It's been a long year...

With 6 weeks to go to the end of term I've been taking stock of the events of the last academic year. 

From the autumn term when I still felt sad about leaving friends 

and colleagues...

...but excited too about the new developments in my life and career.

To the cold winter when although things were going well I still felt daunted by the task ahead of me, 

a little frozen in time.

Bu then there were signs of spring and I felt my confidence, 

in me, begin to grow;

 with support from others who believe in me and the things I wish to achieve...

...before finally, this term, feeling like the blue sky is starting to appear and I feel like this is a path I was always meant to tread...

...and that although I have only left a faint trail...

...I hope that over time, it will be become clearer for others to see, 

and for them to follow...

...until it is no longer a trail, but a road well travelled...

Signs of Spring

Annual family snowdrop walk today; a beautiful clear blue sky day-enough to lift the spirits on its own but then add in some glorious spring sights and it left us all feeling more alert, healthier and happier...

 

Half term has gone so fast but with the return to school is a return to longer days and warmth in the sun and a sense of excitement and energy-that the best is yet to come...

Why can't the woods be our playground?

A reception child asked this week-"Why can't the woods be our playground?"

He had so enjoyed being outdoors and having loose materials to use, he wanted to know why he couldn't spend more time like that.

Who can blame him when there is so much potential in the natural world...

  Sticks to dig with:        

   

 or to measure the depth of mud...

                                   ..or to make fires...

                                         ...or a shelter.

There are berries, leaves and bark for making art and jewellery...

And then think about mud, sand, snow, rocks...

 My aim over the next few months is to help Reception turn the woods into their playground and make those crucial experiences avaliable at every break and lunchtime...

Outdoor Converts

 

It's been a full term of the whole class non directive sessions and when we started the woods were lush and green and there were nerves all round about what would happen when 30 pupils were taken outdoors and allowed to choose how to spend their time. The only real rule was

"Keep yourself, each other and the grounds safe."

We travelled through a fine autumn,lucky with the weather and found some fine fungi for the pupils to identify.

 

Although sadly the snow waited until after our final sessions together, by the end of term the woods were noticeably bare of leaf and much cooler.

Below are some of the elder groups comments about their time in the woods.

We loved:

*Having our own time to do what we want and being able to learn what we want to learn

*Digging holes because it's fun and allows us to use our imagination

*Experimenting, like using sticks to make different things

*Working with people you don't usually work with

*Learning to use equipment safely

We learnt:

*Boys and girls can work together

*I can get on with people I don't always get on with

*Some people annoy me and now I can deal with my anger

*You can be alone and feel sad and it feels peaceful and it helps you

*You don't have to have technology to have fun

Those comments alone would have made it all worth while but the staff feedback has been fantastic:

* I really enjoyed the whole experience

*Sessions were very beneficial to pupils AND staff

*The children's play in the woodlands often reflected their mood

*New friendship groups were formed

*Pupils took their learning from class outside and vice versa

*Children who struggle in class found something they enjoyed and brought that confidence back into class

*I will definitely continue to use the woodlands whichever year group I am with, I think it's great.

It's sad to say goodbye to those classes, they have come such a long way in a term but it's so great to hear that the staff in those year groups are going to continue working outdoors, with whole classes, allowing their pupils to decide how they want to spend their time.

I can't wait to hear how they progress and next term I get to start again with two more classes to prove the worth of an hour in the woods...



Creativity Central

There has been a lot of creativity again in recent weeks;

 there have been musical instruments...

some lovely collections of autumn leaves, both on sticky charts...

and hanging from string...

crab apples that were all around us on the floor were placed carefully back onto trees...

and looked like fairy lights on a Christmas tree...

and talking of fairies, here is a fairy hotel complete with slide...

Only 4 more weeks with the whole class groups-

I'm waiting to see how the more fornal feedback from staff and pupils works out...

Half Term Play

So we went to Scotland to hunt for eagles-sadly no joy, although we did get some great views of a Peregrine Falcon bathing at Caerlaverock. My two were disappointed but that didn't stop us having some fun, with a little bit of work thrown in!!!

They sat in silence to listen to the geese arriving...

...and big sister shared her knowledge (at home she's known as the next Kate Humble!)

There were some creations too; this was made from different coloured reeds...

Whilst this frame proved useful to show off some randomly collected items:

William spent quite some time tracing the shapes he found on these lovely seats, useful for a young boy whose doesn't like letters as they are "work!"

  

And the weather and the scenery were stunning-just what the doctor ordered!!



6 weeks in...

Well six weeks into the new term and its been a rollercoaster ride.

Getting to know lots of new staff and pupils, working out how to get around the new schools, finding keys to all the locks that nobody has used for months and eeking out corners to store equipment. Its taken a while to feel settled and safe. As usual sessions with the children have provided an anchor. Feeling that they are being supported and in some cases enjoying the sessions makes all the rest worthwhile, although it can be hard to hold onto that sometimes!

This weeks highlights have included: some environmental art...

a dinosaur footprint...

and some earthworks to defend the den...

It hasn't all been positive outcomes though. We had a failed attempt at a fire which the year 6 (non directed) group had asked for so they could make hot chocolate.  But the two pupils(out of 30!) who stayed the distance were pretty close to getting it going. Fingers crossed they are keen to continue the challenge next session, they had worked well together and problem solved each time it didn't work. Now they need to keep trying and see that the effort of learning was worth it!

They had a lot of peer support too although the class were frustrated when the whistle blew that it was the end of the session and they realised they weren't going to be served hot chocolate.

It will be interesting to see how many volunteers there are this week to create the fire...