ST. MATTHEW'S DOWNSIDE AFTER SCHOOL FOREST SCHOOL YEARS R, 1 and 2  ***Please note that this club is only open to children who attend St Matthew's Infants, Downside, Cobham***

Pick up is 4.15pm sharp, from the front playground, via wooden gate. 

It is paramount that your child has the correct clothing on to participate in Forest School, please keep an eye out on the weather forecast and pack the appropriate clothing for the weather. 

Full waterproofs are a must!

Please provide your child with a named water bottle and healthy snack, NO NUTS please. Will we provide Hot Chocolate in the colder months, along with either Marshmallows, S'mores or Popcorn. Please tell us about any allergies your child has when you fill out the booking form.

Silverwoods Forest School holds Full Public Liability Insurance up to £5 million pounds. All our sessions are always run by a qualified Forest School Practitioner Level 3 who are Outdoor and Paediatric First Aid Trained, DBS Checked, TQUK Level 2 Certificate in Safeguarding, Prevent and British Values (RQF) and have a Level 2 Award in Food Safety. They are also experienced in working with children in an outdoor environment. All Forest School Assistants are DBS checked and hold a Level 2 in Safeguarding Children & Young Adults Certificate (POCA)

Please read our terms and conditions that are at the bottom of the page, and on the booking form page for you to read through.

Session details below:
Venue:

St. Matthew’s C of E (Aided) Infant School,
Downside Common Road,
Downside, Cobham,
Surrey
KT11 3NA


The dates for our Tuesday sessions are below, there are 9 in total:

Timing of sessions will be 3.15pm - 4.15pm

Tuesday 15th October

Tuesday 22nd October

Half Term 28th October - 1st November

Tuesday 5th November

Tuesday 12th November

Tuesday 19th November

Tuesday 26th November

Tuesday 3rd December

Tuesday 10th December

Tuesday 17th December (LAST SESSION)

CLOTHING & KIT LIST

Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Alfred Wainwright: “there is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing”

Kit list - for colder weather: 

• Thermal base layer – leggings, long sleeved top, and long thermal socks
• Spare socks
• A thinner long-sleeved top
• A warm fleece/wool long sleeved top
• Cosy trousers i.e.. Tracksuit pants (not jeans)
• Waterproof Trousers (the kids will get muddy)
• Warm waterproof coat/jacket
• Two pairs of gloves or mittens (one waterproof)
• Warm hat and snood
• Neoprene or fleece lined wellies or waterproof walking boots
• Water bottle filled up, labelled with child’s name
• Healthy Snack - No Nuts
  
  

Kit list – for warmer weather:

• Long trousers (these are still a necessity to prevent scratches and stings)
• Long sleeved top (to prevent, stings, bites, and scratches)
• Jumper (as it can be cool at the beginning of the day)
• Waterproof Jacket
• Waterproof Trousers (British Weather, so be prepared for it to rain in the warmer months)
• Water bottle filled up, labelled with child’s name
• Sun cream/Insect repellent (to be applied at home)
• A sun hat
• If you feel your child needs insect repellent, please apply at home
• Wellington boots or waterproof walking boots

Please make sure that all your child’s entire kit is labelled with their name on.

Contact details: Victoria Hofgartner

silverwoodsforestschool@gmail.com

Telephone: 07340 314956

With the great outdoors a safer and more Enriching environment to be in why not join our forest school family today!

A Little Information about your Forest School Leader

Hi, my name is Victoria, I am the owner of Silverwoods Forest School. I am also a mother to a very happy, confident, content, and loving boy called Sterling.

I am creative, strong willed and passionate, as I inspire children and adults that attend my forest school to be more in tune with nature. To create a world where people are more attached to one another and nature, and less attached to the material things in life. To escape the modern stresses of the wider world, and to be more mindful and present in the moment!

Everyone needs a little nature and the great outdoors in their life, it feeds the soul!

I am a qualified Forest School Practitioner Level 3, I trained with Archimedes (now known as forest school’s education) I have full public liability insurance up to 5 million pounds, I hold an Outdoor Forest School First Aid Certificate, up to date DBS Check on the update service, TQUK Level 2 Certificate in Safeguarding, Prevent and British Values (RQF) 2021, and a Level 2 Award in Food Safety.

