Regular friends for home-educated children
Homeschooling in Guernsey works best when children have somewhere regular to go, with other children, outdoors. Roots Field is one of those places: a south coast clifftop at Torteval where small groups meet week after week.
- Ages
- 5–11, two groups
- When
- Saturdays
- Award
- John Muir, 9–11
Home-ed children in the Saturday clubs
Both weekly clubs are open to home-educated children, and several home-educating families already come. Because the groups are small and the same children return each week, they work particularly well for children who don’t get a fixed peer group during the week.
- Nature Explorers, ages around 5–8. Saturdays 10.30–12.00, groups of 4–8.
- Wilderness Guardians, ages around 9–11. Saturdays 14.00–16.00, groups of 8–12, working towards the John Muir Award.
What it counts towards
For families keeping a record of their child’s education, sessions cover a lot that’s hard to evidence indoors: practical skills like fire lighting, tool use and shelter building; ecology and seasonal observation on the same patch of land over time; risk assessment and self-management; and collaboration in a mixed-age group.
Older children work towards the John Muir Award at Guardian level, a recognised environmental award needing thirteen sessions and twenty-six hours on the land: something externally validated to point at.
Common questions
Do you have to commit to a whole term?
Booking is by half-termly block covering the sessions on offer, which keeps the group consistent. Coming to all of them matters more than it might sound: the friendships and the familiarity with the land are built by repetition.
What if the weather is bad?
Sessions run in most weather; the clifftop has a sheltered fire circle for wind and rain. If a session is cancelled, Nature Explorers bookings are credited to the next term and Wilderness Guardians bookings are refunded.
Can parents stay?
In Nature Explorers, yes. Parents and carers are welcome to stay and join in.
Is there anything free to try first?
Yes. There’s an open family session at the end of each full term, and a free Children’s Forest Community Day each autumn, both open to anyone.
What about weekdays?
Sessions currently run on Saturdays. If your home-ed group would value something during the week, do get in touch so Ross knows there’s interest.
Ask about home-ed places
Tell Ross a little about your child and which group suits. Happy to answer questions before you decide.