Bousfield Forest School: Action Plan

Timeline:

We aim to have the space fully open to children (via ChangeX funding) by January 2024.  Later additions will be added following further grants e.g. The Tree Council’s ‘Branching Out’ project, (closing date 3rd December 2023) and so the Forest School should be complete by April 2024.  It is important to note that the area will never truly be ‘finished’ as it will evolve according to the various projects it contains, much like a museum’s exhibits.  A higher budget would increase the speed of the rollout, but in order to cut costs, most of the ‘labour’ is to be done by the team during free time.  We plan to have half-termly meetings to update each other on progress.

Budget:

The Forest School, which already houses the greenhouse, will work in conjunction with the raised-bed- allotment that was constructed during the Easter Holiday.  Materials and funding were scarce at the time, and the project could not be fully completed.  A jumbo bag of sand is required to complete the paving around the beds - all other materials are in-house.

The main learning space will feature an all-weather ‘basecamp’ with a parachute-style tarpaulin that can be strung up when lessons are ongoing.  Carabiners, cables and pulleys will also be required for this to operate.  Log seating and bark chippings will be added for free, as and when they can be found/donated

The sensory area will begin life with a Waterwall and Mud Kitchen.  Basic building materials are required for both, along with various bits of equipment e.g. watering cans and ‘baking tools’.  A hammock and/or nest swing can be installed given a suitable branch location

The ‘campfire’ area (on the upper terrace between the London Planes) will require a tripod BBQ fire pit and basic wooden gazebo to give shelter, these can be purchased at a reasonable price and put together by the team.

Finally, the existing greenhouse area will have additional facilities added, including compost tumblers and a worm farm.

Estimated cost breakdown:

Sand for Allotment          £50

Parachute Tarpaulin        £250

Tarpaulin cabling etc.      £100

Waterwall                           £100

Mud Kitchen                      £100

Kitchen accessories         £50

Hammock/Swing              £100

Fire pit                                  £50

Wooden gazebo               £450

Compost Tumblers          £150

Worm Farm                        £100



Grand Total:                       £1500   

Impact:

The success of the project will be monitored and judged according to two factors - the number of lessons being conducted / time spent in the space; and feedback from children and staff.  We hope for the project to enable a different style of teaching/learning and open up opportunities for alternative types of lessons.

Location:

The location of the forest school is an existing part of the playground that has fallen into disrepair.

Additional Questions:

1. Photographs – please see attached


2. We would like to revitalise an unused area of playground, which fell into disrepair a few years ago.  The space is multi-level and surrounded by trees and bushes, making it perfectly suited to a ‘Forest School’ style area, divided into zones of activity, according to the age and needs of the children. We intend to include a mud kitchen and waterwall to provide sensory stimuli for those with autism; hammocks and rope swings for younger children to relax and enjoy the natural environment, a ‘campfire’ area to encourage outdoor cooking and science experiments, and a composting, worm farm and horticultural area with a greenhouse for the juniors to learn how to propagate plants and grow their own food.


3. Bousfield Primary is a two-form-entry community school and Nursery for children aged between 4 and 11.  We hope for our Forest School to be used by all age groups within the school.


4. There are 440 children at the school, who will directly benefit from the project


5. We have a dedicated team of local volunteers, who work in the grounds of the school to keep it in good condition.  We plan to open this out to include more people who would like to take part in activities and use the space for extracurricular activities such as gardening clubs and bush craft sessions.


6. The site contains a greenhouse, which is in good condition, a pile of pallets which we plan to use in the construction of some activities, stepped and terraced areas for seating, and trees to offer shade and support for weatherproof tarpaulins, hammocks and swings


7. We will be unable to install a waterbutt, due to a legionella risk assessment, but the area will soon have a dedicated tap installed (due to another project) and so access to water will be very convenient.


8. The local authority have been included in discussions regarding the forest school and support it’s creation.  The Head Teacher of the school is part of our assembled team and is happy for me (Adam Coston) to lead this project as the Site Manager.

Dear all, well done for completing so far the beginning of the challenge. This is a gentle reminder of remembering to post a picture of your site (with sun) on the platform, with a team picture (even if not everyone is on it) . This can be a zoom screenshot too. Plus your action plan. Just answer the question as much as you can and we can revisit once we get to see each other in person for the site visit and get you started. You are nearly there! a few days left before the challenge ends you need to submit everything in time.
Good luck!

6 days left before the deadline for your challenge! Post everything to get a successful application in time!

Lovely to see the progress here! One more step to go! Please remember to add a picture (zoom or in person) of your team, pictures of your outdoor space with sunlight, size of your space (approximately) and also answers for your action plan! Looking forward to seeing your site!