Laura Dolby (she/her)

My name is Laura Dolby and I am a nursery teacher at Alfreton Nursery School. I have been teaching in Early Years since 1991 and joined Alfreton Nursery School in 2000. I am a Specialist Leader of Education and a member of the Senior Management Team, at the school, and have been chosen to offer support to the Alliance in my expertise as a Forest School Leader. I have been a Forest School Leader for 14 years and this experience has included working with families in 2 woodlands off site, and now working within 2 woodlands on site. I have supported and developed the Forest School Team’s growth at Alfreton and I have been at the forefront of driving and developing 2 woodland environments within the school grounds. I am recognised and recommended by Derbyshire Forest Schools as being an outstanding example of how to teach and develop Forest Schools in the Early Years. I have also delivered workshops for the Forest School Conference and am currently working with them to explore developing opportunities and forest school experiences for students. I could help to support you to develop and create your Forest school grounds, help to support the Forest School team in your school, support your planning and risk assessments, you could come and visit and experience Forest Schools in practice, to get a feel for Forest Schools in the Early Years and I could share with you how we managed to develop Forest schools as a whole school team. I would be more than happy to support you in any way, and am hugely passionate about Forest Schools and its impact on our children and their families.