I have several years’ experience working as a Nanny with children from all ages. I have worked in local schools; set up and run forest school programmes for Pyrford Primary C of E School, and I currently work with Little Acorns Day Nursery in Cobham, Little Hearts Nursery in Cranleigh, Little Oaks in Leatherhead, The Nursery School Charlwood, West Sussex, and St Andrew's in Cobham. I have also helped in the running of forest school sessions for four Forest schools across Surrey and London; I have experience working around children with special educational needs and disabilities.

I also have a Private Forest School woodland site that sits in a Country House estate and is set amongst ancient woodland with spectacular views across the Surrey Hills, from here I run Children’s Woodland Parties. If you would like more details, please send me an email at silverwoodsforestschool@gmail.com or call me on 07340 314956

I am very passionate about Wild Food and how we can sustainably forage for it in the wild. I have completed my “Teach Foraging” with Di Hammill at the Wild Harvest School. My Adult Wild Food and Foraging workshops will be starting in 2024.

I hold so much love and passion when it comes to working with children; it's great to see children in an outdoor learning environment being able to follow their own direction, working things out for themselves and having lots of fun in the process. My job is for your children to become more independent learners, whilst having a good understanding of the natural world around them.

We believe that everybody should have access to a safe outdoor space to learn, play and have fun, by providing this we can increase self-esteem, confidence and enhance personal, social, and emotional development. We promote equality, offering a fun accessible approach to our work, with the knowledge and understanding that there can be a broad range of personal and social barriers to people taking part.

Silverwoods Forest School offers a unique outdoor educational experience for children, young people, and adults. Where you are all given the opportunity to develop confidence and self-esteem, through fun social experiences, achievable tasks, engagement in nature, individual and group challenges, adventure, games, arts, and crafts. Forest school takes place all year round in almost all weathers, except in high winds or thunder & lightning storms. You will work with tools, play, problem solve, toast marshmallows around the campfire, thus exploring and developing your physical and emotional capabilities, whilst gaining a better understanding of the natural world around you, but above all having lots and lots of fun!

What are Forest Schools?

Forest School is an innovative approach, providing learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in and around a woodland or natural environment.

Forest school is to inspire and encourage all individuals of any age, gender, and background, to enjoy the freedom to explore the natural world through positive outdoor encounters, in all seasons and weathers.

Forest School aims to develop:

• Self-awareness
• Self-regulation
• Motivation
• Confidence
• Empathy
• Independence
• Great communication skills
• Self esteem
• Positive mental attitude
• A greater understanding and respect of the natural world around them

Forest school is a great trailblazer that is used to encourage all individuals, from all walks of life, to get outside and use their open spaces more for play, health, wellbeing, recreation, and personal development uses.

Why Forest School?

Today’s children are often very well protected and cherished, where they are unable to make their own judgments about risk. Forest school allows children to experience managed risk and make their own decisions and therefore help produce more confidant individuals. Forest school offers children regular opportunities to undertake learning and play in local woodland. Sessions in forest school are not timetable-led, but driven by the learners themselves, drawing on their interests and imagination. Through forest school children can develop a lifelong love and understanding of the natural environment, whilst developing the core purposes of the forest school ethos, namely, development of self-esteem, confidence and social skills.

Activities That Could Be Covered at Forest School

• Fire lighting skills
• Campfire cooking
• Tool work
• Shelter/Den building
• Land Art Mandalas
• Team games
• Animal tracking
• Woodland arts & crafts
• Tree identification
• Fauna & flora identification
• Nature knowledge & understanding
• Bug hunting

Terms and Conditions

Ages

Silverwoods Forest School is a provision for young people aged from walking to 12 years of age and is not a childcare provider.

Silverwoods Forest School Ltd holds Full Public Liability Insurance; a qualified Forest School Practitioner Level 3 who is Outdoors and Paediatric First Aid Trained, DBS Checked, TQUK Level 2 Certificate in Safeguarding, Prevent and British Values (RQF), Level 2 Award in Food Safety Trained. They are also experienced in working with children in an outdoor environment. All Staff and co-leaders are DBS checked.

