Home Ed SENIORS

🌳 HOME ED SENIOR EXPLORERS 🌳
A monthly, drop off, woodland adventure for home-educated children aged 10/11–16 (Senior school age)
• Friendship • Freedom • Skills • Confidence

🌿 What is Home Ed SENIORS?
Home Ed Seniors has been created especially for home-educated children of senior school age who want to spend time outdoors, make new friends and learn new skills through real-life experiences.

Our day begins at the log circle where we 'check in', share interests and ideas for the day and plan a flexible schedule. The reason we do this is because things can change throughout the course of a day and being flexible to change allows for new and sometimes unexpected opportunities.

As part of the Seniors group, we will introduce the WILD passport which allows learners to track outdoor skills and discover new ones. In between this chosen time, learners can explore, create, chill, eat and drink at their leisure.

What is WILDpassport?
Woodland skills, Individual, Learning & Development passport. It maps out progressive skills over 5 elements.
1. 🪓Woodcraft
2. 🌲Shelter
3. 🔥Fire
4. 🌿Nature
5. 🪢Rope

It's a great way for individuals to discover new skills and see how they progress over time. It is accessible to all ages and experiences and elements can be done in any order. Sometimes one project can tick numerous skills. Those who are interested in this, can purchase a passport from us for £6 (cash on the day). This passport/ booklet then belongs to the learner and they bring it along to every session.

Do you have to take part in the WILDpassport?
Not at all. If your idea is to access skills as when you are interested without logging them, that is absolutely fine. This is an optional extra and it doesn't mean that anyone will miss out. Here at Wise Oak, our guided activities are optional. So if theirs something else you'd rather be doing during your time with us, that's absolutely fine.

🔥 What might we get up to?
Every session will be different, depending on the season, the woodland and, most importantly, the individuals.
Activities and experiences may include:
• 🔥 Campfire cooking
• 🏹 Soft Archery
• 🌲 Base camp building (shelters & hammocks)
• 🪓 Woodland projects/ management
• 🌿 Woodland exploration
• 🍂 Nature crafts
• 🫐 Foraging
• 💦 Mud and water play
• 🍁 Seasonal woodland activities
• 🌳 Free play and learner-led exploration

These hands-on experiences develop problem-solving and confidence. They encourage creativity, teamwork, resilience and independence. Most of all they bring people together in community.

👣 A woodland community for home-educated learners
Home education can offer children incredible freedom, and we want Home Ed Explorers to complement that freedom by providing opportunities for community, friendship and shared experiences.
Our sessions welcome mixed ages, allowing children to learn alongside one another and develop friendships with children at different stages of their home-education journey. We hope Home Ed Explorers becomes more than somewhere children come for a few hours each month. We want it to become a woodland community where children feel comfortable being themselves, trying new things and discovering what they're capable of.

🛡️ Safety, boundaries and independence
We encourage children to develop age-appropriate independence, confidence and risk awareness, whilst ensuring clear safety boundaries are maintained.
Our woodland area is not completely fenced, so children must understand the importance of staying within our designated boundaries and following our safety instructions.
Appropriate risk is an important part of Forest School. Children will be supported to understand and manage risk rather than being prevented from experiencing every challenge.
If your child has additional needs, or there are any circumstances that may affect their ability to follow our safety boundaries or instructions, please contact us before booking. We are happy to discuss your child's individual needs and determine whether Home Ed Explorers is suitable for them.

👩‍🏫 Who leads Home Ed SENIOR Explorers?
Home Ed Explorers is led by experienced and qualified Forest School practitioners who are passionate about outdoor learning and helping children develop confidence, independence and a genuine connection with nature.
Karen
Karen is a qualified teacher, Level 3 Forest School Leader, WILDpassport Practitioner, Outdoor and Paediatric First Aider, and is currently training as an Outdoor Mental Health Practitioner.
Heather
Heather is a Level 3 Forest School Leader, Therapeutic Forest Practitioner, Outdoor and Paediatric First Aider and delivers basic Yoga for Forest School.
Together, we aim to provide a safe, welcoming and encouraging environment where children can explore, take on challenges, learn practical skills and enjoy the freedom of the woodland.

🎒 What should children bring?
Home Ed Explorers takes place outdoors, whatever the weather, so children need to come prepared to explore, get muddy and enjoy the elements!
Please bring:
• A packed lunch
• Plenty of drinking water
• Waterproof coat and trousers
• Warm layers
• Sturdy, suitable footwear
• Spare clothes/ shoes
• Hat and gloves during colder weather
• Any personal items your child may need during the day (just not electronics)

Sessions will run in all weather conditions unless high wind gusts make it unsafe to use the woodland.

A campfire snack will be provided during the day.

Children can eat their packed lunch and snacks when they are hungry rather than having to wait for a set lunchtime.

There’s a toilet and hand-washing facility available in the woodland.
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📅 Session Information

First session: Wednesday 11th November 2026 (Monthly there after)

Time: 10am – 3pm

Location: Skitters Woods, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan
Exact location and arrival information will be provided following booking.

Frequency: Monthly, with the possibility of additional sessions as demand grows.

Age: 11/12 (year 7 age) to 15/16 (year 11)

Maximum group size: 12 children

Price: £35 per child
Sibling discounts are available with code SIBLING10.