I wanted to share a quick update on the Forest School program that we are running this year with our EY2 and EY3 classes with you. Allow me to begin by thanking Mel Sweeney for the wonderful care and attention she is giving to this program. The curiosity and engagement of the children is palpable. The children are explorers and discoverers. They are learning so much across a variety of developmental modalities. In a digital age that comes with its fair share of challenges, it is marvellous to see our EY2 and EY3 children so readily engaging in outdoor learning experiences. My impression is that these children are connecting to something very meaningful and authentic. If you are a parent of an EY2 or EY3 student, please do take the time to ask your child lots of questions about the experiences they are having engaging with the natural world.

As you may know there has been a change from the site we originally thought we would use for the Forest School, and instead the children are currently accessing a natural plot of land on the Prem campus for their outdoor learning experiences. We are also assessing the possibility of using a different site near campus, a process that is thorough and takes a little time. In the meantime, we are thankful to Mel and the teachers she works with that the Forest School program is off to such a remarkable start. The Forest School is a key piece of our holistic early childhood educational program, which offers our young learners a balance and breadth of learning opportunities. We thank our students for their participation and we thank our parents for their support. Please enjoy some photos that show the Forest School program in action.

Thank you,

Justin Jarman

Junior School Principal