I feel very honoured to have been invited up to London to do some foraging and nature connection with some of the children at King Alfred’s School during their village project week. Ray Mears was the last forager folk to come along when the project was run for the first time 20 years ago – I was fun to be stepping in his footsteps for the day, exploring the wilds of Hampstead Heath, tasting the leafy delights and wondering at the smoothing trees by a sandy pond!
KA’s is a progressive, alternative school and the village project is something I haven’t seen anywhere else. Year 8’s have been preparing for this week for the whole school year. They live in the huts they have built, cook their own meals, do activities, learn crafts and new skills, meet, negotiate and spend alot of time playing. Real school if you ask me, and I would imagine the students are learning more in one week of this than a month of normal classes!
This blog on the school’s website gives some more details of what goes on: http://www.kingalfred.org.uk/king-alfred-school/king-alfred-news/king-alfred-news.php