Hi my name is Victoria Hofgartner, I am the Owner of Silverwoods Forest School. I am also a mother to a very happy, confident, content and loving boy called Sterling.
I am creative, strong willed and passionate, as I inspire children and adults that attend my forest school to be more in tune with nature. To create a world where people are more attached to one another and nature, and less attached to the material things in life. To escape the modern stresses of the wider world, and to be more mindful and present in the moment!
Everyone needs a little nature and the great outdoors in their life, it feeds the soul!
I am a qualified Forest School Practitioner Level 3, I trained with Archimedes (now known as forest school’s education) We have full public liability insurance up to 5 Million Pounds, I hold both Paediatric First Aid and Outdoor Forest School First Aid Certificates, up to date DBS Check on the update service, TQUK Level 2 Certificate in Safeguarding, Prevent and British Values (RQF) 2021, and a Level 2 Award in Food Safety.
I have several years’ experience working as a Nanny with children from all ages. I have worked in local schools; set up and run forest school programmes for Pyrford Primary C of E School and Little Acorns Day Nursery in Cobham. I have helped in the running of forest school sessions for four Forest schools across Surrey and London; I have experience working around children with special educational needs and disabilities.
I am also very passionate about Wild Food and how we can sustainably forage for it in the wild. I am currently studying “Teach Foraging” with Di Hammill at the Wild Harvest School. So, watch this space in the coming future!
I hold so much love and passion when it comes to working with children; it's great to see children in an outdoor learning environment being able to follow their own direction, working things out for themselves and having lots of fun in the process. My job is for your children to become more independent learners, whilst having a good understanding of the woodland world around them.
We believe that everybody should have access to a safe outdoor space to learn, play and have fun, by providing this we can increase self-esteem, confidence and enhance personal, social and emotional development. We promote equality, offering a fun accessible approach to our work, with the knowledge and understanding that there can be a broad range of personal and social barriers to people taking part.
Forest School is an innovative approach, providing learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self esteem through hands-on learning experiences in and around a woodland or natural environment.
Forest school is to inspire and encourage all individuals of any age, gender and background, to enjoy the freedom to explore the natural world through positive outdoor encounters, in all seasons and weathers.
Forest School aims to develop:
- Self awareness
- Self regulation
- Motivation
- Confidence
- Empathy
- Independence
- Great communication skills
- Self esteem
- Positive mental attitude
- A greater understanding and respect of the natural world around them
Forest school is a great trailblazer that is used to encourage all individuals, from all walks of life, to get outside and use their open spaces more for play, health, wellbeing, recreation and personal development uses.
Today’s children are often very well protected and cherished, where they are unable to make their own judgments about risk. Forest school allows children to experience managed risk and make their own decisions and therefore help produce more confidant individuals. Forest school offers children regular opportunities to undertake learning and play in local woodland. Sessions in forest school are not timetable-led, but driven by the learners themselves, drawing on their interests and imagination. Through forest school children are able to develop a lifelong love and understanding of the natural environment, whilst developing the core purposes of the forest school ethos, namely, development of self-esteem, confidence and social skills.
