Thanet Forest Community School
Educational family fun
Promoting community education outside of the classroom for children from deprived backgrounds in Thanet
About Thanet Community Forest School
The aim of the Thanet Community Forest School is to promote community education outside of the classroom for children from deprived backgrounds in Thanet and the surrounding areas. The education aims to create positive life experiences to inspire young minds to be more confident learners inside and outside of the classroom
Results from the funding
The grant to Thanet Community Forest School has enabled the organisation to work with young people and their families in Thanet. It has brought families together and allowed them to learn new skills together and support each others learning outside. Parents were able to know their children were safe in the holiday time through the free sessions put on by the Forest School, the children also took part in intergenerational activities where local elderly people came to join in the activities. They have been able to take part in craft, pottery and horticulture activities. The funding has covered the cost of the equipment and items needed to run these sessions. It also went towards supporting the staffing costs for salaries and DBS checks for all who facilitated the Forest School.
Beneficiary story
During the summer we had a very shy and reserved child, whose mum was worried as they were introverted and was not sure if this would give her confidence. The girl aged eight came from a single parent family, mum worked part time and had no family locally, so struggled financially and with childcare, she worked near the forest school so could drop off her daughter on the way to work and collect when she had finished. At the end of the five weeks her daughter would run to the gates to be let in and played and mixed with all the children gaining in confidence and self-esteem. The mum said that over the summer her daughter had positively changed and was more confident and happy in herself. This was a lifeline as she was able to continue work knowing her daughter was happy. Mum said she could not afford the £28 a day that the other forest schools were charging plus transport and time costs or £3.50 minimum per hour for child care. Mum was isolated but was making friends with other mothers and arranging play dates for her daughter.
