Macedon Primary School students have swapped the classroom for five acres of bushland under the new forest school program in Middle Gully.
The program started this year and allows students to explore Middle Gully every week in various ways, while incorporating science curriculum.
Principal Matt Forrest said the bushland is an important teaching asset to the school and the students.
“We are so fortunate to be immersed in the bush at Macedon Primary School,” Mr Forrest said.
“The new forest school program enables us to maximise the positive impact our local environment has on our students.
“In this specialist program, the bush acts as both classroom and teacher.”
The forest school activities are creative and open-ended, with a strong focus on walking gently and with curiosity for the natural environment.
Its philosophy aims for long term, holistic development of children, and encourages them to develop independence and confidence to explore and observe the world around them.
Throughout the program, the students have toasted marshmallows and made damper over a campfire they made using a flint and spark.
They have also improved their teamwork skills to engineer ramps, seesaws and make rope with an Indigenous technique called cordage.
The school invites family to participate, especially when the activities involve fire and cooking, and said expert tadpole catchers are sought seasonally.
