Competition Time!

The entry form is on Penygawsi news page. Download it from there!

Woodland Trust Green Tree Award Scheme

We are registered with the Woodland Trust Green Tree Schools Award Scheme and have already achieved a Bronze certificate. We only need one more point to get to silver! I have just ordered a free tree planting kit which will be delivered in March. This was one way that we achieved more points. Find out more by clicking the link. We need to get to GOLD....(which is a lovely wooden plaque) and to do this we need to participate in lots of outdoor activities. Everyone can help. Watch this space!!

http://www.naturedetectives.org.uk/schools/award

http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/learning-kids/schools/pages/green-tree-schools-award.aspx

Mrs James

By the way....Novemebr the 27th to December the 5th 2010 is National Tree Week and hopefully each class will be doing something to join in with this!!

Next Meeting Agenda

The Agenda for the next Forest Rangers Meeting which is Wednesday 17th of November @ 11.45 Pen y Fan is:

• Look at and discuss posters made & laminate them.
• Matthew, Charlie and Mrs Terrans to feedback on the risk assessment of the woodland area.
• Talk about any ideas that children have brought from the classes.
• Make a template for the 'Design Our Allotment' competition.
• Discuss and arrange a meeting with Mr Gilbert and the Rangers regarding the allotment.
• Talk about fundraising activities.

Thanks Mrs James

Rangers Duties

Just a reminder for the Rangers....Your tasks are:

1. To make posters telling everyone about the benefits of learning outdoors and all about the environment.
2. Get everyone to look at our new blog page and get lots of ideas from them on how we can develop the outdoor areas.

Thanks Mrs James.

Risk Assessment......Check!

Thank you to Mrs Terrans who trudged through the mud in our woodland area this afternoon, with our Chairman Matthew and our Secretary Charlie to undertake a risk assessment. They all reported their findings to Mrs Harries and they will report back to the Rangers at our next meeting. Both Mrs Harries & Mrs Terrans commented on how involved they were with making suggestions on identifying, how to managing risk and developing the area. Well done both!
Mrs James

We Need YOU...

We need your ideas on how to develop our outside environment at Penygawsi.

Think about all the space we have at school. How can we make it a better outdoor learning area?
We have lots of green space and a wooded area as well as playgrounds. What do you think we could do to improve them?
Please post a comment below and the Rangers will look at these and discuss them.

It is your school, so have your say. Parents you are welcome to comment too! Please post now!
Thanks Penygawsi Rangers.

Our Rangers

We had our first meeting today and all the children and staff on the committee attended. It was lovely to see that everyone was very enthusiastic and we got off to a flying start.

Minutes from the meeting 3rd Nov 2010.

• Mrs James congratulated the children on becoming Rangers.
• We introduced ourselves.
• Voting took place for a Chairman & Secretary: Matthew-Chairman, Charlie-Secretary. Discussed- Matthew will chair all up and coming meetings with Charlie taking minutes.
• Duties explained.

How do we advertise what we are doing?

• Children talked about getting everyone involved and asking everyone in the class for their ideas of developing the outdoor areas. Encourage people to leave ideas on the Forest Schools Blog Page. Mrs James to provide an ideas post for comments.
• Plan to make posters over next 2 weeks (during lunch time & at home) to inform others of Forest School committee and benefits of learning outdoors.
• Children & Mrs Evans suggested an assembly presentation to the whole school.

Plans.

• Mrs James spoke of her meeting with Mr Gerald Gilbert from Tidy Towns and the plans to develop an allotment area & possible pond. Mr Gilbert would like to have a design for his team to work from and we discussed opening this up as a competition. Mrs Vowles suggested a £1 entry, so we can start raising funds for equipment. The winning child's design would be used. Rangers to discuss this further and devise an entry form at next meeting.

Blog.

• We discussed the Blog page for forest schools and to encourage everyone to use it.
• All information will be uploaded there and dates/agenda for next meetings.

Minutes taken by Mrs Bull.

Meeting chaired by Mrs James.

Rangers Duties over next 2 weeks: Posters & encourage children to give ideas/look at the blog.

Staff: You know your duties- next staff meeting for forest schools Monday 8th Nov @ 11.45 Pen y Fan. Thanks :)

Next Meeting: Forest schools Rangers 17th of November 2010 @ 11.45 Pen y Fan.

Thanks

Penygawsi FS Rangers.

First Forest School Rangers meeting on Wednesday 3rd of November @ 11.45 am in Pen y Fan classroom and then down to the log circle in the woodland area.
Agenda

• Welcome to our members & introduce ourselves.
• Vote for a Chairman & Secretary.
• Brief outline of duties as a Ranger.
• How will we inform others of the Forest Schools committee and their actions/intentions.
• Discuss development of the outdoor area/blog page.

Mrs James

More Rangers...

Congratulations to these newly elected Penygawsi Rangers

The votes are in!

Some classes have already voted and our committee has started to take shape.

Watch the blog page for other successful FS Rangers.

Freezing Fun.

Over the next few weeks we will be having cold freezing nights, which means FROST!
This will be a great opportunity for us all to make some ice sculptures. If you fancy doing this in school at playtimes you need to bring in:

1. A clean ice cream carton.
2. Enthusiasm for foraging.
3. String.

I will provide the rest of what we need.

Interested? Bring along your ice cream cartons to Mrs James for storage and watch the weather forecast. We need a FROST!

Mrs James

FS Ranger Badges

Look what you get to wear proudly on your uniform if you are successful in becoming a Forest School Ranger!

All newly elected Rangers will be given a badge so that everyone in the school, including visitors, will know that you are on Penygawsi Forest Schools committee. This will give anyone an opportunity to tell you any ideas or thoughts they have on developing our outdoor learning areas.

Electing the committee...

Please be patient....

Please be patient as we develop our Forest School Blog Page.