Woodland Discovery and Forest School at The Vale

We are delighted to offer a wonderful Woodland Discovery experience here at The Vale for our youngest children aged 2-4. Every week, come rain or shine pupils from our nursery take part in a variety of Woodland Discovery activities such as climbing trees, finding minibeasts, spotting signs of seasonal change and exploring the natural environment.

We are excited to advise that from September 2026 we will be offering Forest School to all children from Reception through  to Year 6 and we will deliver this as a half termly afternoon a week to each year group in addition to our Woodland Discovery sessions with our younger children.

The benefits of having a Woodland Discovery Trail at The Vale are that this supports Forest School principles, giving children the opportunity to be outdoors in the fresh air, engage in free-range exploration and develop confidence and independence. We are very fortunate to have this available on our doorstep!

Our Nursery children enjoy observing a range of wildlife including minibeasts, birds of prey and local animals such as racehorses as we are very close to the Epsom Downs. They also delight in finding natural resources like chalk whilst out on their adventure and the ‘mud mountain’ is a favourite part of the trail.  Even having their snack outdoors in a different environment is fun for the children to experience.

The trail develops for our Nursery pupils as follows:

• Ages 2-3: Focus on developing gross motor skills and early exploration
• Ages 3-4: Building on knowledge, engaging more deeply with forest environment and understanding what they see

The trail is inclusive and adapted to meet the needs of all children. Activities are flexible and can be tailored to individual abilities, with additional adult support where needed. Sensory-rich experiences, open-ended exploration, and varied terrain allow children with different needs to engage at their own level.

Once a month we take part in litter picking, helping children learn to care for their environment and take pride in their surroundings.

Our Nursery Manager, Mrs Bridger has worked in Forest School settings previously and has an abundance of knowledge in this area.  If you would like any further information about our Woodland Discovery offer, please pop in for a chat.