Who do you trust with your children?

CONTACT US for free advice and guidance.

We've had a number of complaints and anecdotes about another outdoor education company that claims they are a forest school provider. Its always sad to hear people haven't had the positive experience they expected.  Often these experiences are fun until something goes wrong. Some of these stories are outrageous so its best to make sure things are legitimate before you hand over your loved ones.

As part of our advice to schools service built on my 15 years experience in education we prepared a safety bulletin for schools some time ago which we'd like to share again because it seems the message isn't getting through. Please feel free to share any of the links.

As a parent I would strongly recommend that you scrutinise any forest school nursery or holiday club that is for kids only i.e. parents drop off in the morning. You can view what they need to do in this document. Basically if they're doing more than 2 activities and parents aren't about then they need to register. If they haven't then you need to think why not?

Do they have a facebook page? Have a look at the reviews and not just the positive ones. How did they react when things went wrong?

If you have problems with any organisation that claims to be a forest school then you can report them to the Forest School Association. There is a code of good practice they should follow. See our bulletin here.

Nobody find Risk Assessment particularly exciting but as a parent you want to know the company you're taking your children to has done its homework. Don't be embarrassed to ask for a risk assessment. See our original bulletin here.

Like Risk Assessments they should have Public Liability Insurance to cover any eventuality. btw if they're using land without permission then its probably not valid so make sure they've got a licence agreement. See original bulletin here.

Are they as they should be? A CRB/DBS tells you that. Is it as clean as you think? As a parent you have a right to query this to make sure staff are competent and safe. Or will you just take it on trust. See our CRB bulletin here.

See our competency bulletin here.

Its certainly worth having a conversation about these safeguards and don't feel embarrassed. You as a parent/carer/teacher have a right (in fact a duty) to make sure everything's above board and any company working with children recognises that and can provide what you need no questions asked.

Enjoy the holidays!

Events for June

EVERY MONDAY* -  Appleton Forest School 10am at Lumb Brook Valley. Sessions are at least an hour but often stretch on to midday if we get into things (which we usually do). This is an ongoing series of child led sessions. Recently we've done some tool use with under 5s, explored, identified trees, stream walked, made hazel hurdles, bean poles and more. Its very organic and often involves participants influencing what happens at future sessions.

PRICE £5 a child with sibling discounts, etc. NB – 1st and 15th June session are not running as we’re away on training courses, etc.

SATURDAY 6th June – BEAR HUNT at New Moss Wood – Join us at our Woodland Trust Wood on the Manchester Mosses. After porridge we’ll be searching for the 3 bears, Paddlington, Sir Bearmund Hillary and other colourful characters before building them dens. Once settled we’ll start a fire and have a campfire Teddy Bears Picnic.

PRICE £10 a child with sibling discounts, etc.

SATURDAY 13rd June – Wet n Wild at Lumb Brook Valley. A nature walk down the stream and you will get wet. “Canyoning for Beginners”

PRICE £5 each. Only 6 places for each walk!

SATURDAY 20th June  - 10am Midsummer Forest School- at Gorse Covert Mounds - Join us for the penultimate longest day. Exploring, Dens, fire cooking, story telling and more.

PRICE 10 a child with sibling discounts, etc.

SATURDAY 26th/SUNDAY 27th June. Birthday parties. We’re hosting Birthday parties at Appleton and Gorse Covert Mounds. Get in touch for your big day. We make it extra special!

Events for May

Its a chilly start to May but soon it'll be lovely and warm (hopefully).

EVERY MONDAY - Including Bank Hols. Appleton Forest School 10am at Lumb Brook Valley. Sessions are at least an hour but often stretch on to midday if we get into things (which we usually do). This is an ongoing series of child led sessions. Recently we've done some tool use with under 5s, explored, identified trees, stream walked, made hazel hurdles, bean poles and more. Its very organic and often involves participants influencing what happens at future sessions. PRICE £5 per child with sibling discounts, etc.

Sunday 10th May - PRIVATE GRUFFALO BOOKING at Gorse Covert Mounds. Get in touch if you'd like your own personalised session for family or friends.

