Newport FEI Cluster Group has about 25 members including teachers and representatives from the local authority and Forestry Commission Wales. Set up in 2002, one of the group’s original aims was to create links between Duffryn Infants School and the local community through the development of Forest School.
The group now meets once a term, with meetings hosted by group members. These meetings are an opportunity to discuss and develop the projects which have been set up through the group’s work. Agenda items also include information on funding sources, chances for networking and updates on Forest School training.
The main projects that the group has been involved in so far are as follows:
The Forest School attached to Duffryn Infants School has become a role model for similar projects across the country; Forestry Commission Education Team staff have been assisting in delivering sessions since the start of the Duffryn project. Forestry Commission Wales also provided funding for the New Economic Foundation to produce a research document and Duffryn played a major role in this research.
Don Close Nursery is using Forestry Commission woodland at Bettws for weekly Forest School sessions and it is hoped that the local primary school will also soon become involved. Linked in with this is the Include project for excluded teenagers who are no longer in mainstream education. The teenagers will be building shelters for the nursery children to use at Bettws.
The Group also secured an FEI small grant to enable them to employ the Community Link Officer to source further funding for new and ongoing projects.
Local teachers and others with an interest in links between forestry and education or in Forest School, are welcome to become involved in the Newport FEI Cluster Group. For further information about future meetings, please contact
Anita Lewis.
Local Groups
