Holy Trinity and St John's Church of England Primary School
Hope | Believe | Achieve
Woodland School
WELCOME TO THE WOODLAND SCHOOL PAGE!
Scroll down to find out about some of the exciting and interesting things that we see and do in Woodland School.
You can also look at the 2021 - 2022 archive page for everything that we have done up to November 2022!
Mrs Chantler
Woodland School Leader
Mrs Chantler is a Primary School teacher and is a Forest School Association qualified Level 3 Forest School Leader.
We have an award winning provision in our Woodland School, led by a qualified Forest School Leader.
JULY 2023
CLAY LEAF PRINTS...
WE FOUND SOME BIG PIECES OF BARK AND MADE THEM INTO A BARK-APRON FOR NASTIA!
SOME CHILDREN FROM YEAR 3 AND YEAR 5 MADE THESE CLAY TREE FACES. YOU HAVE TO REALLY PUSH THE CLAY INTO THE BARK TO MAKE IT STICK!
WOODLAND SCHOOL WINS THE 2023 KENT WILDLIFE TRUST "WILDER KENT" GOLD LEVEL AWARD!
EMILIJA FROM HAWK MADE THIS PRETTY WOOD COOKIE NECKLACE.
WE SAW TWO DRAGONFLIES TODAY, WHIZZING ABOUT OVER THE LOG CIRCLE!
YEAR 1 USED A PALM DRILL SAFELY TO MAKE A WOOD COOKIE NECKLACE.
A VERY FRIENDLY GREEN GRASSHOPPER WAS FOUND BY ELLA AND ZAC TODAY!
NINJA WAITERS DELIVERED THE CAMP FIRE QUESADILLAS TO OSPREY CLASS TODAY!
OUR UKRAINIAN CHILDREN MADE THIS GIANT BRIDGE, THE TEDDIES WILL CHEER YOU ON AS YOU CROSS IT...BUT WATCH OUT FOR THE TROLL UNDERNEATH!
SOME CHILDREN FROM DRAGONFLY DECIDED TO INVESTIGATE THE BUNGEE STRAPS TO SEE IF THEY COULD MAKE A CATAPAULT. THEY TRIED LAUNCHING STICKS AND PINE CONES, ABLY HELPED BY RICO FROM YEAR 5.
CHARLIE AND TOBIAH FROM DRAGONFLY DECIDED TO MAKE A HOTEL FOR THE TEDDIES USING THE UPRIGHT WOODPECKER LOGS. IT WAS ALSO SAFELY TUCKED INSIDE A DD TARP SHELTER SO NICE AND SAFE FROM THE ELEMENTS!
YEAR 6 HAVING FUN IN THE SUN, DESIGNING AND BUILDING SHELTERS WITH THE DD TARPS.
WE STILL HAVE LOTS OF RED ADMIRAL BUTTERFLIES IN WOODLAND SCHOOL AND IN THE GARDEN. THEY ARE ENJOYING FEEDING ON THE BUDDLEIA.
WOODLAND SCHOOL HAS WON THE 2023 KENT WILDLIFE TRUST *** GOLD *** AWARD !! THIS IS IN RECOGNITION OF THE WORK WE DO TO LOOK AFTER THE NATURAL WORLD IN OUR WOODLAND SCHOOL!
KENT WILDLIFE TRUST have made a list of some of the benefits of having a Woodland School provision as follows:
- Help tackle 'nature deficit disorder'.
- Improve your health and well-being, physically and mentally.
- Personal satisfaction that you have made a real difference.
- Safeguard nature and wildlife for future generations.
- Enjoy new experiences and learn new life and craft skills.
- Spend time in the fresh air and appreciate nature.
JUNE 2023
HERE IS OUR WILDLIFE RECORD BOARD FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE.
FROM VEG PATCH TO ALFIE'S FORK! A DELICIOUS POTATO SALAD!
HERE IS OUR CROP OF NEW POTATOES ...ALFIE PLANTED UP THE SEED POTATOES IN MARCH... THE SCHOOL COOK IS GOING TO MAKE THEM INTO A POTATO SALAD !!
