HAF Summer holiday bookings - Do you know about the new booking system???
We have lots of forest school activity sessions this summer for children and families who are in receipt of benefit related free school meals in different locations and on different days. We also have some fun Family sessions for families with different aged children.
To book register on the HAF booking page https://haf.bookinglab.co.uk/westsussex/37147/login
You will need your HAF number which you can get from your school or by emailing HAF@westsussex.gov.uk
This summer we have
Tuesdays Drop off sessions Wild in the woods in the Secret Garden Fishbourne and Brandy Hole Copse Woods Chichester 10-3pm
Thursdays and Fridays Drop off sessions Wild in the Woods in Lavant House school woods 10-3pm
Led by our forest school team and with only 15 children per session we work hard to ensure every child has opportunities to follow their interests and make new friends. All our staff have experience working with all ages and different needs SEN.
Please contact us if you need help with booking or to discuss our holiday sessions 01243 680370
Space to Breathe Girls - woodland support group
So excited to see some of the willow lanterns made by our Space to Breathe Girls group on display in South Street, Chichester, as part of the Culture Spark Our Landscape community exhibition. It was wonderful to bump into a parent and grandparent of one of the girls who had been through our Space to Breathe Girls group. They told me how much the group, being in nature, had helped their daughter/granddaughter during a really difficult and low time and how well and happy she is now! So lovely to hear!!
Our Space to Breathe Girls Group is for 11-15yrs olds is free and meets in Kingley Vale on Sundays on a fortnightly basis. Designed to support Girls who are struggling with low self esteem and mental health ... we have lots of fun and enjoy the fabulous nature of Kingley Vale..... for more info and booking click here
Zoom recording - Supporting the transition back to school Parent wellbeing session 6
Our psychologist and life coach Helen Neary joins Rachel Maynard, Therapeutic Forest School Leader to offer lots tips and helpful advice to support our children and teenagers with a smooth return back to school after lockdown.
Topic: The Nature of lockdown
Start Time : Mar 4, 2021 07:48 PM
Meeting Recording:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/XW-KG1liDbSnU795hv5uyVr2WMZo0FOdThDuA_GzZwKaN_zcog5OV0rr234DuwFs.UbbfGEYI0F2Wj8DE
Parents wellbeing
Being a parent of a child with mental health difficulties is a tough place to be. Getting the right and timely support for your child is a challenge with services so stretched. Parents report feeling isolated, alone, confused as to how to support their child and also cope with the impact of mental illness on the whole family.
Yesterday we were able to restart our woodland wellbeing sessions for parents. We shared a relaxing morning in the woods, we learned and practiced the 54321 mindful technique, enjoyed a morning of woodcraft and fire and an opportunity to meet up in a relaxed, safe non-judgemental space to talk and just be.
Our sessions are led by Rachel Maynard - an experienced Therapeutic Forest practitioner and Michelle Stone Trainee counsellor. We are grateful to the Sussex Community Foundation for their funding to allow these sessions to occur.
Our next parent support and wellbeing session is in October and more to follow.
checkout our booking page for more information.
Www.chichesterforestschools.com/bookings
We're back! sellout summer sessions and lots to look forward to!!
After being out of action for several months during COVID -19 lock down on we are delighted to have been able to get the children out for some adventures in the woods over the summer.
All our COVID measures are in place and we are looking forward to working with schools again and restarting out Babes in the Wood and OWLs home school group.
October half term dates are available to book and we look forward to offering our high quality forest school to as many groups as we can.
Stickman Christmas fun Monday 23rd December
Come and join us for some Christmas fun in Fishbourne. A fun woodland session inspired by stickman. Make your own stickman, sticklady or stick family, make some fun Christmas woodcrafts and enjoy a warm mince pie and marshmellows over the fire.
Our family sessions are run by our forest school leaders Emma and Julia and aimed at children 2-8yrs.
Session 10-12am and 13.30-3.30pm in The Secret Garden Fishbourne
for more information and to book tickets click here
Easter Holiday Sessions
Fun Easter sessions for Children and families this Easter. We are having Gruffalo and Dinosaur family adventures adventures and for older children out full day of woodland activities in the beautiful Kingley Vale Nature Reserve
Check it out on our booking page
Project Wild Play
,We were delighted to start Project Wild Play last week. Working with Chichester Nursery , Home-Start Chichester and District and Sanctuary in Chichester, we have put together a programme led by forest school leaders and a family worker to give young families support and an opportunity to play outdoors, build relationships and have fun.
If you would like more information about this programme please contact us on info@chichesterforestschools.com
We would like to thank Chichester District Council and Chichester City council for supporting this project.
Celebrating Recognition for our Forest School Practice
Chichester Forest Schools CIC has achieved recognition for good forest school practice from the Forest School Association now becoming one of only 46 forest schools in the country to achieve the Recognised Forest School Provider Status.
This has been awarded in recognition for the excellence of our nurture programmes where we have been working with vulnerable, children and young people who struggle in mainstream school. Many of theses children have suffered ACES (adverse childhood experiences) that have impacted on their confidence and self esteem.
"Children identified as having social and emotional issues and were all struggling with the day to day demands of school life. The sessions allowed them to develop their confidence and independence. They could explore and try out skills that were unfamiliar to them in a stress free non-judgmental environment. It was wonderful to see how they became more able to cope with situations that had previously been difficult for them and their self-esteem grew. They were able to apply this to their everyday life and for them it meant school became a better and safer place."
Zoe Gordon Head teacher.
Dinosaurs, the stoneage and Pirates this Feb half term
We have 3 fun holiday sessions for families with children 2-8yrs this half term. Kicking off on Monday 18th Feb we have Dastardly Dinosaurs and Pirates Ahoy Shipmates in the Secret Garden Fishbourne.
Friday 22nd we'll be in Brandy Hole Copse Nature Reserve going back to the stoneage with a session celebrating Julia Donaldsons fun book "Cave Baby"
Look at our booking page for more details