Forest School

A guest blog by our very own Forest School Leader, Jessica Rain.

After returning after the Summer break we were welcomed by an abundance of nettles. Whilst nettles offer a haven for wildlife, we don't need quite the amount that greeted us on our return!

I got to work strimming the nettles so the paths were clear and you could see the log circle once again. We have some work happening in Forest School very soon which will hopefully provide us with a longer term management plan so that there are larger areas which are nettle free, so watch this space!

Once the site was accessible again I was able to run a staff training session. As you can see the staff had a lovely time and learnt lots of new skills including juggling with sticks, putting up ropes, lighting fires and how to teach safe tool use.

Our sessions this week have been surprisingly hot so the learners have enjoyed the cool space beneath the trees, laying in hammocks, exploring the pond and playing on ropes. We have even spotted a sign that Autumn is on its way!

Here is a student from Pilgrim who was very excited to find a common frog.

A little information about the common frog: Common frogs have smooth skin that varies in colour from grey, olive green and yellow to brown. They have irregular dark blotches, a dark stripe around their eyes and eardrum, and dark bars on their legs. They are able to lighten or darken their skin to match their surroundings.

This species is widespread in mainland Britain. Common frogs are most active at night, and hibernate during the winter in pond mud or under piles of rotting leaves, logs or stones. They can breathe through their skin as well as their lungs. They can emerge to forage during warm spells in the south west of the country.

In spring males croak to attract females. The male embraces a female and fertilises her eggs as she lays them in shallow, still water – frogspawn is a familiar sight. Tadpoles hatch, and over about 16 weeks gradually change into froglets: a process known as metamorphosis.

Little reminder: Please remember to ensure your child has a water bottle, waterproofs, change of clothes, and a change of shoes for Forest School each week.