YEAR 4 WOODLAND LEADER ALFIE HELPED THE YEAR 2 CHILDREN TO MAKE THIS SUPER SPEEDBOAT! THANK YOU ALFIE!
WE GOT CLOSE UP VIEWS OF THIS LOVELY BUMBLE BEE...
HOME GROWN RHUBARB FROM THE SCHOOL GARDEN...
YEAR R ...ROLLING, ROLLING, ROLLING !!!
YEAR R MADE SOME FLEDGLING PICTURES, USING NATURAL MATERIALS ...
GOOD VIEWS OF THE MICE IN WOODLAND SCHOOL ALL THIS WEEK!
KASEY FOUND A LESSER STAG BEETLE TODAY! WELL DONE KASEY!!
JUVENILE GREEN WOODPECKER IN THE KS2 PLAYGROUND...
HONEY BEE CLASS USED SOME SPECIAL LIGHT SENSITIVE PAPER TO CREATE IMAGES...
HARRY AND TOMASZ HELPED HONEY BEES TO BUILD A SUPER WOODEN DEN WITH OUR NEW EQUIPMENT. WELL DONE EVERYONE!
HONEY BEE CLASS USING THE FLOWER PRESS...
SPECKLED WOOD BUTTERFLY SEEN IN WOODLAND SCHOOL!
WE ARE GOING TO TRY OUT THIS NEW FLOWER PRESS IN WOODLAND SCHOOL...
WE PLANTED UP SOME BEANS TODAY...BETTER LATE THAN NEVER! HOPEFULLY THE SLUGS WON'T EAT THEM ALL UP!
WE HAD BRILLIANT CLOSE UP VIEWS OF TWO BEAUTIFUL RED ADMIRAL BUTTERFLIES THIS WEEK.
HONEYBEES AND DRAGONFLIES WERE DESIGNING AND BUILDING STRUCTURES WITH OUR NEW WOOD CHUNKS KIT, ON A SUNNY AFTERNOON IN WOODLAND SCHOOL.
WE NOW HAVE SOME SMART NEW NEOPRENE WATERPROOF DUNGAREES TO KEEP US DRY ON WET DAYS IN WOODLAND SCHOOL!
OUR SMART NEW WELLY RACK HAS ARRIVED!
MAY 2023
HERE IS OUR WILDLIFE RECORD BOARD FOR THE MONTH OF MAY
OUR YEAR 2 TRIP TO THE FOREST SCHOOL SITE AT PARKSIDE, CANTERBURY!
MISS CARROLL AND SOME CHILDREN FROM YEAR R MADE A CAFE FOR THE WOODLAND TEDDIES! WELL DONE!
SOME CHILDREN FROM YEAR R MADE MAGIC WANDS, USING STICKS AND WOOL...
YEAR 5 ENJOYED EATING JACKET POTATOES WHICH HAD BEEN BAKED IN THE CAMP FIRE FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES. MMMM....THE SKINS WERE CRISPY AND CRUNCHY!
WE ARE TRYING OUT A JAPANESE ART TECHNIQUE CALLED HAPAZOME TO CREATE THESE PRINTS...
WE HAVE PLANTED UP SOME PEAS IN THE GARDEN...
SWIFTS WILL BE APPEARING IN OUR SKIES SOON, CLICK ON THIS WEB LINK BELOW TO SEE AN I.D GUIDE...
A ROBIN'S NEST, FOUND ON THE GROUND TODAY IN WOODLAND SCHOOL. THERE ARE PIECES OF BLUE EGG SHELL INSIDE SO HOPEFULLY THE CHICKS HAVE ALREADY FLEDGED SAFELY.
MRS WILES USED HER SUPER CROCHET SKILLS TO MAKE THIS FOR THE DEN IN WOODLAND SCHOOL!
MUD MUD GLORIOUS MUD !!!
THE UKRANIAN CHILDREN FINISHED OFF THEIR LOVELY DECORATED SUN-CATCHERS TODAY!
