FOREST SCHOOL GROUP for HOME EDUCATION PUPILS

📅 5-Week Programme starting 24th September 2026 • 👥 Max 15 per group

💷 £10 per session / £50 full programme • 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parent/carer attends • Led by Jill Stewart QTS, Forest School level 3, Coastal School level 3.

1st week taster session now available to book. £10 per child. Come along and see what we do and try out Forest School.

Learning Through Nature at West Boldon Lodge

In the Forbidden Forest at West Boldon Lodge. Please park in the overflow car park at the rear of the forest to access this area. Staff will be on hand to direct you on your first day. 

KS1 GROUP (Ages 4-7)

🦉 10:30am - 12:00pm

✅ Nature exploration

✅ Woodland games

✅ Den building

✅ Wildlife discovery

✅ Seasonal crafts

✅ Confidence-building

KS2 GROUP (Ages 7-11)

🦅 1:30pm - 3:00pm

✅ Bushcraft skills

✅ Shelter building

✅ Outdoor challenges

✅ Woodland crafts

✅ Nature projects

✅ Teamwork & problem-solving

Session dates

Thursday 24th September 2026

Thursday 1st October 2026

Thursday 8th October 2026

Thursday 15th October 2026

Thursday 22nd October 2026

More information

Accessibility
We are well equipped to welcome visitors with a range of physical and mental illnesses and disabilities. Please inform us in advance if anyone in your party has any additional requirements so we can make sure you're able to access and enjoy our site.

Supervision
All children must be supervised by a responsible adult at all times. There are various dangers including a road, lake, and National Grid sub-station on site which you will be informed of upon check in, or you can see our site risk assessment here.

Food and drink
We often have hot chocolate or other drinks and occasionally light snacks, so please do let us know if you have any allergies or intolerances as we can usually provide free-from alternatives if we know in advance.

Clothing
Forest School takes place outdoors. Full waterproofs are strongly recommended. You must wear sturdy shoes or boots and should wear long-sleeves and trousers to protect from insects and nettles.

Weather
Please come prepared for the weather with warm layers and waterproofs in bad weather or sun protection and water on hot days.
In strong winds or severe storms it may not be safe to go into the woods. If our staff perceive there to be a safety risk, we may have to cancel your booking. We will notify you via the email address and mobile number provided at the time of booking as early as possible.

Facilities
The Lodge will be open to use toilets, baby change, breast feeding, or for other essential use, but there will be no indoor space for play or shelter

Getting here

There is limited car parking on site, we recommend taking public transport if possible. When travelling around site, particularly around the car parks, please use the allocated footpaths and forest paths to walk and do not walk on the road. Do not use just the postcode in Sat. Navs as it often does not bring you to the right place. For directions visit https://tiny.cc/findwbl.

Times & arrival
You will book a block of sessions with a time slot of 1.5 hours. Please do not arrive more than 5 minutes early. You do not need to bring tickets.

Cancellation
If you need to cancel your booking before the block starts, let us know as soon as possible and we will re-list your tickets. If they re-sell, we will offer you a full refund. If they do not re-sell, we will offer a voucher to re-book for another date, but no refund. Cancellation mid-way through the block will not be possible.
If we have to cancel for any reason, we will offer a refund or a voucher to re-book for another date. These must be claimed within 30 days of the date the event was due to take place.
Any donations made at the time of booking (on top of your ticket cost) are non-refundable.