project title: - outdoor learning wales€¦ · web viewdesign and technology/art and design –...

FEI CLUSTER GROUP PROJECT REPORT Related to the information given on the original application

Your Project Report is due no later than 6 months from the date on which you receive the cheque from the Partnership Fund.

Once stored on the website the information you provide will enable other clusters to duplicate all or part of your project, locate the resources you have produced or contact your cluster to share ideas and best practice.

Please make sure that you read this BEFORE your project starts as your Final Project Report should include answers to all the following questions. E.g. you will need to make sure that you keep accurate records of the numbers of people involved in the project.

Please include a detailed financial breakdown including a statement of the final income and expenditure. These accounts will be subject to sample audit.

If the project has not been completed within this six months a brief interim report will be required with a full project report on completion.

If for any reason the project does not take place, please note that the Partnership Fund reserves the right to request the return the grant (or part of it, if the project has been only partially completed).

Please include photos of the project & confirm that FEI has permission to use photos / images of the project on the FEI website or in future publicity material.

PROJECT INFORMATIONProject Title Footprints in the WoodsName of cluster group Dyfi FEI


Give a brief description of project. How did it change, if at all, from the description given in Q6?

Footprints in the Woods.

This project was a collaboration between Dyfi FEI Forest School practitioners, and art workshop leaders. It was planned to encompass 12 day-long sessions of forest school and natural art workshops in Ty Gwyn Woods, Forge, Machynlleth, spread bi-weekly over the months May – December 2012. Key people in the planning and delivery of the project were Anni Lloyd and Tom Deacon.

A talk about footprints around the fire-circle.

The project was devised with the families who form a group called ‘Outside Education’, who home-school or flexi-school their children, and who share the ideal of outdoor-based learning for their children.

Exploring ‘human impact’ during a walk on the first session.

The projected dates for the sessions were: May 9th, 23rd; June 6th and 20th; July 4th and 18th; Sept 12th; Oct 10th and 24th; Nov 7th and 21st; Dec 5th.

I am happy to say that all these sessions went ahead as planned, and that we actually managed


to squeeze in an extra Footprints in the Woods session on March 20th 2013, which was run by Kirsten Manley and Cath Rigler, and funded through Awards for All and volunteer time.


Creative workshops were organised by Anni Lloyd, which explored the nature of the woodland environment, and the relationship which the participants felt they had with it. Forest school themes tied in as much as possible with the creative ideas of art leaders – for example, the summer solstice session ‘revolved’ around the idea of circles – circular crowns made in the meeting circle, circular food cooked around the fire, storytelling and geometric circle-marking, and appropriate poetry.

A walk around the sun-circle on the Summer Solstice, and making flower crowns

Anni led four of the art workshops herself, and invited guest artists Helen Ingham, Jane Rigby and Storyteller Milly Jackdaw into the project to bring their own colour to the creative mix.

Artist Helen Ingham MA introduces her theme.

Forest School was provided by Dyfi Woodlands (notably Tom Deacon, with Zena and Kirsten) along with much support from Cath Rigler, who was fresh from newly qualifying as level III Forest School leader, and Jane Rigby, who joined us on different sessions as both Art leader and Forest School leader.

Funding was provided for one trainee to join us for six sessions, to gain valuable experience – we were lucky to be joined by Tom Aslin, who brought his bush craft skills to the project.

Each session was thoroughly planned by during a meeting in the preceding week, and volunteer support was recruited from the participating families.


Both Forest School and Home-educating ideologies support the need for youngsters to explore learning through self-expression, and during Footprints in the Woods children were free to choose whether to join in with planned art activities or choose forest school activities instead; sometimes they would dip into a bit of each, and sometimes they would invent their own games, supported by an observing FS leader or volunteer.

Outside Education children discovering nature-based learning

Each session featured ‘drop-in’ cooking workshops in the forest home, featuring different wild-related delicacies which the children could choose to participate in – have you ever tried battered elder-flower? We have – and it is delicious! During the course of the project we produced a ‘forest cook-book’ which is in the care of Dyfi FEI.

Zena Wilmot shows off the lovely Forest Cook-book.


Making casts of leaves and hands using alginate and plaster

In our original funding application we plan for the project to meet the four main aims of the FEI: First hand learning opportunities Sustainable development Wood as a sustainable resource Physical health and well-being

I feel that the project happily met these aims, through its encompassing of creative, practical and scientific learning opportunies within the woodland setting for the youngsters, and also by providing the social and learning opportunities for the parents of Outside Education, who can feel very isolated.

What’s in store? A pensive trio on the first day of FitW

The project also provided funding for Kirsten Manley to further her training as a Forest Schoolleader-trainer, and gave Outside Education families the chance to train for FS level 1 during the last three weeks of the project.