CASPIAN AND VINCENT DECIDED TO BUILD AN F1 RACING CAR!!
SOME CHILDREN IN YEAR 3 DECIDED TO BUILD A DIGGER TRUCK IN WOODLAND SCHOOL...
BLUE TITS HAVE ONCE AGAIN CHOSEN TO USE ONE OF THE NEST BOXES IN WOODLAND SCHOOL TO RAISE THEIR CHICKS. THEY ARE USING THE NEST BOX IN THE SYCAMORE TREE WHICH IS TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE GATE. LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO WATCH THE BIRDS FLYING IN AND OUT AT THE RATE OF ONE VISIT PER MINUTE! AT THE MOMENT ONE BIRD IS FORAGING FOR FOOD IN THE LEAVES OF THE TREE TO FEED IT'S PARTNER WHO IS SITTING ON THE EGGS.
GRUFFALO'S HAZEL HOUSE, MADE BY YEAR 2. SQUIRRELS ARE GUARDING THE FRONT DOOR AND THE BIRDS ARE SINGING TO GRUFFALO> THERE IS A SECRET SLIDE ENTRANCE AT THE BACK!
HONEY BEE AND DRAGONFLY CLASSES ARE LEARNING HOW TO USE THE BOW SAW SAFELY.
SPRING WILDFLOWERS IN WOODLAND SCHOOL: GREATER CELANDINE
A GREEN WOODPECKER IS VISITING OUR SITE! KEEP A LOOK OUT FOR IT!
TEMPERING STEEL IN WOODLAND SCHOOL ! VINCENT IN YEAR 5 WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE PUT SOMETHING METAL INTO THE CAMPFIRE. WE PUT IN A STEEL CUTLERY KNIFE TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN...WELL...IT WAS AMAZING! THE STEEL CHANGED COLOUR TO BLUE AND PURPLE. LATER ON, VINCENT AND I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS CALLED TEMPERING AND THAT YOU CAN TELL HOW HOT THE FIRE IS BY THE COLOUR THAT THE STEEL BECOMES...
MR WOODLAND IS READY TO SERVE YOU AT HIS CAFE, WITH A MEAL OF BEE-INFUSED APPLE SQUASH AND GRASS SALAD WITH A CHALK DRESSING!
VINCENT AND CASPIAN USED THE WOOD TO MAKE A COMPASS STRUCTURE, USING THE SQUIRREL WEATHER VANE TO FIND NORTH>
AT HTSJ WE ARE TAKING PART IN NO MOW MAY, AS USUAL!
APRIL 2023
OUR WILDLIFE RECORD BOOK FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL 2023
CROW V SEAGULL !!
On Friday afternoon, the Year 6 group were in the school garden testing out their rafts. Then that rascally Steven Seagull flew onto the fence to see what we were doing, no doubt hoping for food. All of a sudden, a crow swooped down and ATTACKED Steven!
Steven flew off! HA HA HA!
Charlie the Headboy commented "Crow 1, Seagull nil"
The crow probably has a nest nearby and is trying to protect his or her chicks.
CHARLIE AND TOMASZ USING THE BOW SAW SAFELY...
CRAFTY RAFTS BY YEAR 6: THE YEAR 6 WOODLAND GROUP MADE RAFTS FROM TWIGS, BARK, LEAVES, PINE CONES AND TWINE AND THEN TESTED THEM OUT IN THE SCHOOL POND...
WATER PLAY IN WOODLAND SCHOOL: CHILDREN FROM YEARS 1,2, AND 3 CHOSE TO DO SOME WATER PLAY TODAY...
DRAGONFLY AND HONEY BEE LOVED PLAYING IN OUR POLISH ARMY TENTS THIS AFTERNOON!
SOME YEAR 5 CHILDREN CHOSE TO CREATE THEIR OWN FACE PAINT BY CRUSHING CHALK AND LEAVES (TO COLOUR IT GREEN) AND ADDING WATER. IT WAS GREAT FUN BUT VERY MESSY!
