Contents

Section 1: Forest School Explained

Introduction to Forest School approachp3

History of Forest school; origin, nationally and locallyp4

Overview; purpose, aim & objectivesof proposed 6 week programmep5

Guidance document on the role of adults within Forest schoolp6

Questioning strategies; guiding & supporting learningp6-7

Section 2: Legal responsibilities of Health & Safety within Forest School

Forest School safe practise handbook:

Responsibility of Health & Safety and insurance coverp7

Section 3: Policy & procedure relating to Health & Safety

H&S 1st Aid Regulations (1981)p7

Sharing information regarding Health & Safety in Forest Schoolp8

Staff requirementsp7

Ratios of adult: children for Forest School programmep8

First Aid provisionp8

First Aid kit listp9

Emergency guidance & information provided by H&IOWWTp10

Accident & Emergency procedurep10

Reporting procedure for accident & emergencyp10

Child protectionp11

Contacts for Safe-guardingp11

Confidentiality & Data protectionp12

Procedure for confidentiality & data protectionP12

Importance of maintaining confidentiality & data protectionp12

Forest school information/permissionp12

Transport to Forest Schoolp13

Cancellationp13

Effective management of cancellationp13

Equal opportunitiesp13

Behaviourp13

Bullyingp14

Procedures followed regarding bullyingp14

Lost/missing childrenp14

Procedure for a lost or missing childp14

Toileting provision & maintenance of hygiene at Forest Schoolp15

Food Hygienep15

Procedures to enable good practise in regards to food hygienep15

Two other relevant pieces of legislation to be considered within FS practisep15

Section 4: Risk Assessment

Explanation of Risk Assessment & Forest Schoolp16

PPEp16

Daily Risk Assessment formp17-18

Simplified Site Risk Assessmentp19-20

Site Risk Assessment – H&IOWWTp21-24

Safe provision of activities at forest schoolp24

Simplified Activity Risk Assessmentp25

Outdoor Education Activity Risk Assessment – H&IOWWTp26-29

Art & Craft Activity Risk Assessment – H&IOWWTp30-31

Building woodland structures Risk Assessment – H&IOWWTp32

Considerations for safe tool usep33

Safe working area for tool usep33

Tool Risk Assessmentp33-35

Tool Risk Assessment – H&IOWWTp35-39

General considerations for good practise with fire lighting, management & extinguishing p39-40

Fire & Storm Kettle Risk Assessmentp40

Camp Fire & Storm Kettle Risk Assessment – H&IOWWTp40-42

Section 5: Daily operating procedure

Planned format of sessionsp43

Section 6: Session Plans

Session 1-6p45-56

Section 7: Observation, records & evaluation

Methods usedp57

Purpose of observation

Author: Irene Cooper Signature: ...... IC...... Date: 31 /05 / 13

Section 1: Forest School explained

Introduction to the Forest School approach:

Forest school should be run over a long period of time with the purpose of forming bonds of trust in order to promote social and emotional development. It also benefits physical development through facilitation within a natural environment; usually woodland. Other areas of development also benefit through group experiences and the activities provided.

Outdoor activities provided include building shelters, exploring and discovering the natural environment and wildlife, making things using natural materials, using tools, playing games and outdoor cooking over fire (for the sake of insurance purposes during this programme I will not be using tools or fire as I am not yet qualified, after the delivery assessment this will be reviewed).

There is an emphasis upon the importance of play and child initiated learning within a structured and planned programme that has the flexibility to allow for children to take control of their own learning. Enjoyment & fun; Intrinsic motivation is self motivated purpose to participate and gives a greater depth to learning achieved. Allowing free choice gives a sense of freedom and self expression needed to understand and form personal identity. Children are more likely to show commitment and as a result succeed if given positive encouragement from adults supporting them to follow their own choices and setting them up to succeed using achievable goals. This strength of character and the social skills developed are transferable to all aspects of life and learning.

Holistic development refers to the need to consider how all aspects of child development are interrelated and thus affect the whole. Forest school takes a holistic approach to facilitating learning.

