TOADHALL MONTESSORI NURSERIES, MEITHRIN AND OUT OF SCHOOL ACADEMY

LEARNING IN THE OUTDOORS

Toadhall Montessori Forest School

Forest School was brought to the UK, in the 1980’s from Scandinavia. It is an inspirational process that offers all children aged three years and above, regular learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment with trees, flora and fauna

Forest School is a specialised ‘learning in the outdoors’ approach that complements and sits perfectly within the Montessori Approach at Toadhall. We have been delivering Forest School education and learning for over 23 years.

At Forest School all children are viewed as:

- equal, unique and valuable
- competent to explore & discover
- entitled to experience appropriate risk and challenge
- entitled to choose, and to initiate and drive their own learning and development
- entitled to experience regular success
- entitled to develop positive relationships with themselves and other people
- entitled to develop a strong, positive relationship with their natural world

This learner-centred approach interweaves with the ever-changing moods and marvels, potential and challenges of the natural world through the seasons, to fill every Forest School session and programme, with discovery and difference.

Yet each programme does also share a common set of principles, aimed at ensuring that all learners experience the cumulative and lasting benefits that quality Forest School offers.

Toadhall Montessori Forest School site was established by us, in conjunction with Cardiff Parks Department, over 23 years ago. It is situated amongst a wooded area at Hailey Park in Llandaff North. It is a natural environment full of flora and fauna, with many opportunities for new learning, respect of surroundings and the environment.

We also work closely with Hawthorn Primary School in Llandaff North, as part of their Community Development Initiative. This means for a fee, we can use their Forest School site within their grounds ,which is just at the rear of the Out of School Academy building. This is an amazing additional resource for all our settings.

At Toadhall Montessori we are very proud of the fact that we have invested in two staff, becoming qualified Level 3 Forest School Leaders. They can share their knowledge, understanding and specific skills in ‘outdoor education’, developing a programme of Forest School activities, which enable every child to develop truly amazing lifelong enjoyment of the outdoors.

The Forest School approach to outdoor learning begins with our youngest children at creche as is called ‘Babes in the Woods’ and extends as the children grow and develop in the Nursery, Meithrin and the Out of School Academy. This outdoor learning programme enables our babies, toddlers and older children, to explore the woodland sounds, textures, colours ,smells and tastes – a real sensory experience and a ‘Call to Adventure’, for everyone !!

Children at the Creche, Nursery, Meithrin and the Out of School Academy, have the appropriate clothing and footwear, provided by us, to enable them to explore and enjoy the woodland environment, safely and comfortably.

Using the outdoor environment of Toadhall Montessori Forest School, the children are encouraged and inspired to grow in confidence, independence and self-esteem through the challenge and mastery of small achievable tasks. They learn total respect for their environment and always remember to:

“Leave only footprints and take only memories!”

Toadhall Montessori Coastal/Beach School

Following our highly successful Forest School programme as explained above, in 2018, we decided to extend our ‘outdoor education’ programme, by creating our own, ‘Toadhall Montessori Coasta/Beach School’. The programme is developed by Sandy Clayton, who is a Coastal/Beach School Leader and who works closely with other staff at all 4 settings to ensure all children have experience of ‘beach School’ adventures!!

At ‘Beach School’, the children explore and find out about our beautiful local beaches and coastlines, along with the flora and fauna found in these areas. They also develop an understanding of the importance of protecting our lovely beaches and the importance of keeping ourselves healthy and safe when we visit the beach and coastlines.

Children begin their adventures at Beach School, at creche, where it is known as ‘Sand Between my Toes!’. They go and visit Barry Island or Porthcawl at least two or three times a year. We use the local train network to get there, which is a fantastic and exciting experience for our youngest children.

With their wonderful ‘beach and coastal treasure’ they come back to creche and make beautiful collage pictures and look at the photographs of themselves having a wonderful time playing on the beach and paddling in the water. These photos go into their own ‘learning journey’ files, which are available for them to read through at any time, which in turn evokes many happy memories of having lots of fun!

These early experiences of Beach School formed at Creche are extended further, when the children are at Nursery, Meithrin, or attending our Out of School Academy during the school holidays.

They visit Barry Island and Porthcawl at least five to six times a year, to experience the seasonal changes of the beaches and coastlines, throughout the year.

Beach School is about the children exploring for themselves and finding things that are real, as well as getting lots of fresh air and exercise. They can hear, smell and touch things and go into the water. They have the freedom to learn and most of all have lots of fun!

Back at Toadhall Montessori, the beach explorers are absorbed into the day’s routine. The results of their outings adorn the walls with paintings, collages, drawings and poems on such themes as, theme of ‘winter beach’, The children talk of ‘the taste of the salty sea air’ and ‘a snapped cuttlefish bone as white as snow and paper’. At Toadhall Montessori Nurseries, Meithrin and Out of School Academy, we believe, making their experiences real and using their senses at ‘Beach School’, improves every child’s development, particularly in science, speech, writing and art. We believe ‘It brings their learning alive’ and allows them to be the ‘best that they can be’, remembering always to:-