FAIRY TALE WOOD Saturday 16th May 10am-12 noon New Moss Wood, Glazebrook. The 3 bears will be serving porridge to set us up for our adventure . Join us as we wander the woods in search of fairy tales and try making a house of sticks before the big bad wolf blows them down.  Followed by hot dogs (sorry 3 little pigs) cooked on a campfire. PRICE £10 per child with sibling discounts, etc.

FAIRY TALE WOOD Sunday 17th May 10am-12 noon Lumb Brook Valley, Appleton.

FREE MINIBEAST HUNT Saturday 23rd May - Exclusively for our Fairy Forest School Facebook friends. All you have  to do is like, follow and share our facebook page. More details on facebook.

Don't forget our Appleton  Forest School for the BANK HOLIDAY.

HALF TERM - TUESDAY 26th May - NEOLITHIC VILLAGE at Gorse Covert Mounds. Our favourite session so far exploring nature and building dens. Campfire Lunch Included. PRICE £10 per child with sibling discounts, etc. See our previous blog here.

HALF TERM - WEDNESDAY 27th May- BEAR HUNT at New Moss Wood, Glazebury. 9:45am Porridge, 10am set off and teddy bears picnic for lunch with campfire cooking. PRICE £10 per child with sibling discounts, etc. See our previous blog here.

HALF TERM -THURSDAY 28th May - WET n WILD. A nature walk along the length of the Dingle for adults and/or children. You will get wet. 10am (lasts up to 2 hours) PRICE £5 each.

HALF TERM - FRIDAY 29th May - FOREST SCHOOL FRIDAY. A bit of everything! Using tools, dens, camp fires, nature.  Great for those thinking of taking up forest school. Great for home educators or teachers, nurseries, etc. thinking of introducing forest school or families just wanting to get outside and do stuff! What is forest school? Find out here.

 FAIRY TALE WOOD Saturday 30th May -noon Gorse Covert Mounds. The 3 bears will be serving porridge to set us up for our adventure . Join us as we wander the woods in search of fairy tales and try making a house of sticks before the big bad wolf blows them down.  Followed by hot dogs (sorry 3 little pigs) cooked on a campfire. PRICE £10 per child with sibling discounts, etc.

WET WILD WALK Saturday 18th April

Walk the length of the Dingle Stream

 See the Dingle from a whole new perspective

Inspired by a wet day on New Zealand's Inland Pack Track we offer this opportunity to . . .

WALK DOWN THE STREAM

No path. Just water, rock, mud and sand.

Great for adults and children seeking a wet wild adventure.

Adventure

We're proud and excited to travel Lumb Brook Valley from the valley floor giving a unique perspective of the woodland wildlife.

We'll give you the opportunity to go under the bridge "In at the Deep End". You'll stoop under branches and wade through pools, climb over rocks and slide down mini waterfalls. You'll find the best route to travel down streams with minimal impact to the stream and find the safest route.

Nature

We'll examine the bank and look for evidence of bank voles or other wildlife to make sure we leave no trace and we'll look into the water to see what lives there. You'll learn about the life of a stream and how it affects the woodland around it.

Wet

You will get wet. The maximum depth we can go to is 0.5m - that's knee length on most adults. You'll be sitting in the stream, lowering yourself over slippy rocks and you'll need to get over worrying about getting wet feet.

Safety

We can only take 6 at a time on this journey because we'll want you to tread where we tread until you start to recognise hazards and treat them appropriately. We avoid log jams as these have the potential to trap ankles and there are overhanging branches which well stoop under or if safe climb over.

The water is cold but not that cold. You need to trap water to keep warm so its a good idea to wear thermals if you have them. There is the occasional bramble so long sleeves and trousers are important.  Waterproofs help keep the wind off but don't expect to stay dry. We'll bring a thermos of warm squash for a much needed injection of heat.

The water isn't clean but it isn't exactly dirty either. As with all open water in the UK there exists the chance for contamination. The stream is mainly source from agricultural (crop rather than animal) groundwater. There exists as with all open water the potential for Weil's disease so as a precaution we advise covering any cuts with a waterproof plaster and washing hands after the event and before eating.

