Year 1 had a fabulous first Forest Schools session – including going on a Gruffalo Hunt! We thought about how to be safe when climbing trees, carrying sticks, and making dens and using ropes. Our Gruffalo hunt helped us explore all the different areas of our Forest school and playground area. We spent some time looking at the different trees whilst trying to find all the characters from the book.

At Wollaton Park, we connected with nature and learn about the wonderful world around us. We explored for signs of animals, searching for footprints and animal droppings, honing our observation skills and discovering the presence of different creatures in the park.

We learned about different types of trees, examining characteristics and discovering the variety of leaves. We showcased our creativity and teamwork skills through den building and constructing shelters with the materials we found.

Our bug enthusiasts had a blast bug hunting – armed with magnifying glasses they found and observed various insects, learning about their habitats and behaviours.

Class 4 learnt about survival skills this afternoon! They cooked on a fire, made a den, learnt how to tie a knot, used a saw and drill.

They are achieving so many of their 51 Things…

What a busy and fun-filled afternoon class 3 have had at Wollaton Park doing Forest School activities; looking at what’s inside a tree, bug hunting and bark rubbing.

We even had time for a hot chocolate!

Class 3 had a fabulous afternoon with Ms Turner-Jones carrying out a variety of Forest School activities. These included; making fire with a flint and steel, whittling sticks with a potato peeler to make a spear, bug hunting and making a swing. Great fun was had by all!

Year 3 children had a fabulous afternoon carrying out a variety of Forest School activities. These included; building a swing, making fire with a flint and steel, whittling sticks with a potato peeler to make a spear and bug hunting.

In Forest School we are able to set ourselves tasks and goals.We used small unfamiliar tools to gain confidence and learn how to be safe and while taking risks. We worked as team to tie knots and create a swing rope and taught others how to use it. We also learnt how to strike a spark – learning how to be safe around fires.

Class 2 have had an AMAZING afternoon in forest schools. We have been on an acorn hunt, made transient art pictures with natural objects, peeled a stick, made leaf bunting, had a guess at what is in the freely bags and made fire using a dragon sneeze. We finished with a game of duck, duck goose. What a super afternoon!!!

Year 1 had a fabulous time in Forest Schools with Mr Kingham. They collected branches and started building fences for our Forest Schools area.

The Green Team have been teaching the rest of the school about recycling. Each class was taught about composting and made their own class compost bottle. Everyone in school will be filling up our school compost bins with compostable items so that in the Spring and Summer we can use this for planting.

Year 6 went habitat hunting and investigated our school grounds to discover the amazing array of life that thrives in the most unusual of places.

Wow!! We love outdoor learning and being in the forest school area! We have found lots of interesting flora and fauna, such as flowers, creatures, wasp nests, twigs and much more! We love exploring!

This week we did some pond dipping to see what we could see. We found shrimp, diving beetles, caddis fly larvae, lots of mud, some leaves, twigs and frogs! The frogs felt ‘cold and slimy, a bit like a jelly-bean that’s been wet’

Year 4 were Stone Age hunters far from their home caves needing to build themselves some shelter. Great team work, great communication and some interesting designs.

We have created art from natural materials, tracked bugs around the Forest Schools area and made shelters for us and for wild animals.

It was Group 2’s turn to build shelters, learning important lessons about compromise, listening, sharing and friendship along the way.

Class 6 couldn’t wait to get back to it in the allotment. They enjoyed potting our strawberry runners, measuring themselves against the sunflowers 🌻 and picking our green beans. They are keeping an eye on the potatoes ready for our WW2 recipes.

Southwold is well and truly in bloom!!

If you and 3 friends were trapped in a rainforest, how would you survive?

For Design & Technology, Class 4 took inspiration from Katherine Rundell’s ‘The Explorer’ to build mini-dens out of natural materials we foraged from Wollaton Park. We learned about how to make 3D structures stable, and about making strong joins using string.

Class 1 children loved visiting the allotment today. They were busy planting Spring Greens and Russian Kale. What a lovely, fun afternoon.

Here’s my list of animals who shared my garden during my survey. There are many others who come and go like swifts, buzzards, sparrow hawks and gulls. I hope you like the video of the newts and the leech at the end. I’d love to hear about and see any photos of animals you found.

To mark Biodiversity day here are some of the animals I share my garden with. Why don’t you try going on your own backyard safari. I will be spending an hour counting all the different species I see using my garden and hopefully photographing a few.

If you want to join me, sit quietly in your garden with a pencil and piece of paper and watch and listen for birds and flying insects. Each time you see one make a mark on your paper. If you can, take a photo to help you identify the different species. ( we’d love to see your photos and who knows, may be able to help identify any you’re struggling with!)

After half an hour or so, quietly and carefully explore the plants for mini beasts. Look under stones, leaves, sticks (always remembering to put everything back as you found it) Again, every time you find something, make a mark and take a photo if you can. If you have a pond make sure you explore it safely with an adult.

Alternatively take your paper and pencil with you when you go out for your exercise and count all the different animals your see whilst you’re out. Again please take some photos if you can.

Let us know how many you find and remember to send us some photos

It was lovely to see some of our children on our home visits yesterday. Your smiles certainly brightened our day. We got to see some of your lovely work, including this beautiful piece of natural art too!

Hi everyone. Spring is sprung! 🙂

Some signs of spring from Mr K’s garden:

Ladybird; Lungwort; Rowan; Garlic.

We’d love to see what’s growing in your garden or on your walks.

What’s inside a tree?

Class 3 had a lovely walk to Wollaton park and explored inside a tree. We were amazed to find it still alive and growing. To celebrate we made grass trumpets.

Year 3 had a lovely time den building in their Forest School session this week. We were given a tarp and some rope and had to design and build them all ourselves.

We came up with lots of different designs using various things we found in the playground.

We successfully built dens that would house 5 people and none of us got wet!

Lunchtime Allotment Club started this week. We are clearing the ground and getting ready to build our raised beds and plant a range of autumn winter vegetables for us to eat

Class 5 went to Wollaton Park on Friday to build homes for wild animals – one of our 51 things to do before we’re 11¾!

Class 3 had a fantastic afternoon pond dipping.  They found tadpoles, dragonfly larvae and water snails! Just wait until the pond is fully complete with pond dipping stations!