Forest School and Alternative Provision

Forest School and Alternative Provision

Here at WOLT, we have a team dedicated to delivering Forest School and Alternative Provision, covering Primary and Secondary ages. The Team has vast experience of working with students with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties as well as young people with Additional Needs. Central to our work is an ethos that we should deliver: Challenge, Development, Education, Fun.

We have developed a variety of programs that can be used to meet the needs of your students: x

• Forest School Program • Alternative Provision Group • Alternative Provision 221 • Bespoke Provision

The WOLT Passport Program

The WOLT Passport Program has been specifically designed for our Alternative Provision Students. Every week students will track their progress in their passport, this allows students and teachers to be able to reflect back on what they have achieved.

Sitting alongside the Passport are a number of certificates with associated criteria. Students and Instructors can track their progress against these criteria in the passport. Instructors will then present students with their completed certificates at the end of each term. These images give an overview of the certification scheme and some example pages from the passport.

Forest School Program

Our Forest School groups are aimed at primary or KS3 school pupils. They will normally take place for a fixed period of time – typically 1 or 2 terms. Forest Schools are ideally suited to young people who may be having difficulty with self-esteem, struggling within a classroom environment, or those who just need the chance to succeed or be inspired in an outdoor environment.

Forest School sessions will normally take place at our Roundwood site, but we can also look at your school site to see if we can bring Forest School to you. Your pupils can expect to take part in a variety of activities whilst on Forest School. For example, fire lighting; using tools to make a mallet; nature identification; cooking on an open fire. If the day takes place at our site they may also get the chance to try one of our onsite activities eg. Archery or Crate Stacking. During each session, students will complete their Forest School Workbook. This includes simple worksheets, which demonstrate their learning and are a permanent record of their achievement. At the end of the Forest School Program, the young people can take their workbooks home and they will be presented with an Introduction to Forest School Certificate. At the end of each week you will receive a report about the students that are attending Forest School and there is the opportunity to organise a celebration evening at the end of the term.

Alternative Provision Groups

Our AP Groups are for students who will be working with us for a longer period of time. Groups are small – 4-7 students at most – and will be run by 2 WOLT instructors. When we take on a new group, we will meet with the school and review any EHCPs and targets for the group so that we can produce a program that is personalised to their needs.

A typical day will involve us picking up the group from school in the morning and holding a morning briefing to outline the plan and expectations for the day. We would then go to one of our sites or another location to take part in activities eg mountain biking; bushcraft or paddling. As part of this, students would start a fire and cook their lunch before reflecting on the day’s achievements and heading back to school. Sessions are designed to be engaging for the young people but also to develop some of the softer skills that they may struggle with, such as resilience and teamwork. We also try to incorporate basic literacy and numeracy into sessions. For example they may plan a meal to a budget or follow a recipe card. All AP students will work through the WOLT Passport Program and where appropriate we can work towards the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Teachers will receive a weekly progress report as well as an update on progress through the WOLT Passport.

Alternative Provision 2 to 1 Program

For pupils in year 4 and above, who are unable to cope in a group environment (e.g. at ‘Being’ stage on their THRIVE score) we offer a 2 staff to 1 child day programme. This involves our staff collecting the child from their home at approx. 0900 and using a range of outdoor adventure activities to engage, enthuse and to educate (including maths and English). A typical day ends at 1430-1500.

Prior to starting a new 2 to 1 arrangement, we would review any EHCP or similar and invite the child, and parent/teacher to our Roundwood site to take a look around. This will allow us to understand the aims and objectives so that we can deliver a program that works towards these aims and engages the young person.

Many of the 2 to 1 students that we work with, struggle with communication skills. By building a relationship with their 2 instructors we can build on these skills in a safe environment. If, and when, they are ready we team up with another 2 to 1 student, providing an opportunity to interact with peers.

As with the group programs, we put all 2 to 1 students through the WOLT Passport Program; logging their activity and achieving certificates along the way. We spend an equal amount of time focusing on soft skills and we try to incorporate English, Maths and Science where it is appropriate. For example we might trial different methods of making rockets; or keep an Archery Score card. At the end of each session the Instructor will write and send through a report on the student, so that you can check how they are progressing.