Kindless

Running Deer School Gains Bronze Award as a UNICEF Rights Respecting School

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:57:33 GMT

Running Deer School is proud to announce that it has been awarded the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools (RRS) Bronze Award – Rights Committed.

Running Deer School is proud to announce that it has been awarded the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools (RRS) Bronze Award – Rights Committed, recognising the school’s dedication to embedding the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into its ethos, environment, and culture.

The award reflects the commitment and collaboration of the school community, particularly the RRS Student Steering Group, who have played a central role in championing children’s rights across the school.

“I feel honoured for this award, and I will continue to work towards making sure rights are met across the school,” student OH, Rights Respecting Schools Student Steering Group.

“I am so proud of the work the whole school community and our student steering group have put in to getting this initial award with RRSA Lead Teacher Sarah McLintock. This is an incredibly important piece of work for our students whilst at our school but also for their futures beyond Running Deer School. I am extremely excited to see their ambition and aspirations to achieve the Silver Award next. I wish to thank the student steering group, staff and families for their support, advocacy and continued efforts.” Geraldine Carter, Head of School.

What Does It Mean to Be a Rights Respecting School?

As a Rights Respecting School, Running Deer School is working to:
• Improve the school using the UN Rights of the Child as the foundation for decision making.
• Strengthen the school experience for all students by ensuring rights are understood, respected, and upheld.
Achieving the Bronze Award places the school firmly on the path toward the next stage of accreditation.

Looking Ahead: Working Towards Silver

When Running Deer School achieves Silver: Rights Aware Accreditation, it will become one of only four schools in Devon to hold this prestigious status.
To progress to Silver, the school will focus on three key areas:
1. Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion:
o A Pride March was completed on school grounds in January 2026.
o The school aims to take a group of students to Exeter Pride in June 2026.
2. Reinstating ‘No Outsiders’ Lessons on Diversity:
o All students will engage with diversity, equality, and inclusion learning, supported by Rights Respecting Schools “Round the World” monthly resources.
3. Empowering Student Voice:

o Ensuring every pupil understands they have a voice—and knows how to use it responsibly to access and advocate for their rights.

Next Steps
The school will continue strengthening student leadership, embedding rights based language in daily practice, and collaborating with the wider community to build a truly rights respecting environment."

Charity Fundraising Success

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 14:39:40 GMT

Running Deer School Students’ Charity Fundraising Success.

Despite the biblical rain and almost the need for an arc, members of the local community came to support a charity fundraiser organised and ran by pupils of the school on Thursday 12th June 2025.

Not only were there delicious freshly baked cakes, scones, cheesecakes and goodies for all to purchase and enjoy, but also glazed pottery and pupil made artists inks – with live demonstrations on the day.

A huge £101.50 was raised with all proceeds from sales going to charities chosen by the pupils themselves. Charities chosen to support were Chagford Youth Club; NHS Royal Devon Hospital Exeter; Rape Crisis UK each gaining an equal share of £33.33.

Credit and thanks go to the pupils and staff for the hard work put in leading up to and during the event, parents who were able to support in person or via cake donations and members of the local community for supporting the pupils with this important event. We are incredibly proud of our students and the mature and considerate citizenship demonstrated in the important event.

Running Deer School Summer Newsletter 2025

183:858834622 (Joanna Winterburn) — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:52:52 GMT

Summer Newsletter 2025

Inside our Summer Newsletter:

Welcome to Geraldine, our new Head of School
Meet Dougal our therapy dog...
And the question of cream or jam first!

You can view our latest newsletter here!

Traditional Meets Modern

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 20:08:23 GMT

Although Running Deer is based in woodland, and a lot of what we do is based around outdoor life and skills, that doesn’t mean we aren’t keeping up with modern technology.

Many of our students come to Running Deer and really make the most of the outdoor space we have, and what activities that allows. The weather isn’t always great though and some students have a great interest in computing and technology, so having something else to offer is very important. Technology always seems to be progressing at an impressive rate, and the skills that we provide to young people need to progress too, to really provide them with the skills they need for life after school.

A big part of what we do at Running Deer is meeting the needs of our students. One of our students is incredibly proficient with 3D design, using programs such as Blender (design software primarily used for game design) and CAD (Computer Assisted Drawing, used for designing objects in engineering and architecture).

We have then provided access to a laptop with the required software for in school use. Being able to access this kind of software in school has been very beneficial, and it has allowed us to see some incredible progress in terms of what these tools can be used to make! They have gone from making simple cars, to making very realistic 3D models of navy ships! Seeing these kinds of things on a screen is impressive enough (especially when they are animated), but what if we can go one better?

