Forest Ranger Field Trips

The Forest Rangers are a team of Year 5 leaders who play an important role in supporting Forest School sessions for children in Key Stage 1 and the Early Years Foundation Stage. They take on a range of responsibilities, including lighting fires, supporting younger children on rope swings, and modelling how to work and play safely in an outdoor environment.

Following a meeting with Mrs Lineker to reflect on their work, the Rangers expressed an interest in visiting other schools to see how they develop and use their Forest School and outdoor learning spaces. We contacted local schools within walking distance, as well as those accessible via the 88 bus route, and were delighted to receive positive responses from Rise Park Primary School and Nottingham Girls’ High School.

During their visit to Rise Park Primary School, the Rangers explored an outdoor area that is currently being developed. The space included a rope swing, vegetable patches, a poly tunnel, a digging area, and a variety of large loose parts, such as pipes for climbing and rolling. There was also a wooded area with great potential for further development. On the day of the visit, children were creating clay animals and designing homes for them, demonstrating creativity and engagement. It was clear that the outdoor space plays a valuable and positive role within the school.

The group who travelled to Nottingham Girls’ High School visited a well-established site that has been developed over several years. They were particularly impressed by the permanent ropes course that runs throughout the area. The Rangers also saw the school’s beehive—home, we were assured, to some very calm bees! They enjoyed exploring the large loose parts and crawl-through pipes, which encourage imaginative play. During the visit, a group of Year 3 pupils were planning a banquet and showcased their creativity and teamwork in the mud kitchen.

Following these visits, the Forest Rangers will meet with Mr Strachan to reflect on what they have learnt and to plan next steps for developing our own outdoor learning spaces at Glade Hill. We would like to thank both host schools for their warm welcome and inspiration, and we look forward to working together again in the future.