Big Day Out to the Doward

Once a far more industrial site, this small and ancient nature reserve is set within the Doward landscape near Symonds Yat. A footpath runs between the canopy of woodland, from the car park leading to King Arthur’s Cave. 

Encouraging green fingers in the Forest School

There has been a big push over the last few weeks to catch the start of Springtime growing season, with the intention of really trying to open the eyes of the pupils to what the possibilities are when you grow and cultivate flowers and vegetables. 

The garden will really come into its own this spring, transforming our forest school space into a lively, colourful corner of growth and discovery.

After the quiet of winter, the first buds of leaf and blossom are appearing on trees and plants, just as the children returned with fresh curiosity, giving them a front‑row seat to the season’s changes. 

We have planted a couple of apple trees by the end of the poly tunnel which will hopefully reward the pupils with a tasty treat come late Autumn. Hopefully the mix of wild and cultivated planting will encourage more wildlife too—bees drifting on the breeze, birds investigating new hiding spots, and the occasional ladybird becoming an unexpected teaching moment. We also have regular visits at night time by a fox, who has dug a little channel under the front fence leading into the Forest School area.

What’s been most rewarding is how the garden has become a natural extension of the children’s learning. They’ve taken real ownership of watering, weeding, and checking to see what is changing and emerging, and you can see their confidence grow alongside the plants. 

Spring has given them a chance to explore textures, scents, and colours in a hands‑on way that only an outdoor classroom can offer (they were really struggling with a particularly smelly bag of compost in the poly tunnel)! The garden’s success isn’t just in how well it’s growing, but in how it’s helping the children connect with nature and feel proud of the space they’ve helped bring to life.

Year 6 adventure to Habberley Valley

 Venue choice for Outdoor Education is tricky at times during early Spring. The amount of rain that had fallen over the previous few days made conditions pretty heavy going at many places. A decision was made to journey to the other side of  Bewdley to Habberley Valley Nature Reserve where the valley floor and slopes feel noticeably gritty and dry. 

Habberley Valley is sandy because it is carved into ancient red sandstone, a rock made from compacted sand deposited millions of years ago in a hot, arid environment. Over time, weathering breaks this sandstone back down into loose, sandy soil making it a favourable choice during the recent wet and stormy weather.

The class made there way towards Peckett Rock, an imposing sandstone outcrop which offers the challenge of scrambling up to the summit, where there are panoramic views of the reserve.

The class are briefed on safety and expectations before they attempt the scramble and the less adventurous are accompanied by staff to skirt around the foot of the outcrop.

At the summit, there is a recap with the pupils, asking them how they feel, re-enforcing the jeopardy that scaling up these places entails.

Some of the pupils were fascinated by the sandstone. How it was soft and many people had worn tracks and gulleys over the years when climbing to the top. Many had carved words and initials into the surface of the outcrop.

After clambering carefully down to the foot of the outcrop, the class made their way to the wooded flanks of a steep bank, where they took turns seeking thrills on the rope swing.

Forest school Year 3 and 4

 The weather on return after the Christmas dropped off considerably, making it feel more like Winter than before the break. Forest School as a result has had some pretty chilly sessions and one of the first things the pupils are tasked with doing is lighting a fire.

This often requires a steady supply of firewood and even though we usually have some pallets, they need sawing, prising apart and the nails bent over/hammered flat to make it safer to handle.

After a full and thorough debrief and safety talk, outlining the dangers of using sharp or heavy tools, the pupils are set to utilise them as independently as they can. This is a great exercise in risk awareness, concentration and commit, helping the pupils realise that there is work and effort to all tasks when in the sessions.

Eye-opening trip to Cooper's Hill

Year 10 travelled down the M5 on the 16th Jan to  just outside Brockworth, to behold the venue of the World renowned Cheese Rolling competition which is held annually (this year the proposed date is Monday 26th May).

Cheese rolling is one of those wonderfully chaotic traditions that feels almost too wild to be real, yet it’s very much alive — especially in Gloucestershire.

 What Cheese Rolling Actually Is

At its core, cheese rolling is a race. A wheel of Double Gloucester cheese is sent hurtling down the incredibly steep hill and competitors sprint (or tumble) after it. The first person to reach the bottom wins — traditionally, they win the cheese itself. This event has been recorded since at least 1826, though many believe it’s far older.

 Why It’s So Famous

• The hill is extremely steep — people don’t so much run as bounce, slide, and cartwheel down.

• It draws competitors and spectators from all over the world.

• It’s a mix of tradition, adrenaline, and pure mayhem.

Despite its hazardous nature, it continues every spring, usually on the Spring Bank Holiday.

The Cotswold Way zigzags up towards the summit on the right hand side of the bank. The class were offered the chance to accompany the tutor to scale the bank and one of the class was eager to prove his mettle.

The bank itself is located on the north facing flank of a nature reserve and when the class all made it to the top we spent a while exploring the top of the plateau.

Walking the hill encourages discussions about erosion, land use, and how the landscape has shaped community traditions. The dramatic incline also pushes students to think about risk awareness, teamwork, and personal resilience as they navigate the terrain safely.

Looking down from the top of the bank is overwhelming. Most of the class commented on how dangerous it would be to compete and they were all amazed at how steep the bank appeared in real life.

And the view from the top really was splendid...

Link top adventure

 

Wednesday came with a welcome break in the weather after all the chaos of the snow over the previous week. Year 6 were shuttled to Link Top in Malvern for a trek across the flank of  North Hill. The pupils took every opportunity to explore...testing their capabilities off the beaten path...

..stumbling across dens built by other adventurers...

...and when they reached the headland above St Anne's Well, they were greeted by a beautiful arc of light around a hazy sun.

On the return leg, they noticed a rocky outcrop and after a safety briefing, all of them attempted to clamber up the face as far as they were allowed / or brave enough to reach.

They all found this challenging, exciting and also tricky to leave as they were so enamoured by the chance to climb.

On finishing to return to the bus, some of the pupils down-climbed in a careful, considered manner.

And some of the more adventurous pupils asked to parkour their way off the rockface.

Very courageous and a great exercise to get them to assess the inherent risk against their own physical capabilities.

 

Bringsty Common Fun and Games for Year 6

 In the run up to Christmas the weather improved markedly. The constant rain faded away, the temperature dropped a fair few degrees and for the first time it started to feel like Winter. There is an area of common land ten miles westward along the A44 called Bringsty and being free to roam it gives the pupils an opportunity to wander and explore independently.

The class will come across lots of different obstacles and very often, they will immediately begin to challenge themselves.

Staff noticed a tree still laden with apples and that provided the ammo for a go at making an apple catapult. A little stick of hazel, sharpen a point on one end and hey presto... easy as that.

It is amazing how far they can be launched with the benefit of a little mechanical advantage.

It is great fun. So much so, staff are eager to line up for a go themselves.