Terms & conditions

🌿Day and time - sessions take place on Thursdays during school term time (usually 5 or 6 sessions either side of half term) from 10am - 3pm.

🌿Age range - the group is for children aged 8 – 14 years old. 

🌿Maximum group size - 14 children maximum.  There will be two qualified adults present and for some sessions additional adult volunteers.

🌿Contact information for during the session: Clare Smith: 07984 451534 Siobhan Dashwood: 07980 894878

🌿Drop off - please arrive in plenty of time for the children to be ready and for the session to start by 10am.  

🌿Pick up - pick up is at 3pm. If we are a few minutes late, please wait at the cars and we will soon come and join you. 

🌿Parking - you can park in the field for the majority of the year. In case of heavy rain, we need to drop off and pick up from the road and layby opposite the gate.  We will let you know in advance of the session.  

🌿Dogs - We are not able to have dogs loose in the field.  You are welcome to put your dog on a lead when dropping off your child. 

🌿Forms - On your first day, we’ll check we have essential forms and emergency information. If your contact details change, please let us know. 

🌿Booking and payment - Booking is per block of 5 or 6 sessions, depending on the length of the half term. 

The cost per child for the block of 5 sessions is: £130 (or up to £150 if you can) per child

The cost per child for the block of 6 sessions is: £156 (or up to £180 if you can) per child

There is a discount for siblings, please ask. 

Please make the full payment in advance of each block. You are also welcome to arrange to pay in installments.   

🌿Bank details 

After confirming your place, please make a BACS payment to:

Account name: Thriving Wild CIC

Acct no: 67331990

Sort code: 08 92 99

🌿Trial sessions - you are welcome to book on for trial sessions before commiting to a long term place for your child . You are welcome to pay for trial sessions as a drop-in, £26 for the session.   

🌿Cancellation of a session - sessions will run in all but the most exceptional weather.  A cancellation may take place in the case of very high winds, thunderstorms, and heavy snow. Because our base is not in woodland, moderately high winds are unlikely to cause a cancellation.  We will aim to inform you by 4pm the day before if weather conditions mean we need to cancel.  In the event that a session is cancelled for weather or due to staff absence, you will be offered an alternative session date or a refund. 

🌿Child absence from a session - we are not able to offer a refund if your child misses a session.  However, in special circumstances with advance notice, we will do what we can. 

🌿Leaving the group  - if you are thinking to withdraw your child from the group, we would be grateful for as much notice as possible.   

🌿Photographs and social media - when completing your Permissions Form, you will be asked to indicate whether your child can appear unnamed on our website and social media.  

🌿Support needs - please let us know in advance if your child has any particular needs that we should be aware of, to best help them enjoy their time with us.  As well as any diagnosed needs, it could include emotional needs (fears, anxieties and triggers) as well as any medical and physical issues. Before confirming your booking, we will discuss with you whether and how we can support your child.

🌿Ticks - please use tick spray before each session and check your child thoroughly for ticks after every session.  See our guidance on ticks here: 

🌿What to wear - being physically comfortable helps children relax in their environment and get the most out of a day outdoors.  Whilst we keep some spare clothing on site, it makes life tricky for us if children are not adequately dressed.  Here are some tips on what your child might wear or bring along with them.

·     They will get dirty, so old clothes are best!

·     Waterproof coat for rain and to help cut out a cold wind.

·     Waterproof trousers help children to sit comfortably on damp ground or logs and to explore and play freely when it rains. They also give excellent protection from wind, brambles and nettles.  Even on dry, cool days they are great to wear – put them on or pack them if unsure.  

·     Layers are great! Children get hot when active and then quickly cool down again.  Pack an extra, thin (easy to carry) warm top in case they get chilly. If very cold, extra layers can really help, such as a vest, or leggings under trousers.

·      In cold and wet weather, wool gloves and hats are warmer than synthetic materials and remain warm when wet.

·      Long trousers are best even on hotter days.  They protect from sun and wind and enable children to move about wilder spaces more freely.  They also help in the protection against ticks.

·      Sun hat and sun cream is a must on a sunny day in the field!

·      Footwear is a tricky one! Whilst light comfortable wellies can work well, wellies are terrible at keeping feet warm. Thick woolly socks need to go under wellies in cold weather. Waterproof walking boots (e.g. with a gortex layer) are brilliant unless it’s raining heavily.  Scruffy trainers can be great in dry spring and summer days.  Please be aware that the grass in the Field is long so feet can get instantly damp when there's a heavy dew. I’d avoid trainers for the earlier April-May sessions as it’s not fun being in damp shoes. No open-toe shoes or sandals please. 

🌿What to bring

·      Light sturdy backpack per child

·      Large packed lunch - they can burn off loads of energy!

·      Filling snack e.g. muesli bar, banana, or sandwich.

·      Water bottle – we will have drinking water for top-ups.

·      Sun hat and sun cream for sunny days.

·      Woolly hat and gloves for cold days.

·      Any spare clothing or extra layers. 

 🌿What not to bring 

·    Mobile phones: the session is time away from the pressures of our phones.  Please talk to us if you feel we need to consider an exception for your child. 

·    We encourage you to not bring sugary drinks or sweets: we’ll be making some of our own sweet treats along the way! 

·    Pen knives or tools from home: we provide the tools and knives for our activities. 

 🌿Facilities - there is a compost loo and handwashing facilities on site. Please see here for a video of our compost loo. 

🌿Drinking water - please send your child with their own water bottle.  We will have plenty of drinking water on site in case they run out. The water from the taps is not drinking water, so we bring fresh drinking water with us for each session.  

🌿Our four guidelines for being together at the field - we have four principles which guide our work with our participants, with each other and with the land, and help us to work together in alignment with our values and ethos. These are: looking after ourselves; looking after each other; looking after nature; looking after things.  We recognise that all behaviour is communication and will support the children to behave in ways that shows care for self, others and nature.  We will work in partnership with you to support your child. Ultimately, we have a duty to protect the well-being of everyone involved.  We reserve the right to remove participants if negative or unkind behaviour persists and we are not able to support the child adequately.  

🌿Feedback and concerns - we welcome any feedback from you. Please don’t hesitate to message or chat to Clare or Siobhan. We will be available to chat in the morning and at the end of each session.  If you would like to speak to me before a session starts, please let us know in advance so we can make sure we're set up in time to talk with you.  You can also request for a call or meeting if you would like to ask any questions or to chat about your child at any point during the term.   

🌿Insurance - we hold full Forest School Liability Insurance with Birnbeck Insurance.  We also have Employers Liability to make sure all adults on site are safety covered.

🌿DBS - the team of staff are Enhanced DBS checked.  Adult volunteer helpers will be required to have a Basic DBS check.

🌿Risk assessment and first aid - whilst we take every precaution to ensure safe play, accidents may occur and both Clare and Siobhan are First Aid Trained. Risk assessments are carried out on each site prior to the session commencing and for each activity planned to ensure a safe experience 

🌿Data protection - we will use Bcc when sending out a group email to parents and guardians.  We will ask permission before setting up a WhatsApp group to communicate with parents and guardians.