Last spring we began the exciting process of creating a brand new Forest School area for our students at Meadowbrook. Children from all key stages have been involved in planting and building structures from the off. Our outdoor provision is steadily evolving and growing with our saplings.

Key Stages 1&2 now access Forest School regularly on-site. The children have the freedom to choose their own activities, future planning is informed by their interests and requests. They can access guided activities including fire lighting, den building, woodland crafts, ropes, tools, ‘minibeast’ and nature observations and seasonal tasks or simply play with the mud kitchen. While classrooms may be a challenge for our children, most thrive outdoors given space, trust and time. Within our Forest Schools we hold simple rules; Be kind, Listen to your Leader and Respect all Living Things on-site, our children flourish, they become calmer, more inventive and work better together. 

We provide suitable outdoor clothing and boots so no child misses out and all are free to engage in wet or muddy pursuits without worry.

Key Stages 3&4 Can access the new school woodland area for Outdoor Learning where they can learn knife and fire skills, build and make wooden structures and installations and get involved in horticulture projects. For those who choose Outdoor Learning as an option we are able to provide weekly visits to a partner site at Shotover Country Park. Here our older students can face bigger challenges that the forest can provide; natural shelter building, orienteering, cooking their own lunches and using their fire, knife and tool skills in a wild setting.

All our outdoor learning opportunities are fully risk assessed and led by a fully trained Level 3 Forest School Leader plus support staff and are held in small groups so every child can work safely with the support they need.