Forest School is always a very popular activity for pupils at Ysgol Llandrillo-Yn-Rhos.
We are lucky enough to have our own specially designed area on the junior site, complete with trees, plenty of natural materials to build, a fire circle under a canopy, wooden classroom, mud kitchen, boat and wild flower borders. This is where all Forest School sessions take place.
All children at the school from Reception to Year 6 will have Forest School sessions on a rota basis, two to three times during each school year so that the children are able to experience different flora and fauna throughout the seasons.
Children visit Forest School in smaller groups, generally half of the class at a time, to ensure they can enjoy the space. The other half will develop this skills through Successful Futures sessions in the juniors or targeted topic sessions in the infants.
Pupils engage in huge range of activities including roasting marshmallows around the fire, building dens and creating art from natural materials. The children love role play and pretending to be woodland fairies or pirates.
The child-centred approach of Forest School supports play, exploration and supported risk taking and develops confidence and self-esteem. Hands-on experiences in a natural setting offer opportunities for holistic growth and teamwork.
If your child is scheduled to have a session at Forest School – they will need to wear old clothes that can get dirty. It is important to ensure that your child is dressed appropriately for the weather, as we are out in almost all weather. If it is cold and rainy, something warm and waterproof and a hat and gloves are required. They will also need walking boots, old trainers or a pair of wellies and ideally wear long trousers and long sleeves. If it is sunny, sun-cream will need to be applied before school to ensure they are protected.
