Cam House School woodland experience.

We don't think there is anywhere else quite like Cam House. Formally, they are an LEA residential special school for boys with emotional and behavoural difficulties.
The youngsters from Cam House have been attending Cotswold Forest Schools woodland for the past 2 months and will be continuing their sessions through to the Summer Term.

As part of their sessions at Cotswold Forest School the youngsters started by interpreting the woodland, discussing key features – points of interest, boundaries, exits hazards, pathways.

Working both individually and in small groups they created a pictorial/visual maps that reflected the youngster’s interpretation of the woodland.  They included a key for the features/hazards and showed possible activities on their map.

During the past few sessions the youngster’s have learnt how to build and start a camp fire safely.  Using lock knives to make cooking utensils and then to cook their very own feasts.  At every point the boys are encouraged to think and act safely – developing ‘common sense’ and being aware of the potential consequences when acting inappropriately.  All activities embrace elements of the National Curriculum through cross-curricular links, whilst differentiating for the youngster individual learning and emotional needs.

Physical Education becomes even more fun when you can ‘camo’ with mud!

All our Forest School session involve elements of Physical Education, whether it exploring through the under growth to identify a wild flower or quietly crawling along the leaves to discover deer tracks.  Near the end of each session, we often finish the day with varied team games (often incorporating Numeracy skills) in order to encourage a positive transition between leaving the woods and returning back to school!

Web link: www.camhouseschool.ik.org