History of Forest school; origin, nationally and locally

Forest School Originates from Sweden in the 1950’s. In Denmark it has become integral to an Early Years child care setting and typically children attend 4 hours per day.

Staff from the children’s Centre at Bridgewater College in Somerset visited Denmark in 1993.This led to development of a UK Forest School programme, which has adapted to offer educational opportunities to older children, young people and adults as well as the early years. It was GordanWoodhall who first used the forest school approach with older children with low self esteem. He went on to work with the Welsh Forestry Commission to create the OCN qualification to provide national professional recognition.

In 2002 the 1st Forest School conference was held where a definition was created and a networking opportunity provided. The Forest Education Initative FEI was funded and supported by the Forestry Commission and later taken over by Learning Outside the Classroom, a charity formed after a manifesto supported the benefits of Forest School.

In 2012 the Forest School Association updated the definition and created a dedicated organisation to represent Forest school with the prospects of becoming a regulatory body to maintain standards of care and education offered within Forest School settings.

Forest school developed in Hampshire with thanks to the Wildlife Trust, who in 2008 started running courses locally.At that time a few only a few private day-care nurseries and schools were practising Forest School mostly within the Early Years age range. An informal support group was set up by Early Years Advisors at the Hampshire County Council. Since then the movement has grown, a wider age range is covered and a formal cluster group (Hampshire FEN – Forest Education Initiative cluster group) has been formed to share resources, knowledge, training and raise public profile.

For more information follow the following internet link:

Overview:

Purpose of the 6 week programme

  • Achieve nationally recognised qualification; OCN Level 3 – Forest School Leadership to become a Forest School Practitioner.

Web address of training provider:

  • Membership to Forest School Association; working toward gaining professional status and recognition of quality standards of provision. Membership benefits include training opportunities and social networking, advertisement and marketing. The FSA is aiming to offer endorsement by becoming a regulatory body.

This 6 week forest school programme is the beginnings of my venture as a Forest School practitioner and will help to raise my professional profile. I intend to seek continuous professional development with the support of the FSA and other such organisations and individuals as a result of my studies.

Web address for the FSA:

Aims

  • Initiate a Forest School group within the local Home Education network with an aim to set up regular programmes.
  • To establish self employment, raise professional profile locally and awareness and understanding of Forest School approach.
  • To compliment self employment as a Child Minder as of September 2013
  • To benefit voluntary work commitment with the Wildlife Trust at Swanick Lakes & throughout Hampshire, who have supported me in obtaining the funding necessary to participate in Forest School training.

Objectives

  • To promote positive experiences of Forest School within sessions, good communications, social benefits for all those involved, helping to build upon confidence and self esteem
  • Promote educational value of Forest School and benefits to all areas of learning through a holistic approach
  • Provide opportunities to develop knowledge, understanding & responsible attitude for ournatural environments, wildlife and each other. Learning about sustainability and deepening knowledge of how to conserve or work with nature.
  • Create an adaptable approach to session planning & incorporate wishes of parents, interests of children, identify areas of learning and development to be promoted through facilitation of Forest school
  • Value feedback of parents, children & volunteers, to use contributions, observations and evaluations to benefit future Forest School programmes, sessions and professional development.

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Guidance document on the role of adults within Forest school

Offer a sense of safety and security to children through responsibilities for duty of care both physically and emotionally.

It is important for adults to act as role models for the children, to play alongside them (parallel play) or to be involved in their play. To facilitate rather than guide play to create a balance between leader & participant and allow for independence & self initiated/led play.

Facilitation is to assist a process or personal progress through planning or action with a focus upon this approach rather than an adult taking on the role of ‘teacher’ to impart own knowledge the emphasis is rather upon the child’s development of own knowledge and understanding to create a deeper more long lasting influence from the learning experiences provided. Activities for sessions aim tocreate situations which stimulate their imaginations & creativity through play and engage children’s own interests or the combined interests of the group.

