Each term we welcome Mrs Woods to Ghyll Royd who teaches valuable skills through outdoor learning.
Children from ages 3-11 each enjoy their Forest School lesson where they can grow in confidence, and enhance their communication and concentration skills as they step outside of the classroom into a whole new learning environment! At Greystone Manor, the children use our campfire area and woodland to take part in a whole host of activities. Check out just some of the many adventures our pupils have enjoyed over the past academic year!
The Great Explorers lived up to their name by joining the Reception class in searching the woodland area for leaves and petals to decorate their own flower crowns. Once they had collected the crowns, they glued them to the card and wrapped it around their heads. Voila! Mrs Woods provided the children with a well-deserved snack after their foraging and great handiwork!
Key Stage One pupils also gathered leaves, but this time it was for a session in making leaf rubbings. The children placed their leaves between their clipboard and paper to trace the individual lines and formations of the leaves. The children then cooked up a treat around the campfire in their summer term lesson by making hot chocolate and fruity kebabs! The children used knives and kebab sticks to cut the fruit and assembled the kebab together with yummy marshmallows.
Form 3 worked in pairs to create beautiful patterns using string and pieces of wood. Mrs Woods, Freddie and Isla demonstrated the Nordic swinging activity to the rest of the group where the children had to simultaneously pass the tied wooden piece to each other, left hand to right hand, one after the other to create a funky twisted pattern that could be used as a keyring or bracelet!
Form 4 had a fun game of Eagle Eye in their newly assembled dens. Using great teamwork and communication, the boys and girls worked together to build their wooden nest, and a tepee. The den worked as the main location of the Eagle who closed their eyes to let the other children hide. If they opened their eyes and spotted a fellow pupil unhidden, then they would be called out and would join the nest. The children finished off their session with some quiet time where they could sit and tell stories around the campfire with fruit, hot chocolate and crumpets!
Upper Key Stage Two pupils had their Forest School lessons in Middleton Woods this year as they explored deeper into the woods. They took part in a range of survival, bushcraft and outdoor activities including wood carving using knives and saws.
Conveniently situated on the A65 between Ben Rhydding, Ilkley and Burley in Wharfedale, Ghyll Royd School, Pre-School and Nursery is ideally located for families living in or commuting to the surrounding cities, towns and villages of Ben Rhydding, Ilkley, Burley in Wharfedale, Addingham, Menston, Guiseley, Baildon, Bingley, Otley, Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate, Skipton and Keighley.
