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.