Wellies are not so good because they'll soon be full of water, have poor grip, rub and will stick in the mud - best wear old shoes that you don't mind getting wet or muddy. Old trainers or walking boots are best. Shoes change shape when they're wet so wear a thin inner sock and thicker outer socks. Waders if you have them are great.

The stream rises and falls with rainfall. After heavy rain the stream can rise and flow increase but we'll never go deeper than 0.5m and we'll guide you round any dodgy bits.

You'll begin your journey from Green Lane. Meet us there or we'll walk you to the start from our usual meeting place on Dingle Lane Bridge.

PRICE: Introductory offer £5 per person for an exciting wet and wild walk including refreshments.

Contact us to book.

  

New Moss Wood GRUFFALO Forest School Tues 14th April

Read the story

Meet the characters

Build their homes

Everyone loves the Gruffalo wherever he goes!

Everyone loves the Gruffalo and why not. He's awesome. No doubt you've been on Delamere's Gruffalo Trail (pictured) which is well worth a look and free to walk round. There's also other Gruffalo sites dotted around at Forestry Commission sites.

At Fairy Forest School we love the Gruffalo and give a different experience to Delamere and one that's perhaps closer to home.

We keep groups to about 12 children. We journey through the wood introducing the characters and reading extracts of the story and build their homes on the way.

As a company that subscribes to the Forest School ethos we use the story to encourage children to explore, identify trees and the natural world about them, build and be creative, learn to their own pace, help each other and even experience using tools.

We finish off with fire warmed Nutella banana treats whilst Mouse nibbles his hazelnut.

Why not join us? Price £10 per child (£8 discounted) for over 2 hours of Gruffalo fun including nibbles.

BEAR HUNT'S BACK

We had such as great time on the BEAR HUNT at Appleton we're going to repeat it. Only this time we'll be looking for our fuzzy friends on  SATURDAY MORNINGS and across the Warrington area so we get even more people to experience the magic of Fairy Forest School.

Meet our tartan McBear family for some porridge at 9:45am before setting off into the deep dark wood to rescue our bears who've wandered off in search of honey. Expect a wild experience crossing bogs and streams as these bears have a real sense of misadventure - best wear waterproofs and wellies! Then at midday we'll get our our campfire going and have some sausages in a bun to celebrate at our TEDDY BEARS PICNIC.

All this for only £10 per child for 3 hours of fun including food! 

AND if you bring a friend we'll give you another place for FREE!

Please book because spaces are limited.

Call Rawdon 07799 321849 or email rawdon@fairyforestschool.com

SATURDAY 21st MARCH will be at Lumb Brook Valley in Appleton.

SATURDAY 28th MARCH will be at Gorse Covert Mounds in Birchwood.

SATURDAY 11th APRIL will be at New Moss Wood in Cadishead.

Like and Follow the FAIRY FOREST SCHOOL Facebook page to Meet the Bears!

WE ARE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT!

Who let the bears out?

COME WITH US at Fairy Forest School into the great outdoors for our Appleton Forest School BEAR HUNT. 10:00am MONDAY 2nd MARCH @ Dingle Lane Bridge (WA4 5NB).

Before we embark on our epic search we'll be coppicing some hazel to make your very own walking stick. 

Then we'll go looking in a deep dark forest,crossing rivers and thick oozy mud in search of our paw bears that have wandered off looking for porridge and got lost! Only you can help find them!

Even if the weather is Grizzly we'll still be going. So wrap up warm, in wellies and waterproofs! 

Then with our bears rescued why not stay for our TEDDY BEARS PICNIC next to a warm campfire protected from the elements. We'll be feeding our furry friends campfire pan fried sizzling  sausages. Bring a packed lunch or if you prefer tuck in for a complimentary hot dog and drink made to order.

PRICE £10 per child for two hours of outdoor forest fun followed by our TEDDY BEAR PICNIC with food/drink included. Let us know you're coming as spaces are limited.

Call Rawdon 07799 321 849. Email  rawdon@fairyforestschool.com. Catch us on facebook.