ABOUT OUR FOREST SCHOOL SESSIONS

SHARED EARTH LEARNING CO-OP FOREST SCHOOL
AT VALLIS VEG, FROME

Introduction

Shared Earth Learning Cooperative evolved out of collaboration between Alex Hart and Helen Moore. Since 2014 it has been constituted as a Not-For-Profit Business and run as a workers co-operative.  It is supported by Chris Smaje and Cordelia Rowlatt who own and farm the Vallis Veg site on the outskirts of Frome, where the group is based.  (For more details, visit www.vallisveg.co.uk )

Our Forest School is for children of all ages and abilities. It builds on a child’s innate motivation and positive attitude to learning. One of the benefits of Forest School is the high adult/pupil ratio, which encourages an attitude of shared inquiry and enjoyment of the natural world. Children are encouraged to explore and appreciate their environment, enabling them to think creatively and confidently. Forest School is child-led with opportunities to take risks, make choices and initiate learning for themselves, providing a chance to discover their abilities without fear of failure or criticism.

Ethos

Forest School is an inspirational process which offers children, young people and adults regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on experiences outdoors.  Shared Earth Learning aims to nurture a love of the natural environment in all children.

 Benefits for children attending Forest School (ref: Archimedes Forest Schools manual)

·                     builds self confidence and self-esteem
·                     combines freedom with responsibility
·                     enables chance to experience the changing seasons and all weathers
·                     means participants can discover their abilities without fear of failure or criticism
·                     develops innate curiosity and motivation to learn
·                     helps children to understand, appreciate and care for the natural environment
·                     promotes children’s well-being and enjoyment of life
 
Experiences the children may be involved in while at Shared Earth Learning Forest School (ref: our experience):
·                     exploring Frome’s countryside
·                     making campfires, cooking and charcoal making 
·                     creating things with natural materials
·                     building dens
·                     story-telling and quests
·                     environmental games
·                     trails and tracking
·                     simple tool use and green wood-working
·                     observational skills for natural history identification and drawing
·                     allotment skills and permaculture inspired growing
 
Typical skills a child may acquire at Forest School
 
·                     To light and manage a fire, including gathering kindling and suitably dry wood.
·                     To work safely with the fire.
·                     To move confidently and safely in an outdoor environment and to develop sound                                         navigational skills.
·                     Basic food hygiene and cooking of a limited range of foods.
·                     Learning the natural processes of growth, maturity and decay in woodlands. To identify                         and utilise materials that are useful, whilst using wood in a sustainable way.
·                     The safe use of a range of tools - from penknife to bow saw.
·                     To construct a range of useful products from natural materials - anything from a toasting                         fork to a rainproof shelter.
·                     To carry a stick safely and be aware of who is around them
·                     To take responsibility for each other and themselves and follow routines for keeping safe
·                     To be able to articulate their feelings about the aesthetics of the woodland space and to                             make things with natural material which are complimentary to the woodland space.
·                     To evaluate the long-term impact of their activities and identifying how others might                             benefit from their contributions to the natural environment.

What to wear

We recommend that everyone, children and adults, wears clothes that don’t matter, trousers and long sleeved tops to protect arms and legs, sturdy boots or wellies, and a waterproof coat and trousers - depending on the weather of course. In cold weather please wear thick socks or 2 pairs, and hats and gloves. In hot weather please apply sun-block at home and bring a sun hat. It is a good idea to provide spare socks, pants and trousers as getting wet or muddy is highly possible. A carrier bag to put wet things in on the way home could also be useful.

Food

Children and adults are requested to bring a packed lunch, drink, and morning snacks in a rucksack that your child can easily carry ready for adventures. You are welcome to bring food to cook on the fire but in the interests of food safety, we would like any meat products to be pre-cooked at home for warming over the fire. 

Where to park/How to find us 

For Holiday sessions we usually meet at 10am and pick up is at 3.30pm (unless otherwise arranged)

We meet at Wallington way - BA11 3EJ. (Leaving Frome towards Radstock – on the Vallis Road (A362) Turn into the estate at the small roundabout: Wallington Way.) Park/lock bike there where someone from Shared Earth Learning will meet you by the gap in the hedge to the entrance to fields (marked as a public footpath the East Mendip Way). We will walk the children to the site and then back  at the end of the day. 

Shared Earth Learning's Forest School is situated at Vallis veg, an eighteen acre organic farm near to Vallis Vale. Grid ref: ST 761488, about 200m from the western edge of Frome

To get to the site follow the public footpath public footpath  - the East Mendip Way - across/between the fields to another metal gate (with a kissing gate), turn right, walk through the trees and past the allotments down the hill towards the poly-tunnels and turn left. We are based in the A-frame which is just off the track.

We encourage lift-sharing/walking/cycling.

Please note that Vallis Veg (who are not Vallis Farm) actively discourage driving on to their site for both environmental and neighbour reasons.

Please tell us if you would like to lift-share with other parents to Wallington way and are happy for us to share your details, or if you have mobility issues as these can be accommodated.

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All our sessions are run by qualified Forest School leaders who are DBS checked, First Aid trained and insured (as Outdoor activity instructors liability up to £5,000,000).

Costs

The cost of a full day holiday session is £30 per child. Sometimes we can offer subsidised places,  depending on your income. Please ask! 

Spoon-carving is a half-day session costing £15 per person.

Payment in full is required to secure your child/ren’s place/s, which are allocated on a first-come first-served basis.  Please note our cancellation policy – full refunds can only be offered up to a week before the session/s begin/s; with any less notice, we will only be able to reimburse half the monies paid.

We reserve the right to cancel a session at short notice (on the day in the event of severe weather) in which case we will fully refund all monies paid.

How to pay

Places are only confirmed once payment and a consent form has been received. You will be issued an invoice after completing the consent form.

(if you are prevented from using online payments cheques should be made payable to Shared Earth Learning or cash can be delivered to our postal address).  

PLEASE REFERENCE PAYMENTS WITH YOUR CHILD’S NAME!

Consent forms can be posted, emailed or filled in online here but we must receive them in advance.(If we already have one, you do not need to fill this in again)

Shared Earth Learning,

16 Woodland Road

Frome,

BA11 1LE.

Any queries please call 07935068254 or email sharedearthbookings@gmail.com