Introduce resources in a manner to children which allows them to know and understand their use. Break down tasks into manageable, achievable steps to set them up to succeed. Make sure that expectations upon children are fair and take into consideration their personal, individual abilities and stages of development.

Avoid assumption, encourage children to make their own judgements, decisions and choices. Use of language & communication; interactions between adults and children are positive, listen to their contributions, recognise their skills and abilities, actively engage their interest whilst aiming not to over influence them with own agenda by aiming to create a balance of mutual equality in attitude & approach (hold the space without ownership). Be aware of role, influence upon learning and reflect upon conduct for continuous improvement.

Allow children to consolidate learning through repetitive activity; this is one of the benefits of long term Forest School programmes, allowing the time for children to repeat patterns of learning. When time constraints within the session apply reassurance can be given to re-visit an activity at a later date. This is where flexibility within session planning is applicable and feedback/good communication & observation of value. It is very important to hold in mind the fact that the process of learning is more important than the product itself, skill is acquired through practise.

Questioning strategies & supporting learning

Questioning techniques dictate whether learning is child or adult centred. Learner centred questions are intended to share knowledge appropriate to the experience of the child, to encourage them in self discovery of the answers.

  • Ask thought provoking questions, rather than closed yes/no answers
  • When children make statements of knowledge ask questions that encourage self reflection, how they reached the idea to help develop deeper understanding be considerate that it is not done so in a way that could be misinterpreted as
  • Avoid vague phrasing, be clear, brief and easily understandable
  • Allow time for response, don’t pressure children into responding or use humiliation as a means for getting a response
  • Make sure questions serve a purpose rather than encouraging children to guess in their response
  • Encourage children to share knowledge upon subjects, thoughts and ideas.
  • Use own observations within surroundings to draw children’s attention to learning opportunities, phrase questions so as to encourage children to make observations of their own
  • Make sure children have the practical experience to understand the context of questions; provide opportunities for exploration and self discovery

Other strategies that support learning:

  • Encourage children to work together to discover answers to questions
  • Encourage an attitude that there is no right or wrong answer to any question just different levels of understanding and knowledge.
  • Ask questions that help to consolidate previous learning experiences
  • Ask questions that require an active response, line of enquiry and discovery in keeping with their ability
  • Encourage learners to question and interpret own feelings and thoughts

Section 2: Legal responsibilities of Health & Safety within Forest School

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) & The Health and safety Act (1974)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities are responsible for enforcing legislation and the statutory requirements/duties of businesses in promoting positive health and safety practise.The Health and Safety Act (1974) outlines the duty of employers to ensure employees or people affected by their business are not exposed to risk of health or safety as far as is reasonable practicable. Employees also have a duty to take care of their own safety, those who they may affect and to co-operate with their employer in regards to H&S.

After completion of the OCN Level 3 Leadership course I intend to become self employed as a Forest School practitioner. I Irene Cooper hold the overall responsibility for Health and Safety during the Forest School programme although in attendance of a Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Site she must act in accordance with policy, procedure and risk assessment of the Trust and they in turn have a duty of care to all visitors or users of the site.

Insurance cover for the Forest School programme provides financial protection against legal proceedings that may occur as a result of the nature of the work carried out. I hold Public/products Liability Insurance from Birnbeck Ltd specifically for Forest School. Indemnity is confirmed at £5,000,000 for 12 months.

Section3: Policy and Procedure relating to Health & Safety

The H&S First Aid Regulations (1981)

This legislationstates that is an employer’s responsibility to ensure First Aid and medical attention are administered immediately following an accident or sudden illness. Failure to do so can result in prosecution. This includes ensuring First Aid equipment is available, that staff have adequate training, and Risk Assessments are in place to reduce hazards and risks to health or injury. Part of this duty is the requirement for regular monitoring, maintenance and review of first aid equipment and provision of up to date training relevant to cover all aspect of work place safety.

Sharing information regarding health and safety at FS:

All volunteers and parents will be sent a copy of risk Assessments, policies and procedures for the programme before it commences and given the opportunity to question anything they do not understand. During the first session I will aim to give plenty of opportunities for any queries to be answered. I will remain vigilant to safe practise and make sure that all those in attendance are made aware of risks and how to take appropriate actions.

