4. SAFEGUARDING & CHILD PROTECTION
The safety and wellbeing of every child and young person at Glastonbury Forest School is our highest priority. We want children to feel safe, listened to and respected, and able to speak to a trusted adult if something is worrying them.
Designated Safeguarding Lead
Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is Kelly Browne, who has completed the Advanced Child Protection Multi-Agency Two-Day Course through the Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP). All other practitioners have a minimum of Level 1 safeguarding training.
Safeguarding Concerns
Any concern about a child's safety or wellbeing will be taken seriously, appropriately recorded and acted upon in accordance with our safeguarding procedures.
Where necessary, we will seek advice or make a referral to the appropriate safeguarding services. There may be circumstances where we need to do this without speaking to a parent or carer first if doing so could place a child at greater risk. If a child tells us that they have been harmed or are worried about something, we will listen, take them seriously and respond sensitively. We cannot promise to keep safeguarding information secret where somebody may be at risk. Concerns or allegations about any adult working within the provision, including Kelly, will also be taken seriously and referred externally where required.
Contact
Parents and carers can raise a safeguarding concern with Kelly at: [email protected] Our full Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy, including external reporting routes, is available to parents and carers.
5. ARRIVAL & COLLECTION
Drop-Off & Collection
Drop-off and collection take place at the bottom of Paddington Farm Lane. Children are kept safely within a designated, roped-off area on the lane and away from the road, supervised by a practitioner. At collection, children are individually handed over to their parent, carer or authorised collector. Please let us know if your child will be absent or significantly late.
Authorised Collection
Children will only be released to a parent, carer or authorised person. If somebody different is collecting your child, please let us know in advance.
If we are unsure whether someone has permission to collect a child, the child will remain safely with us until we can confirm the arrangement.
Independent Travel for Teenagers
Teenagers may arrive and/or leave independently where this has been agreed in advance. We require written parental consent by email to: [email protected]
Late Collection
We understand that rural traffic can occasionally cause unexpected delays.
For a 3:00pm collection, if we have not heard from you and your child remains uncollected at 3:15pm, we will contact you and, if necessary, your child's emergency contacts. Children remain safely supervised at all times. If there is a significant delay, we may return with the child to our sheltered waiting area at Paddington Farm while we continue trying to make contact.
Missing Child
Children explore within clear Forest School boundaries and are appropriately supervised.
In the unlikely event that a child cannot be located, our Missing Child Procedure will be activated immediately, with parents, emergency services and relevant authorities contacted as appropriate.
6. SEND, ADDITIONAL NEEDS & INCLUSION
We want Glastonbury Forest School to be a welcoming and inclusive environment where children and young people are supported as individuals. Our practitioners are SEND trained, and our trauma-informed approach recognises that children may communicate, learn, regulate and engage in different ways.
Understanding Your Child
Parents and carers know their children best. We ask families to tell us about any SEND, medical, sensory, communication, emotional, behavioural or other additional needs that may affect their child's experience with us. We will work with you to understand your child's needs and consider appropriate and reasonable adjustments wherever possible.
Additional & 1:1 Support
Some children may require a higher level of support than can be provided within our usual 1:6 ratio. Where additional funding is available, including through an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) where applicable, we may be able to arrange additional or 1:1 practitioner support, subject to suitable funding, staffing and prior agreement. Any additional support arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the family before the child attends.
Making Sure We Are the Right Setting
While we aim to include and support as many children as possible, there may occasionally be circumstances where we are unable to safely or appropriately meet a child's needs within our woodland provision. We consider this individually and in discussion with parents and carers. Our priority is to make sure the provision is appropriate for the child and that we can safely meet the needs of everyone attending. We encourage families to talk to us before booking if their child may need additional support so that we can plan together.
7. BEHAVIOUR, RELATIONSHIPS & EMOTIONAL WELLBEING
At Glastonbury Forest School, we aim to provide a nurturing, supportive and respectful environment where children feel safe to be themselves, develop at their own pace and grow in confidence and independence. We recognise that behaviour is a form of communication. Our trauma-informed approach looks beyond the behaviour itself and considers what a child may be communicating or experiencing, while maintaining clear and consistent boundaries that keep everyone safe.
Supporting Children to Grow
Forest School is about giving children time and space to develop. Children are encouraged to build relationships, try new things, make mistakes, solve problems and gradually take greater responsibility for themselves and their choices. When a child is finding something difficult, we aim to respond with curiosity, patience and support, using calm communication, reflection and redirection rather than punitive approaches. We encourage kindness and respect towards other people, the woodland, equipment and living things, alongside an understanding of the safety boundaries that allow everyone to enjoy the environment.
Working Together
We see supporting a child as a partnership between the child, their family and our practitioners, alongside other professionals or agencies involved in the child's life where appropriate.
If a child is finding it difficult to settle or adapt to the Forest School environment, we will work with their parent or carer to understand what may help. This might include a gradual transition, additional support, reasonable adjustments or, where appropriate and agreed in advance, a parent or carer joining part of a session to help their child feel secure and become comfortable within the environment. Our aim is to work together to give each child the best opportunity to feel safe, belong, develop and thrive.
When Behaviour Becomes Unsafe
If a child's behaviour presents a risk to themselves or others, practitioners will respond calmly and take appropriate action to keep everyone safe. Where concerns are ongoing, we will work with the child and their family to consider what additional support or adjustments may help. Very occasionally, despite working together and making appropriate adjustments, we may conclude that we are unable to safely meet a child's needs within our provision. Any such decision would be considered carefully and discussed with the family.
