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                          Home-Ed parents and children sessions

 

        Every Tuesday afternoon during term time 12.30 - 2.30pm

        Every Friday morning mixed with toddlers 9.45-11.45am

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        Block 1 Tuesdays January 7, 14 and 21

        Block 1 Fridays January 10, 17 and 24

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        Block 2 Tuesdays January 28, February 4 and 11

        Block 2 Fridays January 31, February 7 and 14

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        Block 3 Tuesdays February 25, March 3 and 10

        Block 3 Fridays February 28, March 6 and 13

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        Block 4 Tuesdays March 17, 24 and 31

        Block 4 Fridays March 20 and 27, and April 3

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​Toddlers and parents are welcome to attend these afternoon sessions but the main age group is 5+

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Younger siblings are welcome and are charged once they are older than 18m. 

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You can book more than one block at once. Payment is required in advance. Please see our cancellation policy.

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Prices & Booking

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£9.00 per child, per session. Discount for block booking. Adults and babies free.

 

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If you are bringing more than one paying child then it is £9 for the first child and £7 each for subsequent children.

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There is a minimum ratio of 1 adult per 3 children.

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  • We do not charge for babies in slings/carriers, charges apply when a child is toddling about.

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  • All sessions need to be booked and paid for in advance via the ticketing link above.

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  •  We book for our toddler and home-ed sessions in blocks of 3-6 weeks. If there is  space we can sometimes book single sessions - please check ticketing website for availability.

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Food & Drink

During each session, we will provide a small snack and drink - sometimes healthy, sometimes not.

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Please bring your own plastic mug/beaker for hot drinks, for the child and adult.

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Feel free to bring your own additional snacks and drinks if you require them.

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What to expect at a session:

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  • We go out in all weathers, except high winds and lightning storms. The children are encouraged to appreciate the natural world throughout the seasons, and we encourage them to use natural materials in their play.

  • Our sessions give the children a low risk environment in which they are free to explore the woodland throughout the seasons, and get muddy! We have a loose structure every week but we allow the sessions to be as child-led as possible. 

  • We meet and wait for everyone in the car park area  before all walking down to the site together.

  • We start the sessions at the central meeting point, have a brief welcome, and a safety talk where we explain about rules for staying safe in the woodland and around the fire circle if we have a small fire- and then we often play a short game to help the children feel confident in the woods.

  • We then introduce or suggest an activity, such as leaf printing, bug hunts, den building, painting, sensory games, or natural crafts for example, and then the children are free to do that, or just have free play on the water wall, music wall, or mud kitchen, or in the wider woodland area where we have plenty of space to run about, dig, collect stuff, play on rope swings, climb trees, play games and explore. We encourage the children to follow and build on their own interests within our setting.

  • We will have a snack and hot/cold drink about half way through. Usually there are biscuits and a story involved too! We may occasionally cook snacks on a small fire, and we sometimes use a kelly kettle for boiling water for hot chocolate/tea/coffee. We put the snacks and drinks out on a table for you to serve yourselves and your children.

  • If we feel it appropriate we may also introduce some simple woodland games, and we also have simple tools available which the leaders can demonstrate and help the children learn to use if they wish, in an age appropriate manner.

  • We usually have two dogs at our sessions,  a 5 year old border collie who is friendly and doesn't jump up; and a yellow labrador puppy who either is asleep, or follows the collie about.

  • At snack time we regroup at the fire circle  and during the session we will try to chat with you to reflect on what your child likes doing and might want to do next time, so we can keep the sessions as child led as possible. 

  • At the end of the session we say goodbye and  make our way back to the car park.

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  •  All sessions are run by two qualified Forest School Leaders with full DBS checks and an outdoor first aid certificate. We carry a full first aid kit with us at all times.

  • We ask that at least one adult per family group remains throughout the session. There is no charge for extra adults.

  • The parent/adults will be responsible for their own children at all times.

  • Activities may include flint and steel fire lighting, using tools such as saws and peelers, woodland craft, den building, and camp fire cooking. 

  •  If we need to cancel a session due to poor weather we will contact you as soon as we make the decision, and offer you an alternative date.

  • Please wear suitable outdoor clothes and shoes - no sandals or open toed shoes please. Waterproofs are always needed, with lots and lots of warm layers underneath in the winter and cool layers in hot weather. 

  • We have toileting and hand washing facilities on site. We also provide a dry area to change nappies and store bags on site, and give shelter from rain or sun.

  • The approach into the woods from the car park and meeting area is grassy but quite steep and is ok for all terrain pushchairs, but not lightweight buggies.

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