This has been a wonderful opportunity for families to take their learning back to their own homes and communities, and gives a greater depth of self-sufficiency to the group as a whole.


The original funding bid included a plan to produce an art exhibition at the conclusion of the project.

We have been able to liaise with Kirsten Manley during her ongoing Community Woodland Management Plan, and have exhibited the materials which we produced during ‘Footprints in the Woods’ in an outdoor Art Exhibition actually in the woods themselves during the Ty Gwyn open day on June 8th 2013. Please see attached photos at the end of this report.

Meanwhile, we would like to extend a huge thank you to the FEI for making the FitW project possible, and here are some more lovely pictures:

Clockwise from top left: Tom in solstice mood; making woodland sprites from sticks and clay; mud, mud, glorious

mud; nesting; tree man.


Where did the idea for your project come from? Refer to Q21

Anni Lloyd (an Outside Education parent, and artist) suggested the idea of incorporating art activities with Forest School sessions, as she felt this would be a good way of expanding the type of learning experiences O.E. youngsters had previously had in outside settings.

Anni was interested in making plaster casts from moulds taken from feet and hands and natural objects, and taking that idea as a starting point, arrived at the title ‘Footprints in the Woods’ during a fund-raising meeting with Tom Deacon from Dyfi Woodlands.

The title fitted so well – ‘footprints’ could be taken to mean so much when considering man’s relationship with the natural environment.

Cast of hand and leaves

Project start and completion date. (Q15) Start date: 09.05.12 completion date: 08.06.13

Where did the project take place? Who owned the land? Contact details if applicable. (Q14)

Ty Gwyn woods, Forge, Machynlleth, Powys.Owned by Natural Resources Wales.

Lead organisation for project and contact details

Anni Lloyd, Bodfan, Cemmaes, Powys. SY20 9PRTel: 01650 511888Email: [email protected]

List any other partners or organisations involved

Tom Deacon, Zena Wilmot and Kirsten Manley from Dyfi Woodlands;Cath Rigler; Jane Rigby; Helen Ingham from Darkspark; Milly Jackdaw, storyteller.


INPUTSFEI funding Amount Requested: £4,100 Amount Rewarded: £4,100List project costs and total expenditure indicating items funded by FEI. (Attach a separate account if available). (Q26a)

Forest School leaders: Total cost: £4,269.62 FEI expenditure: £2,973.00Level 4 Leader-trainer: Total cost: £500 FEI Expenditure: £500Art Workshop Leaders: Total cost: £2,425 FEI Expenditure: NilArt Materials: Total cost: £219 FEI Expenditure: NilConsumables: Total cost: £168 FEI expenditure: £148Administration: Total cost: £200 FEI Expenditure: NilBushcraft trainee: Total cost: £480 FEI expenditure: £480

List source and amount of actual match funding. It is recognised that this may be different from that listed in Q26b.

Awards for All granted us match funding of £4,100

Was any money left over? If so, on what was it spent? NB: Significant under spends should be declared and returned.

No money was left over.


OUTPUTS – the services, activities or products delivered by the projectOriginal Estimate from

Q16 or Q11Actual numbers

No. of teachers involved in project design

3 3

No. of teachers trained 0 0No. of teachers involved in project delivery

3 3

No. of pre-school groups involved 0 0No. of primary schools involved 0 0No. of secondary schools involved 0 0No. of tertiary students involved 0 0Total number of students involved 24 35No. of volunteers/parents involved 30 26Total number of students visiting woodlands

24 35

Total number of children visiting mill/plant

0 0

No. of individuals trained 8 8How many individuals are from ethnic minority backgrounds?

2 0

How many individuals are disabled? 0 2Notes re above results:

Under ‘disabled’ I include one child with learning difficulties falling within the Autism spectrum, and one child with a medical condition which requires constant monitoring.

Individuals trained to Forest School assistant level 1= 8Bushcraft trainee achieving 6 x sessions of experience in planning and delivery = 1


Describe any resources produced.Anni is working on a bi-lingual step by step guide to the art techniques and some of the games used in ‘Footprints in the Woods’ which will be uploaded onto the FEI website when complete.