As mentioned, technology has been progressing at an impressive rate over the past few decades. Things from my past, such as dial-up internet (who appreciates being able to make a call AND use the internet at the same time?), floppy disks (who knows what the save icon is on your computer?) and my first mobile phone (Nokia 3310, R.I.P.) are met with confusion, calls of, “Surely that wasn’t a thing!?” and “What even is that!?”. Today though, there are some impressive pieces of technology out there, and 3D printers are one of them. So thinking then of going that bit further than seeing these models designed on a laptop, the next step was making physical copies of these models. So, we got a 3D printer.

There are many difference types of 3D printers, the one we have is a filament printer. Instead of using paper like a traditional printer, these use a spool of plastic line, like a fishing rod spool. This plastic line is heated up and a small nozzle which moves around above a flat surface and pushes out a line of melted plastic (the printing bit) bit by bit. Working from the bottom up, the printer can make some very impressive objects! As mentioned earlier, one of our students have been designed objects on a laptop, and we have printed out a very impressive model of a warship designed by one of our students!

Not quite content with just having the 3D printer, I thought it would be a very good idea to have an enclosure for it. The student responsible for the impressive 3D designs, suggested one of our other students who might want to get involved, and this is when my classroom then turned into a part time construction zone… After a short brief by myself of what I need from the enclosure, the design phase began.

With some incredibly generous support from a parent, we got all the supplies together that we need, and construction began. It has been so great to our students working together to achieve something, especially with the design bumps along the road. I had the idea of having an exhaust fan to remove any smell from the printer out the window, and this was very quickly improved upon by the students, to involve filters, PC fans and tumble dryer hose. We noticed that it was a bit dark in the enclosure, so one of the students suggested getting some strip lights to put on the inside.

The fact that is has been a very free-flow process, with a general direction given, has allowed our students to come up with some very impressive and helpful ideas. Being able to reflect on things, adapt and adjust are great skills to have, along with communication and working with others that you might not normally work with.

The perfect example of this collaboration between the two students was on working out how to get the square fan and round tumble-dryer hose to connect properly to each other. In what seemed like a few minutes after the two students talking to each other, we had an adapter on a laptop screen that had just been designed.

This is where the 3D printer really began to shine. We have an idea for an adapter, but will it work? Well, lets just use the 3D printer to print it off and see how it fits. It’s not quite right? This bit needs to be 1cm longer, this bit 1cm shorter, lets change the design and print off a 2nd prototype.

Following this process of collaboration involving 3D design, evaluation and feedback we had 3 prototypes for this part and a final version taking in everything that had been learnt from the previous versions.

This really feels like being on the cutting edge of design where the students can come up with an idea, design a product, get a physical copy of it then copy that process until there is the final design. It has been truly amazing to see how things have been coming together.

This process is still ongoing though, and you can expect more news and pictures when it has all come together!

May There Ever Be Birds In Your Garden.

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 14:41:20 GMT

February in the forest can be pretty bleak...

February in the forest can be pretty bleak; freezing temperatures, biting wind, squally rain. From the comfort of my living room, I’m marvelling at the force of Storm Eunice. She’s currently trying to tear down my fence, and whilst I love the way the wind in the larch trees causes them to shimmy their skirts, I'm glad we have been told to keep away from Butterdon and work from home today.

Despite it potentially being the bleakest month however, there are always reminders of life in the woods. We are visited hourly by a pair of robins, who often flit down and perch on the top of the wire fence near the fire altar, or hop hopefully, almost at our feet, looking for morsels to eat. Buds are just beginning to sprout on the trees, and the first snowdrops are already nodding their tiny porcelain heads.

Although we are months away from seeing our summer birds return from warmer climes, we should be forever grateful for the birds who remain in the woods and our gardens all winter, singing for us and reassuring us that warmer days will come.

A few Februarys ago I wrote this sonnet to celebrate these faithful birds, who stay by our sides all year.

Ode to the Robin and the Song Thrush

Though days are short, the vernal rains delight

The loam and sod from which fresh sprigs are thrilled

And from your plot look up in joyous sight

And tend your flocks to keep your warblers filled

And if the birds bring to your garden songs

As sweet as berries blushed in ripening sun

And summer breeze brings warming winds so strong

The scented fruits and hives with honey run

Doubt not, as evenings dim, the days that bite

Song Thrush stays, Robin remains, half hitched;

Forever their woven voices delight

With their melodies a satinwork stitched

So feed the birds, and oft' they will fly free

Embroidering the winter tapestry.

