Holdfast Beach & Forest School

I’m Rachel, I’m the founder of Holdfast Beach & Forest School and I’m delighted to be joining the Martello family as a Peripatetic Forest School Tutor. You’ll find me outdoors in almost all weathers, think up ways to help children (and adults!) learn, have fun and feel connected to the nature that is all around us.

I’m a qualified Forest School and Beach School Leader and a member of the Therapeutic Forest Approved Practitioner’s network. I’ve been working in outdoor learning for nearly a decade and have created educational experiences in places as diverse as inner cities to nature reserves. I am really passionate about supporting learning and wellbeing through time in nature and increasing outdoor opportunities for all children and their families.

As well as running my own Beach School near Dover, last term I worked with Martello’s SRP to start a Forest School programme for children with ASD, where we did everything from printing flags with natural dyes and making bird feeders to removing litter from the school grounds. I’m really looking forward to returning to Martello in 2021 to have a lot more fun learning outdoors with the SRP and also to start a nature-based Parent & Child group with Custom Food Lab in the Locavore Garden.

You can find out more about me and my work at www.holdfastbeachschool.com and on Facebook & Instagram @holdfastbeachschool