Forest School FAQs

The Forest School approach is a child-led approach that believes in the holistic development of children. This approach respects that the child is rich in potential, strong, powerful, competent and confident in building relationships. The sessions provide space for children to remember those qualities in nature. Children will also have plenty of opportunities to develop both language and communication skills as they interact with peers of various age groups. In Forest School, children are presented with freedom of movement. The time and space that is offered to children allow children to go inward and focus on their body’s competency.

The sessions are run by qualified leaders. Safety forest codes and rules are explained to allow for safe play. We encourage children to trust their bodies, especially during risky play. As leaders hold space for such play, the children develop the necessary thinking process to keep themselves, and their friends safe.

We would advise not to. The dynamics of the group including providing and holding a safe space for children is essential in our sessions. The coaches are trained to hold space for children and we would like them to flourish in our sessions. Special arrangements can be made on a case to case basis. Do let us know how we can honour your child’s needs. We will provide parents photos and a writeup of the session within the week.

Our parent-accompanied sessions are designed for toddlers’ pace. We have had 3-4 year-olds joining our drop-off programmes for the first time and it has been manageable for them. Forest School is a child-led approach. We honour children’s interests, feelings and developmental needs. Because of these factors that we honour, children are able to take their time to get acquainted to the natural world and the session.

We love that you are keen to let the forest be part of your child’s life from a very young age. Our parent-accompanied forest school experience is designed for 18mo to 3yo, based on children’s developmental readiness to join our Circle Time, listen to a briefing on Forest School rules and how to navigate their interactions with aheir peers and resources in thesfores.

We recommend that the child joins at the age of 18 months old - where the child can engage in a range of gross motor movements - climbing, swinging on a rope, sitting down on the forest swing & walking up and down the slopes, with minimal adult assistance.

It is normal for a child to feel anxious during drop-off. We encourage the child to sit with those feelings. Every feeling is valid. Acknowledge your child’s feelings. We encourage you to assure your child confidently that you will see him/her again at drop-off. We will honour the child’s needs and if you feel that your child is not ready, we would not force it upon the child to have our sessions. The child can join in when he/she is ready.

It is very important that children are dressed appropriately for the weather for them to enjoy it. In Forest School we believe that, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing”.

We encourage children to come appropriately attired (a list of recommendations will be given). A raincoat is always handy to have in the child’s bag.

We believe that the different elements in nature offers children a range or learning
opportunities. Our sessions still go on even when it rains. In the event that there is lightning
and thunder, we will conduct drop-off sessions in a safe, sheltered area nearby the designated
site.

Please arrive at the sessions with the appropriate amount of water your child would need for a 2.5 hour session outdoors. We would recommend a litre water bottle to be with them. Coaches will offer children to refill their water bottles if need be. We ensure that children are well hydrated during our sessions.

Yes, there are. We ensure that our Forest School sessions are conducted in areas where toilet facilities are available.

We will assign at least one first-aid trained coach to the session at all times.

Yes, he/she can. We're committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment where every child can thrive, including those with special needs. We believe that our learner-centered approach will provide an enriching and respectful experience for your child. To ensure a smooth transition and foster a sense of comfort and security, we recommend that a trusted adult accompanies your child for the first session.

This adult can offer personalised support and assistance as needed, helping your child acclimate to the forest environment and feel confident in their surroundings. Moreover, having a familiar face present can provide reassurance and encouragement throughout the session.

Credits for missed sessions are applicable only in cases of illness affecting your child or a parent (when no one is able to send the child to the session), or when inclement weather prompts session cancellation by coaches. If you're traveling and wish to reserve your child's slot, fees must be paid to secure the spot, as slots are limited.

If you're planning to travel, we recommend making arrangements in advance. We can offer pro-rated fees if your child attends a minimum of 5 sessions during your absence. Please inform us ahead of time to facilitate this arrangement.

Do get in touch with us to arrange and determine a suitable date for any missed sessions. We're here to assist you in rescheduling and ensuring your child's continued participation.

We understand that unexpected situations such as illness or emergencies may sometimes prevent your child from attending Forest School. In these cases, we offer the following credit policy:

2 Credits per Term

Each family is entitled to a maximum of 2 session credits per term for absences due to illness or emergencies.

These credits must be requested and recorded during the same term in which the absence occurs.

Credit Carry-Forward

These credits are not refundable.

However, they can be carried forward to the next term if your child continues with Forest School.

If Not Continuing

If you choose not to re-enrol for the following term, any unused credits will be forfeited.

This is because your child’s place has already been counted towards session capacity, staffing, and resource planning for the term.

Even if your child is absent, their spot has still been held, and our fixed costs remain the same.

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We offer this 2-credit system as a gesture of goodwill to support families when genuine needs arise, while also ensuring the sustainability of our small business.

Thank you for your understanding and for supporting our forest school community.