WE ARE LEARNING HOW TO USE THE BOW-SAW SAFELY.
WE HAVE BEEN MAKING SUN-CATCHERS!
BEAUTIFUL SPRING WILDFLOWERS IN WOODLAND SCHOOL
YEAR 6 USED OUR NEW "WILDO" FIRE STRIKERS TO LIGHT THE CAMP FIRE AND THEN WE MADE CAMP-FIRE QUESADILLAS. WE USED OUR NEW WILDO CAMPING CUTLERY TO EAT THEM. THEY WERE DELICIOUS!
22ND APRIL IS EARTH DAY! CAN YOU DO SOMETHING POSITIVE TO HELP OUR PLANET?
EVERYONE IN YEAR R MADE A "MR SPRING" IN WOODLAND SCHOOL TODAY.
THE SUNFLOWER SEEDS WHICH WE PLANTED IN LATE MARCH ARE JUST BEGINNING TO GROW ...
THERE ARE LOTS OF LADYBIRDS IN WOODLAND SCHOOL !
NEW EQUIPMENT FROM "WILDO" IN SWEDEN. The Wildo company, who manufacture equipment for the outdoors, sent us 10 new fire strikers and 10 new sets of cutlery for Woodland School, FREE OF CHARGE, to replace some of the fire strikers which have lost their striking rod. A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO "WILDO" You can visit their website at www.wildo.se
HAVING FUN AT THE YEAR 2 WOODLAND LUNCH CLUB! Claude and Mylo made a fortress in lunch club!
MARCH 2023
HERE IS OUR WILDLIFE RECORD BOARD FOR MARCH.
We have planted up some sunflower seeds today and hopefully when we return from the Easter break they would have started to grow. Watch this space...
The snails are enjoying the spring showers!!
WE ARE ENJOYING LEARNING ABOUT PULLEYS USING OUR NEW TEDDY CABLE CAR SYSTEM IN WOODLAND SCHOOL!
WATCH THE CABLE CAR GO!
THE EASTER BUNNY HAS BEEN BUSY IN WOODLAND SCHOOL!
WE LOVE TO HAVE AN EASTER EGG HUNT!
YEAR 4 VIKING INVASION IN WOODLAND SCHOOL!
WE HAVE A NEW PULLEY KIT TO PLAY WITH IN WOODLAND SCHOOL!
THE BLIND FOLD CHALLENGE: SHOWING OUR SCHOOL VALUE OF TRUST.
HAPPY RED NOSE DAY! WE HAD RED NOSE DAY CAKES IN WOODLAND SCHOOL !
HOT DOGS ON A RAINY MARCH MORNING!
WE PLANTED FOUR FRUIT TREES FROM THE CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS (TCV) CHARITY TODAY !
WE HAVE FROGSPAWN FOR THE POND !
THE RETURN OF STICK MAN ! Holly in Year 3 chose to make a stick man today.
CAMP FIRE QUESADILLAS! YEAR 4 TRIED OUT A NEW RECIPE THIS AFTERNOON, FROM THE "MUDDY FACES" OUTDOOR LEARNING WEBSITE
YEAR 1 LEAF CROWNS: Year 1 children made leaf crowns today. We used the den as our base as it was very wet and windy!
SEED POPPERS IN WOODLAND SCHOOL ! We used wildflower seeds, soil, compost and water to make these seed popper balls.
HOT SOUP WILL KEEP US WARM DURING A SLEETY AND COLD AFTERNOON!
RED KITE DEN BUILDING AFTERNOON
FEBRUARY 2023
OUR WILDLIFE RECORD BOARD FOR FEBRUARY
WINTER FUN IN WOODLAND SCHOOL! When it's cold outside Year R like to keep busy!
AHOY THERE ME HEARTIES!
The Year 2 Pirate Crew came to Woodland School to make some arrrhh-some PIRATE DENS with Captain Chantler! ARRRHHH! Once the dens were built, the pirates were rewarded with SHIP'S BISCUITS. When the pirates sailed back home to class, Captain Chantler shared out the GOLD!! Shiver me timbers!!!