Gabriella

Nature's student

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 14:32:50 GMT

I look forward to the learning nature will bring me.

This is my first Running Deer blog and I must be honest and say that I am not a bushcraft expert, I am not a teacher or an expert in anything much, so I have been wondering what on earth I should write about.

Storm Eunice is raging outside. I have already been out to feed my animals and they seem remarkably unphased by the high winds and just keen to have their breakfast.

When I reflect, which I rarely have the time or the courage to do, I realise that maybe it hasn’t mattered that I am no expert, that I don’t often know what I am doing and that I frequently get it wrong.

Daily it can seem overwhelming. What to do first? How long is this list? Will people judge my failings?

Perhaps, like today, I should pause and let nature give me the answer. The animals are all healthy, the land is fertile and the weather is telling me to stay indoors and wait it out. I can’t argue with nature. Have I drowned her out with my lists and my planning? Maybe, what I need to do is stop and listen - let her guide me.

Having been at Running Deer for only a short time I have seen this approach with our students but hadn’t really made the connection with how this would help me at home. My colleagues are watchful, they have patience, and they wait to be guided by our students and the result is a partnership.

I think what I have become is nature’s student and I look forward to the learning she will bring me.

Amber

Learning from mistakes as much as from success

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 15:15:13 GMT

Who doesn't like to learn a new skill?

I for one love getting to grips with a new bushcraft technique or a rural skill. It keeps us interested, help us progress and gain knowledge, it keeps the fire for learning alive. I also like to use Instagram to show (off?) what I'm up to. My skills for all to see.

But is this a real representation, or a sugar- coated set of photos showing instant success?

The reason I'm discussing this is due to a podcast I listened to featuring Megan Hine, an adventuring TV safety expert who rigs ropes and high access for the likes of Bear Grylls. She too was worried that what people saw of her on Instagram was only the good stuff. The best shots of sunsets, jungles and extreme activities. No pictures of the mistakes she made along the way to attain these successes. So she decided she would change this by posting her mistakes as well.

In all walks of life a great success is made of many failures, because this is how we grow and learn, from our mistakes. So when we are bombarded on social media, on TV and in films of the perfect lives of perfect people we can all feel like failures, how can we live up to this perfect standard?

We can't, that’s how.

And this makes us feel inferior, affects our mental health and our self-worth. And in this day and age if we can do something to improve or bring attention to peoples mental health all the better.

So Megan's aim to be more 'real' struck a chord with me, and I've decided to do the same. Not just show the images of things that went well, but also the errors along the way.

I hope that showing these bumps in the road to success, or discussing with others the errors I made, will help promote that to learn we must first fail, try again and eventually succeed. Be it in a new way to light a fire, or just in helping us believe that we can light that fire if we try.

Alex

A Trauma Informed School

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 20:26:30 GMT

Trauma informed school status.

It’s not the size of the incident or the significance of the events. It’s a child’s ability to process it and what protective factors are around them at the time that will determine if they are traumatised.

Some people will be able to endure significant adverse childhood experience because they have a loving family, a kind school and many things to insulate them from the damage this can cause. Others will have seemingly minor setbacks but because there is no one looking out for them, it’s traumatising.

This is important because it affects the neurochemistry of the child. Too much childhood trauma can permanently change the chemistry of the brain and the young persons reactions to situations. In some cases, actually “switching off” parts of the brain that relate to decision making, risk taking, controlling emotions and actions.

These reactions are in all of us and serve a useful function when presented with life threatening situations. In people with childhood trauma this can be triggered by simple everyday experiences such as a place, a word or the smell of a roast dinner! Once exposed to this their brain and body will be flooded with hormones to help them survive. Prolonged exposure to these hormones ultimately will lead to premature death.

Trauma Informed Schools and the work Running Deer has done with them has taught us that with the right support, practise, and attention we can lessen the impact of these experiences on young people. We can begin to undo changes that these experiences have caused and help support them to recognise this, own them and move on. It taught us that our core values of empathy, time, space, non-judgement and acceptance alongside high-quality relationship and a genuine curiosity about the young person will help support these young people in the best way possible. Reducing these triggering events and ultimately helping them live longer and understand why they are who they are.

This is why a trauma informed approached is so important, vital to our work at Running Deer. Because until we can get to a place along side the young person where they can access formal learning, and traditional “school” activities, we can’t move forward in that way. If all we do with a young person is support them to access their experiences and feel what’s happened in a safe and supportive way then we must value that as progress just as much as academic achievement.