Publisher of resource (if applicable).N/A

Curriculum subject(s) (if applicable). How did the project relate to these (Q18)English – poems marking the seasons were recited and on one session, a poem joint-written by the whole group; storytelling.Mathematics – measuring, circle-making and using geometry to divide the circumference; counting, calculating distances.Science – the project related heavily to the natural sciences, with discovery of the natural world being one of the main objectives. Children were encouraged to seek different types of vegetation, insect life, and bird life; forage for edible plants; name trees and experience their unique properties; prepare and cook wild food. Talking of the movements of the Earth and Sun on solstice and equinox.Geography – the idea of ‘Footprints’ led us to examine the environmental ‘footprints’ of various foods brought to sessions – eg: apples (which were in season in Britain, but had suffered from the wet, cold weather) had been brought from Italy and New Zealand. On another occasion the children invented their own geological game.We also made use of clay, earth, and quarried a huge stone at Ty Gwyn to make some of our artwork.Design and Technology/Art and Design – these subjects were explored throughout the project through various activities that included printmaking with leaves; making ‘Woodland Folk’ out of mud, clay, twigs and leaves; casting hands, feet, leaves and flowers in alginate and plaster; felting; making group-works from forest materials, including a huge painting of a green man using only leaves, berries, charcoal and mud as pigments; also creative cooking around the fire in the forest home.Physical Education – each session included time and space for imaginative play, in which the children are encouraged to use the woods to ‘run about’; activity games were invented, such as treasure-hunts and obstacle courses.Welsh – Although the project was delivered in English medium, we incorporated Welsh language as much as possible in greeting, counting etc.

Is the original artwork available to place on the FEI website? If so please attach. If not, give details of how other clusters can obtain a copy Photographs of work produced during ‘Footprints in the Woods’ will be uploaded onto the FEI website asap, along with photographs from the ‘Forest Exhibition’ which showcased ‘Footprints in the Woods’ during the Ty Gwyn Management Plan Open Day in June 2013. We plan to showcase Footprints in the Woods work at the forthcoming Networking Day in October.

Are the benefits of the project still continuing and are they sustainable? (Q19)Yes – parents have taken their Forest School qualifications home and are using their knowledge to enrich their home-schooling environments; Anni plans to take her ‘Footprints’ exhibition to the FEI networking day in October to inspire other educators; Outside Education was able to offer places on the project to new members (including some non-home-educating families) and in consequence have inspired more people to value learning opportunities in the woods, as well as enriching their member base.


Did you have press / TV / radio coverage of the project or at any events? If so, please include details.Not yet, but Anni is hoping to organise a larger more high-profile exhibition next year.

OUTCOMES – These are all the changes, benefits, learning or other effects that happen as a result of what is delivered. They can be expected or unexpected, positive or negative, intermediate or endGive a brief description of any outcomes expected from Q16 plus any unforeseen that occurred.In my original plan, we expected the project to offer Forest School trainee Cath Rigler the chance to achieve her 6 level 3 qualifying sessions – however, Cath was able to achieve these sessions on a project earlier in the year, enabling her to join us as a fully fledged level 3 leader, and she became a much valued contributor to the success of the project in its second half.

This enabled us to offer the fees for our ‘level 3 trainee’ to Tom Aslin, a bush craft trainee keen to gain experience in Forest School, and he brought his expertise to the project whilst gaining experience with us.

The group Outside Education has gained immensely. This is exactly the sort of outside learning opportunity that our parents dreamt of when they formed the group 4 years ago, and to watch the children learning in the Ty Gwyn woods is a very special experience, as some of our younger children have been coming here since they were babies in slings!

The group has also benefited through an enhanced membership, and it has been fantastic to see some of our new parents taking advantage of the Level 1 training which the project offered. I was delighted to see the group relax its rules on membership to allow a few non-home educating families to join us for this project, as were able to give the experience of Forest School to more people and their children, and again, I felt that the Level 1 training was taken up by people who would really make use of it in the future.

Our youngsters have has a tremendous time learning, building, cooking, playing, making, planting, chanting and just being in the woods. We have brought this experience to at least 12 new children who have joined us through FitW.

The project has given me (Anni Lloyd) my first experience of organising and running a major project. It has been a fantastic experience, and I have to say I have had wonderful support and help from my colleagues along the way. The timing of the project has led up to a major management plan bid for the future of Ty Gwyn woods, and my co-parents of outside Education and I have been feeding into the ideas for the plans for Ty Gwyn’s future management. I like to think that the project has left all involved in it with very positive thought on the future of Ty Gwyn as an educational and conservation site.

We will continue to showcase work produced through ‘Footprints in the Woods’ through the Networking day in October, and through seeking further opportunities to exhibit the work and Expand on the creative ideas it produced, in order to promote the benefits of Forest Learning.

On behalf of Outside Education and myself I would like to say a huge thank you to the FEI for enabling us to run this project.

SUMMARYList the 10 steps you consider were most important to the delivery of the project


1.Our first step was a meeting to talk about the sort of activities Outside Education would like to run, with Tom Deacon of Dyfi Woodlands, and a discussion on the possible sources of funding available.

2.Initial project plans were generated by group meetings and ideas based on personal practise.

3.Shared expertise – Dyfi Woodlands gave us loads of support in terms of providing successful application examples, and advice on match funding during the application process. Support through the FEI co-ordinator.

