At St. Robert's, we are fortunate to have our very own, ancient conifers that border our little first school. Children enjoy exploring these timeless trees, weaving their way through a woodland path beneath their gracefully bowing branches. The trees provide excellent climbing opportunities on a soft, pine needle-covered forest floor, which serves as a natural safety cushion. The scent of the pines offers natural well-being benefits. Children are free to explore nature, develop climbing skills, solve problems, think critically, and play. Our tree telephone exchange allows children to enhance their spoken language skills. They climb the trees to reach the telephone and chat with children in the neighbouring tree.
Our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) children visit the forest school every week and other year groups go regularly, every half term, regardless of the weather. We make fires, heat water for warm drinks, whittle sticks, saw, drill and dig. Whenever possible, we also visit our River School, where the children can explore the riverbank, search for stones and treasures and navigate the stepping stones. We use fishing nets to explore the riverbed, paddle and splash, hunt for wildlife and learn about the river ecosystem that neighbours our school. In summer, we take our milk and fruit and cross over to 'Pebble Island,' a name given by the children, to enjoy our snacks.
