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Forest School and Manor Green celebrate Inclusion

The Forest School has recently collaborated with Manor Green School, in Maidenhead, to run workshops and celebrate inclusion. As part of the day The Forest School took 30 Forest students, Reading FC Academy players (who are also Forest School students) and staff. Throughout the day Forest staff and students ran Music, Drama and Sport workshops. The day finished with a Makaton Dance to ‘This is Me’.

Reading FC Academy players (who are Forest students) helped Forest’s PE teacher, Mr Eaglesham, to run a sports workshop. And many students learned new performance techniques in the Drama workshop run by Mrs Trowbridge.

The final event of the day saw Manor Green staff lead everyone in a performance of a Makaton* dance to ‘This is Me’.  

Prior to the event teachers from Manor Green School were invited to visit The Forest to teach students and staff a ‘Makaton’ dance to ‘This is Me’.

Mr Hannam, who instigated the collaboration between The Forest School and Manor Green said, "We were delighted to be welcomed to Manor Green School, the day was fantastic for all; Forest students were exemplary, and it was wonderful to see the interaction, reaction and response from students and staff. The workshops saw students of different ages and abilities working hand-in-hand to produce music, drama and sports skills. It was a humbling, profound and thought provoking powerful experience for everyone involved. Inclusion was celebrated."

The video to this event is now available, and is really worth a watch. It shows what inclusion means, fostering new relationships and friendships, understanding each other and accepting our unique qualities.

View the making of This is Me 

 

View the final Forest and Manor Green Video 

Further information: https://www.makaton.org/aboutMakaton/