Outside Learning
At Guston school, the outdoors is an exciting extension of the classroom. Whether it's imaginative play at breaktime or hands-on adventures in Forest School, our children learn, explore, and grow through every experience. From building teamwork and resilience to discovering the wonders of nature, outdoor learning encourages curiosity, confidence and a love of the world around us.
Term 4 in the Forest: Cooking on the fire
Cooking on the campfire is a much-loved part of Forest school sessions. Children are taught clear rules and routines for being around the fire, learning to make sensible choices and building responsibility. The children can work as a team to prepare, cook and enjoy the food. Year R made 's'mores or marshmallow sandwiches as they called them! Year 1/2 made banana splits.
Term 3 in the Forest: Helping Nature
As we enter the colder months, it is important we care for our nature. Forest school aims to nurture a lifelong love for the environment and the activities this term reflect this. In Year R, the children threaded cheerios, cheese and raisins onto garden wire and hung this on a recycled Christmas tree bird feeder. The children have been bird watching from their classroom windows! Year 1/2 made and decorated recycled plant pots and planted bulbs. We enjoyed s'mores too! Year 3/4 worked together to improve our forest school bug hotel. Year 4/5 had a competition to see who could make the best hedgehog homes. They had to find a quiet place to put it and fill it with natural materials. Year 6 created toad homes for our pond area. We finished the session with jam or chocolate spread on toast.
Term 2 in the Forest: Making crafts with tools
Tools are a key part of the Forest School curriculum as they enable children to create small projects and develop fine and gross motor skills. Children’s ability to use tools will develop at different ages. In Year R, the children used hammers to create fern prints and threaded pine cone buntings. In Year 1/2 the children used rolling pins and cutters to create clay decorations which they painted. In Year 3/4 the children hammered nails into different shapes and threaded wool around it. In Year 4/5 they cut and decorated wood cookies. In Year 6, they whittled festive gnomes. The children all used the tools safely and were creative with their ideas. We enjoyed eating popcorn around the fire too!
Term 1 in the Forest: Building shelters or dens
Building shelters and dens brings together physical, social and emotional learning in a hands on way. In Reception, the children were challenged to make a mini den for a toy woodland creature. In KS1, the children had to erect lean-to shelters with natural resources. In KS2, the children practiced their basic knots and hitches for den making and worked together to create tarpaulin shelters. We finished each session with toasted marshmallows!