HERE ARE THE PIRATES AT WORK, MAKING PIRATE DENS TO HIDE IN! AARRRRRRHHHHHH!
YEAR R SHELTER BUILDING WITH DD TARPS:
YEAR R HAD THEIR FIRST GO AT MAKING A SIMPLE DIAMOND SHELTER WITH OUR DD TARPS!
YEAR 4 CAME TO WOODLAND SCHOOL TO LEARN ABOUT CHANGE OF STATE AS PART OF THEIR PROJECT LEARNING ON MATERIALS.
JACKET POTATOES: Some children from Year 4 baked potatoes in the camp fire. It took about an hour for them to cook.
THE TEDDY BEAR ASSAULT COURSE CHALLENGE! Year 6 had to make an assault course for a Woodland teddy that had to include something to go over, something to go under, something to go through and something scary! Everyone had time to look at all the various challenges.
MRS GILMAN AND SIBLINGS CLUB MADE THESE BIRD FAT BALLS FOR WOODLAND SCHOOL
MR GARRATT by Year 1
NATURAL ART WORK: Everyone in Year R came to make pictures of birds and animals. We used buckets to collect our materials. We used some ideas from the LEAF MAN story book.
THE JAY IS BACK IN WOODLAND SCHOOL!
JANUARY 2023
OUR WILDLIFE RECORD BOARD FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY
WOODEN DISC WEAVING: Some children from Year 4 had a go at weaving using wool, a chunky needle and a wooden disc as a base.
DEN BUILDING: Children in the Year 2 lunch club began making a mini den and then some children from Year 4 completed it later on in the afternoon! It's a great hidey-hole!
MEET PABLO THE SCARECROW! Year 6 chose to make a scarecrow for the School Garden today.
HARRY IS RATHER ACCIDENT PRONE, SO WE TRIED WRAPPING HIM UP IN BUBBLE WRAP TODAY!!
THE CHINESE YEAR OF THE RABBIT! Children from Year R all worked together to make some super shelters for the rabbit teddies. We were very happy to welcome some parents for this activity too.
CAMP-FIRE POPCORN! Mr Palmer made us this gadget so that we can safely make popcorn at the camp fire.
CHECK IT OUT! Year 3 wanted to make a supermarket check out with the wood chunks. Some problem solving was needed to work out how to make a seat at the right height for the cashier and also how to make the conveyor belt!
YEAR 4 TREE HOUSE ROCK BAND!
HAPPY CHINESE LUNAR NEW YEAR! We have some special activities planned for this week in Woodland School!
HAPPY CHINESE LUNAR NEW YEAR: It's the Year of the Rabbit. Year 4 and Year 5 made these giant rabbit pictures from natural materials.
YEAR 3 POWER OF READING: The Tin Forest by Helen Ward. Some children from Year 3 came to Woodland to create some collage pictures of the animals featured in the book.
SHELTER BUILDING ON A SUNNY WINTER MORNING: Children worked in pairs to create a mini shelter for a teddy. They decided that Woodland School is the best classroom in the school!
LEAF MAN BY LOIS EHLERT: Using this book as a stimulus, children from Year 5 made pictures using leaves collected from around the school grounds.
It is the RSPB big garden bird watch on the weekend of 27th to 29th January. To find out how you can take part go to rspb.org.uk
THE NAUGHTY WOODLAND SCHOOL FAIRIES ARE HIDING IN THE TREES AND BUSHES! Can Year R help to find them all ?
WE LOVE OUR NEW TREE HOUSE: Wiktoria had her very first go up on the tree house! Well done little lady!
Some children from Year 1 decided to collect sticks and twigs from around Woodland School and use then to make a nest for our RSPB bird teddies, in the den.
FIRE STRIKERS: Some children from Year 1 learnt how to use the fire strikers safely and then set up and lit the camp fire. Well done!
WOOD COOKIE NECKLACES: We used palm drills and hand drills to make a hole in an oak wood cookie. Then we decorated the cookies and threaded them with paracord to make a necklace.
