"Jen does a stunning job at caring and accompanying the children, including on the many outings she is organising for more onsite discovery!"
- Parent -
Offering
Our whole approach is designed to support personal, social and ecological well-being and connection. Our curriculum is everything that we learn, whether child led, co-produced or offered by an adult. We have designed a flexible framework to guide our learning in tune with the seasons. This gives us a nature inspired rhythm as well as the freedom to be able to adapt and respond to children's passions, talents and interests.
Seasonal Themes
Deepening relationship with self, community and nature
Mondays, 09:30 - 15:30: Adventure Days
These are really fun packed days out, learning in the community. All trips and visits are planned together with the children and democratically decided using consent. We have been on trips following the children's interests to places like Horsham Museum, the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, Greenwich Observatory, Cutty Sark and the Maritime Museum, Chichester Novium, Cissbury Ring, Arundel, Kingley Vale, The Observatory Science Centre at Herstmonceaux and The British Wildlife Centre. At the start and end of each term, we have planning and consolidation days which are slower paced to plan ahead or to reflect and further explore particular interests. There are so many opportunities in being nomadic!
Tuesdays, 10:00 - 15:00: Forest Circles
Learning inspired by nature at the hornbeam circle. This unique offering is more than a forest school, it includes bespoke workshops with Clive the Woodsman, voluntary participation in collaborative projects and the feeling of belonging that comes from being part of an eco-democratic learning community in a beautiful ancient woodland. Examples of possible projects could include green woodworking, making and firing clay pottery, making candles from birch fungus, nature based jewellery, art and textiles projects using natural handmade pigments and dyes, woodland poetry, music and performance, and soil science experiments to make the invisible visible. The range of possible projects is as broad and deep as the sky.
Thursdays, 09:30 - 15:30: Play and Projects
Learning through free play and the opportunity to develop personal and / or collaborative projects. Children will be offered opportunities for self reflection and journaling on their own unique blend of passions, talents and gifts for the world. Previous projects have included two theatre productions written and produced by the children, designing and preparing a family day meal, making homes for wildlife, writing and hand publishing Samhain Stories, making a Rube Goldberg machine and a rights for rivers project.
What is a typical day like?
We have a very open and flexible structure for each day. Some structure gives children a sense of safety whilst flexibility allows for shared planning, negotiation and real time adaptive planning (great life skills) in order for learning to emerge organically.
A typical day
09:30 - 09:45 Welcome
09:45 - 10:00 Morning meeting
10:00 - 12:00 Play, projects and plans for the day
12:00 - 12:30 Lunch (in reality, the children eat whenever they are hungry)
13:00 - 15:00 Play, projects and plans for the day
15:00 - 15:30 Tidy up and afternoon meeting
15:30 - 17:30 Optional wrap around care
On a day to day basis, we are highly adaptive to allow space for play, emergent learning and organic growth. Sometimes we learn indoors, sometimes we take our learning outside. Sessions are for mixed ages 5 - 11+ years (Years 1 - 6). There are many advantages of mixed age learning, including that younger children learn from older role models, while older children benefit from being able to explain their learning to younger children.