4.Successful funding bids – many thanks to FEI and Awards for All. This is the point at which the dream became reality, and for me was the scary bit!5. Many Meetings! Meetings between the committee members of OE to send relevant paperwork to secure match-funding.

Meetings between project director and Dyfi Woodlands to initially plan and co-ordinate the 12 sessions – once again, Dyfi Woodlands hugely supportive with their knowledge of the risk assessment processes.6.Liasing with the Forestry Commission (now Natural Resources Wales) to gain permission to use the planned site (Coed Ty Gwyn, Forge, Machynlleth)

7.Meetings between project co-ordinator and artists/workshop leaders in order to plan sessions and activities. My Art colleagues were wonderfully supportive, and more experienced than me in working with youngsters in various settings. We had quite a few meetings to discuss the dynamics of the group – ways to incorporate the children’s energy positively; ways to appeal to a fairly wide age-range. Without fail my artists produced imaginative and inspiring responses to the natural environment.8.Dedicated project leaders who organised a meet-up pre each and every session, to plan theme, meeting circle activities, foreside cooking, art activities and forest school activities. These meetings became very much part of the project, and produced many inspired ideas which linked the art theme to the Forest School theme etc, and it is a mark of the dedication of FitW’s leaders that we rarely, if ever missed a pre-session meeting.

9.Communication with Forestry Management teams.Problems were ironed out or worked through – an unforeseen problem was the length of time it takes to get permissions through the Forestry Commission (now NRW) system. We discovered that Dyfi Woodlands permissions to use Ty Gwyn had expired and were under re-application at the same time as our own. Many thanks to Rob Williams, the permissions were hastily granted just before the commencement of the project.Parking was an issue – due to logging taking place, verge-parking was disallowed, and OE members were asked to park below the gate and walk the last quarter of a mile – this was a problem for those with small children, and a shuttle-system was tried out on a few occasions.


10.Co-ordination of the necessary paperwork and financial matters.I was grateful to Mr Richard Withers for looking after the Dyfi woodlands account and promptly paying our invoices when requested. I myself am new to funding and its related responsibilities, and have found myself on a learning curve, but have gained much experience through co-ordinating the clerical side of this project.

List any useful contacts – locally or nationally

Tom Deacon and Kirsten Manley of Dyfi Woodlands, Unit 6, Helen Ingham MA of Dark Spark (Artist/ Art Teacher)Jane Rigby (Artist, Craftworker, Forest School Leader, Community leader)Nicola Hart (as Milly Jackdaw, Storyteller) Cath Rigler (Forest School Leader and Youth Leader)

In your opinion, was the project successful? Please list any problems or advice that could be useful to another cluster trying to replicate the project. Is there anything you would have done differently? How did you measure the success and the benefits to Forest Education? (Q17)

In my opinion the project was very successful.

If I was to run this project again, there are only a couple of things I would do differently.1. The project was able to run smoothly because of the dedication of its leaders – many

meetings were held – many journeys to Machynlleth, or Aberystwyth, and many phone calls to discuss vital funding requirements or project plans. In a future project plan I would consider building costs into the financial plan to cover fuel for these journeys, and some recompense for the amount of time, for those involved.

2. Part of this project offered training to parents/carers of attending children. In a future project I would make sure that parents were made aware well in advance, that if they decide to attend the leader training, they bring or nominate another adult to be the ‘carer’ of their child while they (the parent undertaking training) are not able to supervise them. We had one week when circumstances had left us understaffed, and a situation arose where a parent taking advantage of the training was quite rude to one of our leaders, but the situation had only arisen through a lack of planning.

An evaluation was undertaken at the close of each session, with leaders discussing in depth the success of that session, and making suggestions for future sessions. The success of this project is very much one of the things which is feeding into the Ty Gwyn Management plan, which is currently ongoing. I was a part of the workshop which fed ideas into the plan, and the inspiration from the project was very much in our heads asTom Deacon and I (among others) worked on the ideological statements for the education side of the Management Plan.

I am very much looking forward to showing some of the FitW artwork at the Networking Event.


Any other information/advice?

Anni Lloyd can be contacted at Bodfan, Cemmaes, Powys, SY20 9PR. Tel: 01650 511888

Please contact me for further details for further contact information regarding FitW project leaders.

Please return this form to your national FEI co-ordinator by email or visit http://foresteducation.org.uk/contactus/index.asp for contact details.

Please also send a copy to the FEI Partnership Fund [email protected] ) Where possible information provided will be made

available on the website. If there is any part of the report you wish to keep confidential please make this clear.

mailto:[email protected]

http://foresteducation.org.uk/contactus/index.asp

project title: - outdoor learning wales€¦ · web viewdesign and technology/art and design –...

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