Staff requirements:

I have a Paediatric First Aid Certificate and am acquiring CRB checks for all volunteers to attend. One of the volunteers in attendance has completed Forest School training to level 1 and so has basic knowledge and understanding of the programme.

Ratios of adults : children for FS Programme:

  • There will be a minimum of 2 staff present although I am hoping to have four.
  • Parents will also be in attendance
  • 10 adults: 18 children
  • Ratios are already high, tools and fire will not be used however if they were to be I would have used a 1:1 ratio to introduce these skills. Although I would not do so until a clear understanding of children’s abilities had been established.

First Aid provision:

  • First aid kit as recommended for outdoors use by St John’s Ambulance and an emergency bag containing additional items. There is a list within the First aid bag of its contents and a review date has been set to monitor its use. Stock will be replaced immediately after use.
  • The register contains a list of emergency contacts for all those in attendance and a medical needs and first aid administration consent form will be available for all those in attendance.
  • An emergency procedure sheet has been supplied by H&IOWWT to make contact with site management in the event of an accident occurring.
  • A charged mobile phone with credit will be carried at all times during each session. Mobile network coverage is good at the site.

First Aid Kit – Forest School

Contents / Number of items / Date contents is checked & restocked / Date contents is checked & restocked / Date contents is checked & restocked / Date contents is checked & restocked
First Aid booklet / 1
Assorted waterproof plasters (10 pack) / 2
Finger dressing / 3
Medium island dressing / 4
Large island dressing / 2
Gauze swab / 1
Sterile small dressing / 2
Sterile medium
dressing / 4
Sterile Large dressing / 2
Microporous tape / 1
Strip sutures / 1
HSE medium dressing / 1
HSE large
dressing / 1
Triangular bandage / 2
Pack 6 safety pins / 1
Eye pads / 2
Eye wash phials / 3
Cleansing wipes / 10
Tweezers / 1
Thermometer / 1
Hand gel / 1
Face shield / 2
Space blanket / 1
Disposable gloves & clinical waste bags / 2
Dressing scissors / 1
SOS whistle / 1

Emergency bag also to contain:

  • Torch
  • Thermal roll matt
  • Emergency bivvy bag
  • Tarp
  • Hot or cold water & hat
  • Fire kit (newspaper, cotton wool, Vaseline, lighter, fire strike
  • Charged mobile phone with credit
  • Accident book
  • Register, emergency contact numbers, medical consent forms, grid reference for site
  • Risk Assessments

Emergency guidance & information supplied by H&IOWWT:

In the event of an Emergency ring the Emergency Services on 999 stating your name and the following location details:

Testwood Lakes Centre

Brunel Road

Calmore Industrial Estate

Totton

SO403WX

Site Entrance Grid Ref: SU 349151

The nearest hospital is Southampton General, Tremora Rd, Sothampton

Accident & emergency procedure:

An emergency bag will be accessible at all times during sessions (see following page for First aid & emergency equipment available). All minor accidents and incidents will be reported within the accident book and parents asked to sign and date the form. Hampshire & IOW Wildlife Trust will also be informed and their procedures followed.

Procedures in accordance with H&IOWWT protocol in event of a serious accident or incident:

  1. Assessment of the situation
  2. All participants unaffected will be moved or protected from further injury or danger.
  3. 1st Aid administered as appropriate
  4. Non-affected members may go into shock –appropriate action/1st aid given as required.
  5. Call emergency services on 112
  6. Phone site management contact as soon as possible.
  7. Remove the remainder of the group to a secure location and protect from the attention of the media. (If young people involved, ensure adequate supervision ratios or return to an indoor environment if possible.
  8. Retain all equipment involved in an unaltered condition.
  9. Do not make statements to the media or allow anyone else to make statements where at all possible.
  10. Keep a log of all people contacted/involved in the management of the incident as possible and the timing of actions taken in relation to the incident.

Reporting procedure for Accidents & emergencies: