1. WELCOME TO GLASTONBURY FOREST SCHOOL
Welcome to Glastonbury Forest School, an independent outdoor provision run by Kelly Browne at Paddington Farm Woodland, Glastonbury. We offer Forest School experiences for children and young people, including home-education sessions, holiday clubs, coaching and skills sessions, Teens Off Tech, and planned after-school provision.
Our Ethos: We believe children need time, space and freedom to be outdoors. Our child-centred approach gives children opportunities to explore, play, create, build relationships and develop practical skills at their own pace. Sessions may include woodland exploration, den building, nature connection, creative activities, campfire cooking, tool use, physical challenges and plenty of child-led play. Appropriate risk is an important part of childhood. Children are supported to recognise hazards, make decisions, build confidence and gradually develop the skills to manage appropriate risks for themselves. Through time outdoors, we aim to nurture confidence, independence, resilience, creativity, curiosity, emotional wellbeing, positive relationships and respect for the natural world.
Every Child Is an Individual
We want every child and young person to feel safe, welcomed, respected and able to be themselves.
We recognise that children have different strengths, interests and needs. We work in partnership with parents and carers to understand and support each child, while providing clear boundaries that keep safety, safeguarding and wellbeing at the heart of what we do.
Welcome to Glastonbury Forest School, an independent outdoor provision run by Kelly Browne at Paddington Farm Woodland, Glastonbury. We offer Forest School experiences for children and young people, including home-education sessions, holiday clubs, coaching and skills sessions, Teens Off Tech, and planned after-school provision.
Our Ethos: We believe children need time, space and freedom to be outdoors. Our child-centred approach gives children opportunities to explore, play, create, build relationships and develop practical skills at their own pace. Sessions may include woodland exploration, den building, nature connection, creative activities, campfire cooking, tool use, physical challenges and plenty of child-led play. Appropriate risk is an important part of childhood. Children are supported to recognise hazards, make decisions, build confidence and gradually develop the skills to manage appropriate risks for themselves. Through time outdoors, we aim to nurture confidence, independence, resilience, creativity, curiosity, emotional wellbeing, positive relationships and respect for the natural world.
Every Child Is an Individual
We want every child and young person to feel safe, welcomed, respected and able to be themselves.
We recognise that children have different strengths, interests and needs. We work in partnership with parents and carers to understand and support each child, while providing clear boundaries that keep safety, safeguarding and wellbeing at the heart of what we do.
2. SESSIONS & AGE GROUPS
Glastonbury Forest School offers a range of outdoor sessions for children and young people. Ages and session times may vary between programmes and will always be clearly stated when booking.
Current Provision
While our Ofsted Childcare Register application is in progress, our current provision is for children and young people aged 8–17.
Our provision includes:
Following Ofsted Registration
Once our Ofsted Childcare Register registration is confirmed, we plan to extend eligible Forest School and holiday provision to younger children and introduce our After-School Forest School sessions and additional childcare options.
As we are not registering to provide Early Years childcare, younger children attending our full-day registered childcare must be beyond the Early Years age range. For children aged five, this means they can attend from 1st September following their fifth birthday.
The eligible age range for every session will always be clearly shown when booking.
Glastonbury Forest School offers a range of outdoor sessions for children and young people. Ages and session times may vary between programmes and will always be clearly stated when booking.
Current Provision
While our Ofsted Childcare Register application is in progress, our current provision is for children and young people aged 8–17.
Our provision includes:
- Home-Education Forest School – regular sessions from 10:00am–3:00pm
- Holiday Clubs – available on selected dates during school holidays
- Coaching & Skills Sessions – focused sessions for developing particular outdoor, practical or personal skills
- Fire Pit Collective- Teens – relaxed outdoor evening sessions for teenagers, offering time away from screens and around the fire to connect, socialise, develop skills and enjoy the woodland
Following Ofsted Registration
Once our Ofsted Childcare Register registration is confirmed, we plan to extend eligible Forest School and holiday provision to younger children and introduce our After-School Forest School sessions and additional childcare options.
As we are not registering to provide Early Years childcare, younger children attending our full-day registered childcare must be beyond the Early Years age range. For children aged five, this means they can attend from 1st September following their fifth birthday.
The eligible age range for every session will always be clearly shown when booking.
3. WHO LOOKS AFTER YOUR CHILD
Glastonbury Forest School is independently run and led by Kelly Browne, a qualified teacher, qualified coach and Level 3 Forest School Leader. Kelly works with qualified and experienced practitioners who support the delivery of sessions with backgrounds including teaching, early years, play work and outdoor education.
Kelly holds a current 16-hour Outdoor First Aid and Paediatric First Aid qualification along with other practitioners.
Training & Approach
All practitioners have safeguarding training and training in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and professional boundaries. Our provision takes a trauma-informed approach, with an emphasis on creating a safe, consistent and supportive environment in which children are treated with respect and their individual needs are recognised.
Ratios & Supervision
We normally operate to a maximum ratio of 1 adult to 6 children (1:6), with additional support provided where appropriate. Children are given freedom to explore and develop independence within clear boundaries. The level of supervision is adapted to the children, the environment and the activity, with closer supervision for activities such as tool use and fire.
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Glastonbury Forest School is independently run and led by Kelly Browne, a qualified teacher, qualified coach and Level 3 Forest School Leader. Kelly works with qualified and experienced practitioners who support the delivery of sessions with backgrounds including teaching, early years, play work and outdoor education.
Kelly holds a current 16-hour Outdoor First Aid and Paediatric First Aid qualification along with other practitioners.
Training & Approach
All practitioners have safeguarding training and training in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and professional boundaries. Our provision takes a trauma-informed approach, with an emphasis on creating a safe, consistent and supportive environment in which children are treated with respect and their individual needs are recognised.
Ratios & Supervision
We normally operate to a maximum ratio of 1 adult to 6 children (1:6), with additional support provided where appropriate. Children are given freedom to explore and develop independence within clear boundaries. The level of supervision is adapted to the children, the environment and the activity, with closer supervision for activities such as tool use and fire.
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