About Us
We welcome you to 'Weald at Heart'. You will find our Forest School area at Flimwell Park, set within 46 acres of beautiful broadleaved coppiced woodland near the village of Flimwell. Our relaxed learner-led sessions at Weald at Heart give children space and time to connect with nature. Children learn, explore, play and grow in a nurturing environment. Our practice is led by 6 guiding principles of Forest School (see more below).
Children may choose to join in games and songs and story-telling, hunt for mini-beasts, cook up some dinner in the mud kitchen, make a nature craft creation, climb, run, swing in a hammock or learn to use a tool. They will be developing gross and fine motor skills, social and literacy skills and more and all while having fun!
Choice and freedom are an important part of our ethos and we are here as Forest School Practitioners to support the children's journeys so that you can watch them flourish in the forest! At the heart of things we promote well-being for everyone who visits us.
Stay and Play Forest School sessions
18 months - 5 year olds accompanied by parents/carers
Bookings open now for next term
Mondays or Fridays 10.15 am - 12.00 pm
Our Stay and Play sessions give you and your child an opportunity to explore and play in the woods. Following the Forest School approach, we will be led by your child's interests. You can look forward to stories and songs, games, woodland crafts and nature inspired activities, mud kitchen and role-play and not forgetting the all important cup of tea/coffee and slice of cake for grown-ups!
We look forward to welcoming you to the woods!
Please see our booking page for dates and prices
or contact us via email for more information
Forest School sessions for Schools
Please contact us via
email
for more information
Fees
Forest School Stay and Play sessions are booked in advance.
Bookable in 6-session blocks
First Child - £84 (£14.00 per session).
Siblings - 18m+ £42 (£7 per session)
Siblings under 18m - £21 (£3.50 per session)
Non walking siblings - FREE.
Taster sessions - come and try Forest School for a one-off payment of £14.00
Booking
Click the link above to take you to our booking page, for more information about our sessions and for availability.
We offer the option to join our waiting list if our sessions are fully booked - please email if you would like to be added to this.
What to wear
Layers appropriate for the weather. Hats, gloves, scarves and warm socks. Comfortable trousers and long-sleeves whatever the weather to avoid bites, stings and scratches. Closed toed strong shoes, trainers or wellies. Waterproof trousers and coat and old clothes - your child WILL get messy and muddy!
Meet our Forest School Leaders
We welcome parents/carers and their pre-school aged children (18 months+) to join us for Forest School fun in our woodland setting near Flimwell.
Lindsey Challen
Forest School Practitioner
Lindsey is a mum and a qualified Forest School Practitioner, has been a Primary School Teacher for over 20 years and is also a qualified nursery nurse who loves to watch children learn, grow and flourish at Forest School.
Becca Durrant
Forest School Practitioner
Becca is a mum and a qualified Forest School Practitioner, an experienced Beaver Scout leader and early years forest school educator, with a passion for getting children actively engaged with the natural world.
What is Forest School?
"Forest School is a child-centred inspirational learning process, that offers opportunities for holistic growth through regular sessions. It is a long-term program that supports play, exploration and supported risk taking. It develops confidence and self-esteem through learner inspired, hands-on experiences in a natural setting." FSA
At Forest School we view every individual as:
- equal, unique and valuable,
- competent to explore & discover,
- entitled to experience appropriate risk and challenge,
- entitled to choose, and to initiate and drive their own learning and development,
- entitled to experience regular success,
- entitled to develop positive relationships with themselves and other people,
- entitled to develop a strong, positive relationship with their natural world.
Full Forest School Principles can be found here
Where are we?
(please see full printable directions with maps and photos on our booking page)
Our parking area is located at the bottom track entrance to the Flimwell Park site.
Instructions for reaching the car parking area:
- Coming from Hawkhurst, turn left onto the A21 at the Flimwell traffic lights (with Country Furniture Barn on your left).
- Take the first left into a lane by the Tudor gate house (see photo) there is a thick stone wall as you approach the house/turning onto the lane. Drive along the lane and you will see a small gated car park on your left (you will spot one of our signs here).
- Unfortunately, we are not able to use this car park at this present time. Please safely turn around so you are facing the way you came in (there is a turning area further down the lane).
- Please then park on the side of the track (opposite side to the car park) one car behind the other in a line. Please ensure there is enough room for other vehicles to pass your parked cars. Please be aware of parking in front of any neighbouring properties including gates/ other entrances into the woods. Thank you.
- There is a small path which will be sign posted from the small car park leading to the main track up to Forest School.
Please be mindful that when exiting the track back onto the A 21, that this is a fast road, so please ensure you take your time. You may want to consider turning left onto the A21 and turning around at Tate Fencing.