The First Hurdle

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 13:49:08 GMT

This is just the beginning as now we have mastered the basic idea there is no holding us back.

Recently, an extremely exciting development has occurred – we have been working on Trelawny camp to make it more of a bushcraft and rural skills area at Running Deer. One of our students (TM) is very keen to learn as much as he can in this area and we have been dead hedging (thick & thin) hurdle fencing and plan to even lay a section of hedge up there too.

However, over a period of several weeks we have been practicing/learning to twist young hazel rods longitudinally into a rope like texture so we can make free standing hazel, wattle hurdles.

These are made entirely from hazel rods, some whole and some split (which is another skill to practice) bound together with an intricate weave top and bottom and plenty of twisted hazel ‘rope’.

As you can see from the pictures, last week (as November quietly segued into December), we successfully adapted the standard format (which is 6 ft wide by 4 ft tall with 9 uprights) to make a small 6 upright hurdle about 4 ft wide by 1 ½ ft tall.

This is just the beginning as now we have mastered the basic idea there is no holding us back. We may even take orders or start producing more ‘goods from the woods’.

Watch this space.

Dave

A Day Out With the Otters.

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 13:40:47 GMT

Another successful day with the Running Deer.

A dark and stormy December day at Butterdon woods, we had to do some quick thinking to escape the potential dangers of falling branches and ice cold Dartmoor downpours. With the initial disappointment of arriving and finding out Pennywell farm was closed for the season we popped along the road to the otters and butterflies at Buckfastleigh.

The butterfly sightings were limited, as you can imagine at this time of year but we did glimpse an owl butterfly with its markings resembling owls eyes and the intriguing see-through, glasswing butterfly. We spent some time observing the terrapins to spot if they were all real but came to the conclusion they were just very good at playing musical statues.

The real hit was arriving just in time for the otters morning feed of leftovers from the local chippy (minus the chips). Our favourites were the Asian otters, (cute to take home but their squeaking would keep you up at night) and the mother with her two week old who would intermittently pop out of her bedding showing off with the pup in her mouth saying “look what I made”!

After capturing some blurry photos of the swift otters at the underwater viewing window, we crossed the road dodging the turning articulated delivery lorries and had a treat of hot chocolate, a chat of the day and a game of Uno.

If I had a pound for every time the student said “this is a great offsite day” I’d be rich. Another successful day with the Running Deer.

Evie

Supporting our mental health supports the students mental health.

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 14:00:26 GMT

P.S. don't forget to send all those Christmas cards.

When it comes to priorities the students mental health is up there at the top of the list, however for the staff to support our students then our own mental health must be supported too.

Now winter is always a difficult time for many, the pressures of the festive season, buying presents/affording presents, seeing family, trying really hard to not forget to send a Christmas card to anyone, and then there is the weather and the few hours of daylight each day. I for one have worked in environments where the only daylight you see in your working day is through a tiny little window at the back of an office, but at Running Deer we are fortunate.

We are fortunate to be working outdoors, surrounded by nature, even in Winter the woods is teeming with life, even on the coldest days (and they do get rather chilly) or the wettest days (waterproofs soon become a part of the uniform) we can still enjoy the light.

I personally am lucky enough to enjoy watching the sunrise (sometimes) as I drive in to work from my new home down in Cornwall, and seeing the new days sun shine down over the moors as I cross the border and trundle along the A30 certainly helps set me up for a new day.

Beyond this though there are more tangible efforts made by Running Deer and those in charge. No one is off limits, if you need to talk someone will always listen, counselling is offered with someone trained and experienced (in both counselling itself and in the Running Deer experience). Speaking personally, I feel listened to and cared about, two things that should happen in any work place but is not always the case.

Even the small and relatively insignificant text when you have had to take a day off due to being ill to make sure you are ok, it makes the world of difference, and again speaking personally is not something I have had before, in fact in some places quite the opposite.

So what do all these things do? Well they help us help them, if we are feeling resilient then we are much more able to be understanding, supportive and ultimately effective at what we do, and this in turn means the students get the best experience they can.

So kudos Running Deer, let's hope other companies and businesses start thinking the same.

Oh, and P.S. don't forget to send all those Christmas cards.

Building fences, shelters and relationships

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 12:37:11 GMT

“Can you own too much bushcraft equipment?” we discussed (no we both agreed)...

