Welcome to Green Zone!

Green Zone is more than more than simply our woodland patch, located at the bottom of the school playing field.

It is the site for wondrous adventures, awesome teamwork, creativity and independent discoveries.

From bug houses, pond dipping, obstacle courses to the very popular potion mixing, every session is different. The groups bring their own enthusiasms and interests. We often start our Green Zone time with a choice of adult planned activities, for example; squash a berry, spot the snake, saw a branch. All planned activities are designed to give opportunities to develop nature knowledge and understanding, hand tool skill and creativity. Built into the session is opportunity for personal enrichment of the experience.

Forest school sessions at Green Zone involves challenge, enjoyment, relevance and depth. Our learners are given the time, space and continuity to develop skills of enquiry, observation, reflection and planning for future activity. 

We aim to enable our learners to become independent, creative thinkers who are risk aware. Green Zone  provides small group skills sessions, whole class independent learning opportunities and collaborative learning time throughout the year. 

we believe that learning outdoors, with a Forest School ethos, can encourage children and young people to make connections through personal involvement. Experienced through a variety of activities, it can enrich the curriculum for each individual and make learning fun, meaningful and relevant.

A pond, woodland, hedgerows, open space and grassy areas make up Green Zone. Here, our learners can follow their own interests. All curriculum areas are encountered. A dead shrew can lead to discussions on the ‘circle of life’, decay, food chains, textures and pattern, shared stories, artwork and poems.

Our pupils actively look forward to, and relish their Green Zone time. A recent audit of Sandown pupils’ opinions of Green Zone sessions, revealed: freedom of choice, adults not telling you what to do, it’s a different way of learning, you can have adventures and learn about nature.

Daily site checks are carried out and activities assessed for safety. Our activities and the environment could never be made risk free, our planning puts in place control measures to minimise risks and we aim to enable our pupils to become more risk aware. Safe procedures are discussed and implemented. All participants are involved in rule making. Hand tools are used and camp fires made with appropriate instruction and supervision (one to one, small group).

Take a look at our Green Zone Blogs to see what we get up to!

Congratulations on another Green school award!

'Congratulations on changing the world! Your efforts are making the planet a better place. Keep inspiring others!'