From building dens to cooking on a campfire, learning to use tools and exploring nature, Forest School gives children and adults a unique, memorable and positive experience. Essential life skills are developed focusing especially on communication, self esteem and team work.
Pre-school groups
Our monthly term time sessions are designed for young children to play and explore our amazing woodlands. Come with your grown up and have a mini adventure on our obstacle course and enjoy natural crafts and the mud kitchen. Enjoy social time around the campfire with other parents and children. Look out for our special event days such ‘Teddy Bears Picnic’ just for little ones.
May 14th Marvelous Minibeasts
June 25th We're Going On a Bear Hunt
July 9th Teddy Bear Picnic Summer Party
The pre school group runs Monthly on Tuesdays for children up to the age of 5
£20.00 (per session)
Home Educated Group
A chance to socialise with other children and grown ups at our beautiful woodland. Your child will learn valuable teamwork and communication skills, whilst having fun learning to use tools, build shelters, play games, nature crafts and much more!
Fridays 10-12pm
£14.00 (per session)
Primary school groups
We can set up and run after school clubs or sessions during the day for a whole class or particular groups for example, SEND children, ELSA sessions, EAL children. Recent sessions with an EAL group included activities such as flag making and creating an International Mud Kitchen. During the day, we had lots of discussions about countries around the world and different cultures. Classroom topics can be used as a basis for the Forest School day. Recent Forest School days have included 'Pirates in the woods' , 'BFG' , 'Fire of London' and 'The Gruffalo' .
Corporate Days
Do you want to improve team bonding and communication in your workplace? Our corporate days are tailored especially to your needs with our bushcraft specialists. You can choose from many activities such as archery, fire lighting, axe throwing, shelter building spoon carving and foraging. You can even hold your team meeting around the camp fire. Enquire below to discuss how we can help you.
Holiday clubs
BOOK IN EVENTS SECTION
If you’d like your child to have exercise, fresh air and amazing experiences during the school holidays, book into our holiday clubs. Through self discovery and play they will learn about nature, safe risk taking, using tools, cooking on the campfire and much more. They’ll return home to you, happy, relaxed with plenty of stories to tell. To book a holiday club, look under our events section to see the latest dates.
Birthday parties
Come and celebrate your birthday in our incredible woodland. Birthday packages include cooking your lunch on the fire, building a shelter with your friends and using tools to make a woodland pendant or key ring.
Family fun days & outdoor events
Look out for our themed days at Halloween, Christmas, Easter. Storytelling, ‘Eco’ and Well being days also being among the most popular.
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY CLUB
Let your child unwrap the magic of nature this festive season!
This Christmas, we’re inviting children aged 5–11 years to join us in the woods for Seasonal Forest School fun. While you prep for the holidays, they’ll be busy crafting, climbing, cooking, and connecting — all in our beautiful woodland setting.
🗓 Dates: Monday 22nd & Tuesday 23rd December 2025
🕘 Time: 9am–1pm
£36 per morning
📍 Location: Poole Forest School
✅ Ofsted Registered | 🎟 Private Childcare vouchers accepted
🎁 Seasonal nature crafts to decorate your home
🔧 Tool use & Whittling
Clay modelling to build confidence and creativity
🔥 Campfire snacks and woodland cooking
🧗 Strapline obstacle course & hammocks for movement and fun
🏕 Den building, mud play & sensory exploration
Friendship, fresh air & festive cheer
Led by our experienced Forest School leaders, your child will learn new skills, boost their wellbeing, and make magical memories in nature.
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CLICK THE BLUE BUTTON BELOW TO BOOK
If you have a Dorset Council HAF code you can also book by clicking blue button below. 
Christmas Family Day for Kidney Research UK
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We are all DBS checked, have masses of experience with children (Teachers, Teaching assistant qualifications or experience and Forest School qualifications, First aid trained).
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Marina Bye
Marina started Poole Forest School over 10 years ago after qualifying in Level 3 Forest School. She has a passion for the restorative, healing nature of the outdoors and its impact on children. Favourite activity at Forest School is definitely cooking on the campfire and inventing new recipes. B Ed Hons. Cambridge University Forest School Level 3 Designated Safeguarding Lead ( Level3) Food & Hygiene ( Level 2) |
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Cara Birch
Cara is a qualified Forest School leader and started working at Poole Forest School just over four years ago. She loves the outdoors and working with children. She relishes the freedom that Forest School gives to children and especially likes working with tools, den building and hearing the narratives children give to their creations. Designated safeguarding lead ( Level 3) Forest School Level 3 Food and Hygiene Level 2 |
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Annette Whittaker
Annette has been working at Poole Forest School for two years. She loves to see the children thrive in the great outdoors - getting muddy, creative and having fun. She is extremely experienced with children and is very proficient at shelter building. |