Welcome To Our Website
BushKraft Forest School CIC is a non profit organisation working with people of all ages and abilities. Using the woodland and the natural environment to stimulate learning and calmness in all ages. Our sessions are based around raising self-esteem and developing social skills, supporting mental health and wellbeing for all ages from child to adult.
For safety there is always at least one fully qualified, OCNWM Level 3 Forest School Leader with a valid First Aid certificate on any session we run. We have had several years of experience of working with children, students and adults with varying abilities and additional or complex needs.
Traditional Forest School
Traditional forest school is learner led. This does not mean we just let them run wild and boss us around, but we do not set a specific curriculum. We facilitate their learning at a speed and style that suits the individual. Our high ratio’s of adult to child allows children to learn and explore the woodland and nature around them.
We also do basic bush craft sessions for all ages, this overlaps forest school with things like fire lighting, cooking and shelter building to name a few items.
some of us also hold a bush craft level 2 certificate, to run other sessions other than forest school.
School and Colleges
To keep your children safe our Staff qualifications are:-
OCNWM Forest School Level 3. Emergency Outdoor 1st Aid. Forest school 1st aid. Archery GB instructor.
EYFS & KS1 (example sessions)
Making basic dens/shelters, woodland walks and exploration, mini beast hunts, mud kitchen, woodland arts and crafts, why trees are important.
KS1 & KS2 (Curriculum Based History)
The children can learn how to make and cook basic bread on a fire. Fire lighting with flint and steel, arts and crafts including clay, using wild plants for dying, cooking.
KS2 ( Woodcraft / Water filtration/ Safety Science )
They can learn the difference between green wood and dead wood. Learn how to get water from the air of for survival. How to make cord from nettles or other brush. Subject to risk assessments children will use woodland tools like knives, axes, loppers etc.
Learn how to safely put out a fire., but also learn how things can go wrong and what to do with our mini chip pan fire demo.
KS2 Upwards ( Radio and electronics )
We are now Ofcom licenced to use and supervise use of Amateur Radio with our club licence. We can also help with training and tuition and basic electronics. We have various kits like copper and zinc to make potato batteries. also experiment with other fluids and substances.
Work Experience
We are happy to take children for school or college based work experience.
Parent & Child / Home Education Sessions.
Our parent and child session is run on a Friday (13:00 -14:30). We will usually have a different activity to offer each week, but as forest school is child led learning, they are not made to do it, as something else may have sparked their imagination.
Our sessions are unique at least in this area, as we mix all the ages of children. We will take any age child from baby upwards to 16. Even babies get something from forest school, as the other children will want to interact. This works all up the age groups where they will work together, help each other.
Activities are made so that they are scaled to each persons ability and not specific age.
Birthday Parties (All Ages)
Our children’s birthday parties are unique and have something for all ages and abilities. Woodland arts and crafts, wood jewellery making are for the arty child. For the out door adventurous child we can offer things like shelter building, fire lighting. They can make and cook their own individual party pizza on the open fire.
Bush craft lessons, Archery Lessons, and many more options. if your not sure, then give us an email or call to discuss options.
Usually you would pick about 2 to 3 activities as all of them are time consuming but fun.
As a registered non profit organisation we try to keep our prices low so all can access it. In some circumstances we can offer funded, reduced cost or payment plan options, but they are on an individual basis and proof maybe required.
Archery Sessions for beginners
This activity is for the whole family aged about 5 years upwards. If your child is capable of safely holding the bow, they can take part. (If in any doubt bring your child to test out the bow size first)
Our archery range is what we all a “have a go range”. Its not a full length professional range, its approx. 10m – 15m long. This is so even the small children stand a chance, and most of all its fun based rather than a serious club.
We have even been known to stick a balloon or two on the target to give it the bang. We can host about 10 -12 people comfortably without there being to much waiting and not doing.
Please note it is an outdoor range with shelter if it rains.
Social care, charities and other organisations
We have forest sessions to suite all ages and abilities. We work with individuals and whole families to promote and repair the bonds where there has been a breakdown in communication. Using nature and team building to promote communication and working together for everyone.
We also promote how to cook healthy nutritious food without gas or domestic fuels. Show how the family can enjoy time together with out spending lots of money.
We take referrals from other professionals, but can take self referrals if certain conditions are met as we rely on outside funding for this and have to justify how the money is spent.
