FAQ

What is Forest School?

WHAT IS FOREST SCHOOL?

Forest Schools are based on outdoor nature schools, originating in Denmark. Children learn and play outdoors in a natural space and, over time, aim to promote a relationship with nature through personal experiences.

What will the chilldren be doing?

WHAT WILL THE CHILDREN BE DOING?

Forest School is child-led, allowing each individual to participate in what they are most interested in.

There is always a wonderful array of activities in each session. This can include:

Making crafts from natural resources
Whittling sticks and making fire using matches and fire steels
Nature awareness games which develop fine and gross motor skills
Using imagination; playing pretend with things that the children find
Investigating the flora and fauna in their special space
Learning how to safely use hand tools such as peelers, palm drills and
bow saws
Cooking and eating as a group
Climbing and jumping off logs
Tying knots to make things work
Making dens and tracking animals
Jumping into puddles and mud

What are the benefits?

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Health and Fitness: taking part in regular physical activity
Social Development: through an increased awareness of the consequences of actions, children acquire the ability to undertake activities with others either by sharing tools and tasks or by taking part in cooperative play
Language and Communication: working on challenges with adults
and other children helps children develop communication skills, learn new words and enhance their ability to explain things
Skills Development: Forest School enhances coordination and helps to develop fine and gross motor skills through the use of tools, building structures and free movement
Risk Taking: enabling children to take risks and to help them manage
those risks in a safe and secure environment is shown to
enhance creativity and help build relationships
Increased Self Esteem: the children have the ability to choose the
activities they want to do- independence is always encouraged.
Building Confidence: children know that they CAN do new things. They have time, space and freedom.
Motivation and Concentration: children become keen to participate in exploratory, learning and play activities. They focus on specific tasks, concentrating for extended periods of time
Curriculum Links: Forest
School supports many areas
of the Early Years Foundation
Stage framework and the
National Curriculum. Children
are encouraged to lead their own learning.

What do they need to wear?

WHAT DO CHILDREN NEED TO WEAR?

It is really important that all children have appropriate clothing, suitable for all weather conditions as Wood & Wild sessions are held outdoors in a variety of weather.

Winter:

Vest or T-shirt and a long sleeved top
Hooded top, fleece or thick jumper
Waterproof jacket
Trousers and waterproof trousers
Thick socks (thermal or two pairs of thin ones) and wellies
Hat, gloves and scarf

Summer:

Long sleeved t-shirt or top
Light trousers (arms and legs must be covered in the woodland)
Socks and trainers, shoes or wellies (not sandals/flip-flops)
Sunhat and sunscreen
Sunglasses (if required)

See our handy visual here.

Are pets allowed?

ARE PETS ALLOWED AT SESSIONS?

I'm afraid we do not allow pets to be brought along to our sessions. If you or a member of your party use a service animal, please let us know when you book.

Are sessions cancelled due to bad weather?

ARE SESSIONS CANCELLED DUE TO BAD WEATHER?

We aim to carry out all session 'rain or shine' which is why it's important to check forecasts and clothe children appropriately. In some rare instances, such as severely strong winds, we may be forced to cancel. Please see our Weather Policy for further information.

Can parents attend drop off sessions?

CAN PARENTS ATTEND 'DROP OFF' SESSIONS?

Some of our sessions are described as 'drop-off' sessions which means you are welcome to leave your children in our capable hands and take some time for yourself. If you'd prefer to stay to watch the session you are welcome to, although we sometimes find that children are more involved in the activities if they are left with us. Obviously, if your child is nervous for any reason then please do attend the sessions until they feel confident enough to be left.

HOW TO GET TO PONDTAIL WOODS

Pondtail Wood, Muddleswood Road

Albourne

West Sussex

BN6 9ED

(Almost opposite the Singing Hills Golf entrance)

Signs will be out as you approach the entrance to the woodland. Please drive down the track to the woodland area, parking on the left hand side of the track. This will allow people to turn around and drive out on the other side of the track.

How to get to Pondtail

Road safety

ROAD SAFETY AT PONDTAIL WOODS

Please note that Pondtail Woods encompass 8 acres of private woodland, the entire perimeter of which is fully fenced. There is no danger of children being able to access the road from our site.

Photo Policy

PHOTO POLICY

You'll see a lot of smiley, happy faces across our website and social channels, but we rarely use identifiable photos of real Wood and Wild kids. Here's why:

- We don't believe that kids should be exposed to the internet and all the dangers that brings

- We don't believe that kids will grow up and appreciate their photo being used across our social media

- We understand that parents need strict control over the images of their children and how they're used

We want to respect the safety and privacy of the kids we spend time with, so for the majority of our marketing, we use stock photos. If we get a great photo of your child enjoying all that Wood and Wild entails, we will always ask you directly for your permission to use that particular photo online.

We don't use blanket opt in/out forms or assume your permission to use any and all photos once you've said yes to one particular photo.

You can view all of our policies and procedures here.