Booking

Silverwoods Forest School is open to all young people from all ethnic, cultural, religious and social groups. Places are limited and are all allocated on a booking service until maximum numbers have been reached. Places will be allocated on a first come first serve basis. If sessions become fully booked, we will hold you on a waiting list or offer you a space on another session with availability.

Silverwoods will when possible, follow the local term times whilst running its session

Payments

All booking forms and payments must be received before confirmation of your Forest School dates are allocated. If we have not received your payment, or booking forms within 72 hours, we reserve the right to cancel your provisional booking and offer your space to a child on the waiting list.

Fees are to be paid per full term block. All fees must be paid in advance before your child starts their Forest School sessions.

Once your booking is complete, you will receive a confirmation email (please check junk folder etc.)

Birthday Parties

Are for children aged 3 to 12 years of age. There will be a non-refundable deposit of £150 payable at the time of booking; this is to secure your Birthday Party. The full balance is to be paid no later than two weeks before your party is due to commence. In the unlikely event that we must cancel your party due to high winds or a lightning storm, then we will re arrange for you to have your party on the nearest available date, if this does not work around you and your party guests, then we will offer you a refund minus the £150 non-refundable booking deposit.

Drop off/pick up

Pick up is 4.15pm sharp, from the gate by the huts. Please ring me, Victoria on 07340 314956 if you are going to be late, but please bear in mind that I have to collect my 7-year-old son from his after-school club, so I have to leave on time. If you are more than 15 minutes late you will be invoiced £15 for every 15 minutes that you are late for pick up.

Refunds & cancellations

Refunds will not be given on the very rare occasion that the weather is too dangerous for us to hold a safe Forest School session. So, winds over 42mph, or Thunder & lightning storms. We will keep an eye on the weather forecasts and contact you via email or text message, by 5pm the day before. Also, keep an eye out on our Facebook page.

If the weather begins to take a turn for the worst, in the middle of a session, we will follow our emergency evacuation procedure. We do not offer a refund on this occasion.

If your child cannot attend due to illness refunds will not be offered.

For whatever reason we must cancel a session due to adult: child ratios, or Forest School leader sickness, then you will be refunded.

Refunds will not be offered if your child has become too cold due to the lack of clothing or layers, he/she is wearing (always dress your child in more layers, as these can be taken off if they get too hot, rather be too hot than to cold)

Refunds cannot be offered if you or your child becomes ill due to covid-19.

If there is another spike in Covid-19 cases locally, and we are advised to close down due to government guidelines, then your sessions will be gifted back to you when we reopen.

Refunds cannot be given due to non-attendance of sessions.

My experience consists of a leisure activity, on a specific date(s), and therefore the 14-day ‘cooling off period’ under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 does not apply.

Insurance

Silverwoods Forest School has obtained full Public Liability Insurance up to 5 million pounds. Forest School sessions take place in the outdoors, which by its nature is never completely free from hazard. While all reasonable precautions are taken to minimize the risks, the client accepts that accidents and injury can occur without Silverwoods being at fault.

Policies

The policies of Silverwoods Forest School are the product of careful evaluation and are regularly reviewed and updated. Policy documents are available on request to parents.

Clothing

Please make sure that your child is dressed accordingly to the English weather, see our kit list for more information. Please label your entire child's clothing and personal items such as hats, gloves, jackets, and water bottles. No sandals, crocs, or flip-flops (health and Safety)

Illness

If your child has a fever or has suffered from vomiting or diarrhoea within 48 hours, please inform us that they will not be attending. We wish them a speedy recovery and will see them at their next session.

Medication/Medical information

Please make sure you have completed the relevant medical consent forms, providing up to date medical information regarding your child.

Food

We will include a toasted marshmallow for your child to have in their Forest School session. Please provide your child with a healthy snack, water and pop their name on it.

Nuts

We have a strict No Nuts policy

Data Protection

All information provided to us during booking will comply with the General Data Protection Act 2018. We are members of the Information Commissioner's Office - The UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.

Lost Property

Please make sure your entire child's property is clearly labelled with their name, this makes it easier for us to return the item to parents. If your child has left anything behind, please drop us an email and we will do our best to get it back to you.

Mobile Phones

Parents with mobiles are kindly asked to make sure they do not take photos of any other child whilst at forest school, it is ok to photograph your own child.