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The safety and wellbeing of every child and young person at Glastonbury Forest School is our highest priority. We want children to feel safe, listened to and respected, and able to speak to a trusted adult if something is worrying them.
Designated Safeguarding Lead
Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is Kelly Browne, who has completed the Advanced Child Protection Multi-Agency Two-Day Course through the Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP). All other practitioners have a minimum of Level 1 safeguarding training.
Safeguarding Concerns
Any concern about a child's safety or wellbeing will be taken seriously, appropriately recorded and acted upon in accordance with our safeguarding procedures.
Where necessary, we will seek advice or make a referral to the appropriate safeguarding services. There may be circumstances where we need to do this without speaking to a parent or carer first if doing so could place a child at greater risk. If a child tells us that they have been harmed or are worried about something, we will listen, take them seriously and respond sensitively. We cannot promise to keep safeguarding information secret where somebody may be at risk. Concerns or allegations about any adult working within the provision, including Kelly, will also be taken seriously and referred externally where required.
Contact
Parents and carers can raise a safeguarding concern with Kelly at: [email protected] Our full Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy, including external reporting routes, is available to parents and carers.
5. ARRIVAL & COLLECTION
Drop-Off & Collection
Drop-off and collection take place at the bottom of Paddington Farm Lane. Children are kept safely within a designated, roped-off area on the lane and away from the road, supervised by a practitioner. At collection, children are individually handed over to their parent, carer or authorised collector. Please let us know if your child will be absent or significantly late.
Authorised Collection
Children will only be released to a parent, carer or authorised person. If somebody different is collecting your child, please let us know in advance.
If we are unsure whether someone has permission to collect a child, the child will remain safely with us until we can confirm the arrangement.
Independent Travel for Teenagers
Teenagers may arrive and/or leave independently where this has been agreed in advance. We require written parental consent by email to: [email protected]
Late Collection
We understand that rural traffic can occasionally cause unexpected delays.
For a 3:00pm collection, if we have not heard from you and your child remains uncollected at 3:15pm, we will contact you and, if necessary, your child's emergency contacts. Children remain safely supervised at all times. If there is a significant delay, we may return with the child to our sheltered waiting area at Paddington Farm while we continue trying to make contact.
Missing Child
Children explore within clear Forest School boundaries and are appropriately supervised.
In the unlikely event that a child cannot be located, our Missing Child Procedure will be activated immediately, with parents, emergency services and relevant authorities contacted as appropriate.
6. SEND, ADDITIONAL NEEDS & INCLUSION
We want Glastonbury Forest School to be a welcoming and inclusive environment where children and young people are supported as individuals. Our practitioners are SEND trained, and our trauma-informed approach recognises that children may communicate, learn, regulate and engage in different ways.
Understanding Your Child
Parents and carers know their children best. We ask families to tell us about any SEND, medical, sensory, communication, emotional, behavioural or other additional needs that may affect their child's experience with us. We will work with you to understand your child's needs and consider appropriate and reasonable adjustments wherever possible.
Additional & 1:1 Support
Some children may require a higher level of support than can be provided within our usual 1:6 ratio. Where additional funding is available, including through an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) where applicable, we may be able to arrange additional or 1:1 practitioner support, subject to suitable funding, staffing and prior agreement. Any additional support arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the family before the child attends.
Making Sure We Are the Right Setting
While we aim to include and support as many children as possible, there may occasionally be circumstances where we are unable to safely or appropriately meet a child's needs within our woodland provision. We consider this individually and in discussion with parents and carers. Our priority is to make sure the provision is appropriate for the child and that we can safely meet the needs of everyone attending. We encourage families to talk to us before booking if their child may need additional support so that we can plan together.
7. BEHAVIOUR, RELATIONSHIPS & EMOTIONAL WELLBEING
At Glastonbury Forest School, we aim to provide a nurturing, supportive and respectful environment where children feel safe to be themselves, develop at their own pace and grow in confidence and independence. We recognise that behaviour is a form of communication. Our trauma-informed approach looks beyond the behaviour itself and considers what a child may be communicating or experiencing, while maintaining clear and consistent boundaries that keep everyone safe.
Supporting Children to Grow
Forest School is about giving children time and space to develop. Children are encouraged to build relationships, try new things, make mistakes, solve problems and gradually take greater responsibility for themselves and their choices. When a child is finding something difficult, we aim to respond with curiosity, patience and support, using calm communication, reflection and redirection rather than punitive approaches. We encourage kindness and respect towards other people, the woodland, equipment and living things, alongside an understanding of the safety boundaries that allow everyone to enjoy the environment.
Working Together
We see supporting a child as a partnership between the child, their family and our practitioners, alongside other professionals or agencies involved in the child's life where appropriate.
If a child is finding it difficult to settle or adapt to the Forest School environment, we will work with their parent or carer to understand what may help. This might include a gradual transition, additional support, reasonable adjustments or, where appropriate and agreed in advance, a parent or carer joining part of a session to help their child feel secure and become comfortable within the environment. Our aim is to work together to give each child the best opportunity to feel safe, belong, develop and thrive.
When Behaviour Becomes Unsafe
If a child's behaviour presents a risk to themselves or others, practitioners will respond calmly and take appropriate action to keep everyone safe. Where concerns are ongoing, we will work with the child and their family to consider what additional support or adjustments may help. Very occasionally, despite working together and making appropriate adjustments, we may conclude that we are unable to safely meet a child's needs within our provision. Any such decision would be considered carefully and discussed with the family.
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