ask you to do so! It is not a judgement and you will have your own habits at home but I will ask you to support me by following the same principles at forest school as I am teaching the children.
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Basic Fire Safety Rules – please see handbook for the full policy.

• Access around the campfire site; participants must walk around the outside of the seating logs.

• All participants will be taught how to change seats by standing, stepping over the log and then walking around the outside of the seating area. They must never cross the inner fire circle area.

• Long hair should be tied back when participating in lighting / managing fires.

• No one is permitted to throw anything onto the fire.

• A stick in the fire stays in the fire.

• Rubbish should be taken home, not burnt on the fire. This is especially true of this site as it holds a Soil Association certificate.

• At all times the Fire Keeper and assisting participants / students will adopt the Respect Position when managing the fire.

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How to get there
Our sessions are at the Brighton Permaculture Trust forest garden site at the top of Stanmer Park.
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By Car - Use google maps to find Stanmer House. Turn LEFT immediately after the house at the T junction. Continue through the middle gates, with One Garden on your left, go over speed bumps. Keep going until you can't go forward any further and you get to a sharp right in front of a large bark chipping heap. Follow the road to the right, past the allotments til you see another large bark chipping heap where there is space to pull over and a metal gate where we will be waiting. Parking - There is limited parking at the moment. Trucks come up and down and deliver bark chippings so park as out of the way as possible. Please aim to arrive, drop and go quickly unless you are staying for the session. There is a main car park opposite the church in the centre of the park where there is also a cafe.
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By Bus - There is a No 78 bus to the park which brings you as far as Stanmer House. There is also a No 25 which goes past the entrance to Stanmer Park.
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Payment
Trial sessions are £8. If you choose to continue blocks of 6-8 weeks are booked in advance, depending on the term. See the Payment Policy below for prices.
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We hope you find the above information helpful and of course get in touch if you have any other questions. Looking forward to fun in the woods with you!
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Kathleen Sinclair
OCN in Level 3 Forest School Leadership​​​​​