HOT CHOCOLATE ACADEMY IN THE TREE HOUSE!
Year 3 children learnt how to use the wooden mallets and our Dewalt axe to safely chop up logs into kindling for the camp fire. Well done everyone!
SHELTER BUILDING: Some of our amazing Year 6 pupils had a fantastic afternoon building shelters using DD tarps, ordinary tarps, bungee straps, mallets, tent pegs and logs.
TREE HOUSE NEWS! DRAGONFLY CLASS HAD THEIR VERY FIRST GO AT CLIMBING UP ON TO THE TREE HOUSE IN WOODLAND SCHOOL TODAY!
We like to use the wooden planks, timber chunks, poles and logs to create an obstacle "Parkour" course all around Woodland School!
Some children from Year 5 had a try at the POLISH ARMY TENT challenge today in Woodland School. It was tricky to do this with the gusty wind but we were successful!
Happy New Year to everyone in our HTSJ family!
I hope that we see lots of wonderful wildlife in 2023 and that the natural world will fill your year with joy. Love from Mrs Chantler x
DECEMBER 2022
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE IN THE HTSJ COMMUNITY LOVE FROM MRS CHANTLER AND ALL OF OUR FURRY AND FEATHERY FRIENDS IN WOODLAND SCHOOL! XX
A lucky group of Year 2 children had an HTSJ "Deliveroo" of party food whilst in the tree house (courtesy of Mrs Wanstall and Mrs Goldhawk!)
Mmmmmm! Yummy! We enjoyed the party food and gave the crumbs to the birds. (We had to chase off that naughty Steven Seagull though!)
Here is our Wildlife Record Board for December
ON A COLD DECEMBER AFTERNOON IT'S NICE TO HAVE A HOT CHOCOLATE IN OUR NEW TREE HOUSE!
The wood blocks make a fine throne for Gruffalo and his guests...
CHILDREN IN YEAR 1 HAVE BEEN MAKING BIRD FAT CAKES IN THEIR POWER OF READING LESSONS. WELL DONE YEAR 1. THE BIRDS WILL ENJOY EATING THEM IN WOODLAND SCHOOL.
SPECTACULAR STARLING MURMURATION!
HERE IS OUR LITTLE WOODLAND SCHOOL CHRISTMAS TREE, ON DISPLAY IN ST JOHN'S CHURCH!
THE GREEN SHIP BY QUENTIN BLAKE Year 3 have been reading The Green Ship in Power of Reading. A group of Year 3 children came to Woodland School to build a ship!
SOME NAUGHTY CHRISTMAS ELVES ARE HIDING IN WOODLAND SCHOOL! CAN YOU HELP MRS CHANTLER TO FIND THEM ALL?
PLEASE FEED THE BIRDS THIS WINTER IF YOU CAN!
NOVEMBER 2022
HERE IS OUR WILDLIFE RECORD BOARD FOR NOVEMBER.
BAT-TASTIC NEWS! We now have a bat box to install in Woodland School. It has been donated by a member of staff.
Children from EYFS enjoyed some "Time To Be Still" in Woodland School, looking up at the sky to watch the clouds!
Children from Year 3 and Year 5 have been learning how to split logs safely using our Dewalt axe and wooden mallets.
We have been able to watch Wood mice feeding on the bird seed in Woodland School.
WE HAVE BEEN MAKING THESE AUTUMN PEG PEOPLE!
Don't forget to bring your wellies to school this term if you are coming up to Woodland School!
PAPER CUP OWLS
S'MORES are a tasty treat to make at the fire bowl! We have enjoyed making them this week.
Sparrow hawk in Woodland School.
CHILDREN IN NEED NOVEMBER 2022
Pudsey's anagram challenge: Each Pudsey is holding a letter of the alphabet. Collect all 10 letters and then unscramble them to create a word associated with Children in Need!
NOW PLEASE GO TO THE 2021- 2022 ARCHIVED WOODLAND PAGES!