Please come dressed and ready for adventure!  Both children and parents need to be addressed appropriately for the weather conditions as all sessions will be held outdoors in our beautiful Forest School site. 

It is strongly advisable to wear wellies, waterproof coats and waterproof trousers during the winter and early spring, even if it is not raining.  This helps to keep the child warm and allows freedom of play in what may be muddy conditions.  Long trousers and closed-toe shoes must be worn by all participants, all year round.

Remember it is important that adults as well as children are appropriately dressed.

We love to explore with our hands, touching natural materials and often getting a little muddy, therefore it is advisable that any open cuts on children’s hands are covered with a plaster.

There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing!  Sessions will go ahead, whatever the weather, except for in the case of high winds and thunderstorms, when Little Rangers will be cancelled.  We aim to give as much notice as possible, but this may need to be a last-minute decision.  Our Forest School includes an undercover area.

Heath Mount ‘Little Rangers’ is organised and run by a qualified Forest School Leader who holds a Level 3 BTEC Advanced Award for Forest School Leaders and is experienced in delivering environmental education.  Children's safety is paramount to us – planned activities are always fully risk-assessed, and we always ensure children are prepared and capable before beginning any task involving tools or fire.

During the sessions, the parent or guardian must remain fully responsible for their child.  Please always stay with your child as they explore our Forest School site.

The site is fully risk-assessed. However, being a natural environment, there will be some natural risks on site.  Common risks will include spiky and thorny plants, fungi and uneven terrain; this will be discussed with the children before each session.  We have a strict no hand-to-mouth rule.  Given the age range of the participating children, and the natural environment, it is important that parents ensure that children do not put natural items or provided equipment in their mouths.  All participants are advised to wash their hands after the end of the session and before eating.

Please be aware that the site is used by a wide age range of children and, therefore, please be aware that some of the facilities, e.g. slack lines, rope swings, balance trail may not be age appropriate for your child.  You are more than welcome to use this equipment. However, your child will need to be directly supported in doing so to ensure their safety.

Our Forest School leader has paediatric first aid training and will carry a recommended first aid kit, but it is expected that the parent or guardians will take overall responsibility.  Any medication, specific to an individual child, e.g. asthma pump, epi-pen etc. must be carried by the parent or guardian.

If your child has a condition that you feel may affect their abilities or understanding of participating in ‘Little Rangers’ we would be grateful if you could make the leader aware so that appropriate measures can be put in place to allow them to have as full, happy and safe an experience with us as possible.

Heath Mount's Little Ranger sessions aim to boost physical skills through active, outdoor play as well as gross motor skills.  Playing in the forest also helps to foster confidence and resilience through hands-on learning in nature, encouraging managed risk-taking and independence.  The calm, woodland environment provides a chance for parents and carers to switch off from daily stresses and tech-filled environments and allows the opportunity to appreciate the changing seasons and the wonders of nature.  We hope that these sessions give our Little Rangers an early appreciation of nature and the importance of protecting animal habitats.

Whilst the Forest School site is a fantastic learning resource, it must also be recognised that it is also a natural and wild habitat, and therefore home to numerous birds, mammals, amphibians and invertebrates.  We want children to experience this wildlife but also to learn how to treat nature with care and protect it in the future.  Therefore, throughout the ‘Little Rangers’ programme, both child and adult participants are given guidance as to how to minimise impact on the site.

This will include:

• • Learning how to respect animals' homes
  • Protecting and not picking flora
  • Careful observation of live animals
  • Leaving dead wood lying in place
  • Ensuring the site is left clean and tidy at all times

Yes, we have toilet facilities in our medical centre just outside the Forest School entrance.

Our parking attendant will direct you to parking in our Nursery car park