ORE Village Primary Academy – Forest School Project.

The school were organising a summer camp for year 5 & 6 pupils, but were short of funds to purchase tents and tools, so they approached the Rotary Club of Senlac for a donation. Rotarians Christine Folley and Barry Pick visited the school to meet teacher Simon Bula-Edge who was organising the camp. Simon took them on a tour of the school which is in a socially deprived area with little parental support. 
Following the visit the club agreed to the donation request and the camp went ahead at the Buishey Wood Scout Camp at Hailsham. 
Simon gave a presentation to the club on Wednesday 1st November, reporting on the trip. Pupils who might otherwise be withdrawn, blossomed and gained self confidence. Such was the succes of the trip that Simon moved from teaching every day to running the Forest School 4 days a week, with just one day teaching in school. Other teachers from the school will now attend the Forest School from time to time, seeing their pupils in a different light from the classroom. 
The Forest School is a Scandinavian concept which has now been developed throughout the UK, the first having been established in Somerset in 1994. Forest Schools is an inspirational process which offers ALL learners to achieve and develop their self-confidence and self-esteem through hands-on experience in a woodland or natural environment with trees. Simon says a number of such schools now operate in the Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea area.