Forest School at St Buryan Academy

Forest School at
St Buryan Academy
Pupils at St Buryan Academy are so lucky to be offered a sequence of forest school sessions every term. Our youngest pupils, in Reception and Year 1, will now be getting it every week, all year round! These sessions will be taken by level 3 trained forest school leaders Elise Wilson and/or Lisa Rendle, with other support staff too.
 
During the sessions, we seek to give children an opportunity to be active outdoors, connecting with nature, learning great survival skills, improving their understanding of the natural world and developing important personal and interpersonal qualities. We know that so many of these skills are important for life, well-being and can hugely benefit their success in the classroom.
Clothing for Forest School
It is important that children are appropriately dressed for their sessions. We always ask that they are wearing comfortable clothing for being active, and clothes that are ok to get muddy and possibly a bit worn or damaged as we use tools, paints and spend time on our knees and sitting on the ground. In winter they need lots of warm layers, waterproof trousers, waterproof coat, wellies and a hat. In the summer, a sunhat and suncream is important. We can help with clothing if you are not able to provide this so please come and let us know. 
Activities in Forest School
We have some regular activities that we love to offer children, these include; fire lighting, cooking, using tools, den building, painting and crafts, gardening and playing in the mud kitchen. With some of these activities, we need to prepare children carefully, making sure they are doing them safely and under correct supervision, in accordance with our risk assessments. Children love the responsibility of being able to use real tools, light fires and cooking for one and other. This is great for building self-confidence.
Tools
We show children how to safely use all kinds of real tools, this is so good for confidence building and usually requires some real strength and stamina!
Cooking on the Fire
When the weather allows, we love to involve the children in preparing and cooking on the fire. We find that children will taste all kinds of foods that they might not normally be willing to, when they are with friends, sat around the camp fire.
Summer Term 2024-
Penberth Class
It has been such a wonderful term out in the forest school garden. We have seen the wild flowers bloom, mini beasts under every log, vegetables growing, heaps of creative and imaginative play, cooking on the fire and even a new slide! There is always so much team work and problem solving happening in our sessions and so many opportunities for every child to really thrive and succeed in this environment.
Spring 2 2024- Penberth Class
This half term was super wet, wet wet! But getting the children outside in all conditions is such an important part of forest school, it's develops their understanding of the seasons, the weather and how these impact on nature. It builds resilience, strength and courage. And it makes us think creatively of how we can make the most of the conditions! We've been; learning to read the weather maps, making shelters, discovering how we can make ripples in puddles and the great but varied noises they make, searching for signs of Spring emerging, planting seeds and cooking on the fire whenever possible! It has been fun and action packed.
Spring 2 2024 - Nanjizal Class
This half term Nanjizal's sessions have been all about the dens with a little bit of stakeouts,  observing wildlife, fire making, bows and arrows and a big dose of team work, problem solving and self-reflection! The wet, windy weather hasn't stopped us one bit, this is an awesome bunch of energetic, resilient children who have loved being out in all weather and it has certainly made them focus on honing their shelter building skills in all conditions!
Spring 1 2024- Penberth Class
We've had some cold sessions so far this term but luckily we've been able to light the fire, cook warming foods, make hot chocolate and even make natural handwarmers!
Spring 1 2024- Porthcurno Class
Porthcurno Class have had such a fabulous half term, so much team work and creativity with this bunch. Check out the photos below!
Autumn Term 2023
  Penberth Class, Nanjizal Class and Porthcurno Class
 
 Nanjizal Class
Nanjizal Class have embraced their forest school sessions brilliantly, getting stuck in to making potions and pumpkin activities on their first session and sawing, drilling and painting poppies on our second session. They have shown such fantastic strength, courage, determination and team work and lots of smiles and happy faces along the way. To honour bonfire night we cooked popcorn over the fire which we loved listening to going pop, bang, crunch!
Penberth Class
This half term we have been busy in forest school with some fun Halloween and pumpkin inspired activities. The children loved mixing magic potions with coloured bubbles and herbs. We've got to grips with some great tools, using the bow saw and drill to make poppies for remembrance day. We really enjoy looking at the weather map before we head outside to see if we are expecting rain and at what time, the children are getting good at locating where we live on the map! 
Porthcurno Class