At Running Deer our students are our focus. They will arrive at our gates feeling nervous and wondering what’s in store for them at this school in the woods. Often, they arrive with preconceptions of what ‘school’ is, with their own past experiences far from ideal. It’s our job to help them feel safe, settled and allow them space to grow at their own pace.

Over the past 6 months I have been working with a new student, TM, who to put it mildly was born to be outdoors. He started with us quiet and shy, wary of new faces and of ‘school’ in general. But over a short time he has settled into life at Running Deer with ease. The woods will do that to you. The open spaces, leafy canopy and abundance of wildlife is both calming and exciting, and great for the mind and soul.

Once settled, TM and I got to spend lots of time working together on projects up in Trelawny (Top) Camp where he felt most at ease. Starting small and building his confidence we’d make the fire every day and have a brew, chatting about all things; from bushcraft and wildlife to aircraft and geopolitics. “Can you own too much bushcraft equipment?” we discussed (no we both agreed), and is there a right way to light the fire…

As we spent time together our projects grew in scope too. We introduced him to new staff, who brought with them new ideas and as TM grew so did Trelawny Camp. We made a new shelter for the winter, we fixed dry stone walls, we built dead hedges and fixed old ones. All the while I could see TM getting more competent with his abilities and building confidence in himself.

And that, I believe, is the heart of Running Deer: building. Both things and people. Building them up when they are down, fixing what has been broken and helping them grow with support from those around them.

School monthly newsletter

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 13:07:39 GMT

Welcome to our October school newsletter.

Here is our latest newsletter to highlight some of the learning and projects that the students have undertaken at school over the last few weeks. We hope you enjoy reading about what we have been up to.

Next week is half-term so we look forward to welcoming students back on Monday 1st November.

To download the latest version please click here.

Meet the babies

183:858834622 (Joanna Winterburn) — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 21:04:48 GMT

Welcoming our new therapy horses in training.

Trelawny...

Its been a tough 18 months for us here at Running Deer, not only due to Covid-19 but also because Trelawny our Shire Horse has been poorly for most of this year. He is 17 years old now and has been with Jo our MD since he was a yearling, and working with Running Deer CIC for 10 years supporting adults and children with additional needs.

In October 2020 Trelawny lost his friend King, our Suffolk Punch, to chronic arthritis. It was a hard decision for us, but the right one for a big horse who was in constant discomfort, despite the pain relief he was receiving.

Then in November 2020 Trelawny came down with a very serious bout of colic, with only a 5% chance of survival. He refused to go to hospital but with intensive veterinary care, and all his friends around him he started to make a slow but steady recovery. I genuinely think that it was because he was surrounded by the people (and animals) who love him that he found the strength to fight and survive.

But the colic has knocked his immune system really badly, and even now, nearly a year later, he is still not fully recovered. With a slow healing foot abcess and a bacterial infection that has taken months to overcome Trelawny always greets us with a nicker and loves his cuddles and grooming. He has put up with being poked and prodded by vets, nasty medicines and lots of antibacterial baths.

We also realised that Trelawny was missing his old friend King, and whilst the ponies were good field companions, they really don’t talk the same language…! So we decided to look at finding him some new friends.

Meet Sonny...

Sonny is a Shire horse colt…and came to us at 7 months old. Sonny had a pretty rough start when he arrived in December and was on stable rest after becoming quite poorly. We really struggled to get any weight on him but with careful feeding and lots of love he started to look less like a Thoroughbred and more like a Shire Horse.

It took us a while to build him back up but he is now a strapping 18 month old yearling with the longest legs!

Meet Jack...

Jack is a Clydedale horse colt and came to us at the same time as Sonny. Jack is a little bit older than Sonny and is a stocky chap with a curious and cheeky manner. Jack is going to be big for a Clyde, we reckon he is going to be a similar size to Trelawny - who is already big for a Shire horse standing at 19hh high!

‘Uncle” Trelawny is very happy and these two mischievous youngsters have definitely given him a new lease of life. They are growing like weeds… and although we still call them babies, they are bigger than the average horse even now… but we love them. And Trelawny loves them, even when Sonny snores so loudly he could wake the neighbours…

And that’s all that matters!

At Risk...

The Shire horse is registered as an ‘At Risk’ rare breed https://www.rbst.org.uk/watchlist-overview

Unfortunately Trelawny is not a breeding horse, which is a great shame as his parentage is exquisite, but, standing at 19hh (which is tall - very tall) he is a fine example of the breed, which is why we have been working so closely with our vets to support his recovery.

More information on the Shire horse can be found here https://www.shire-horse.org.uk/

The Clydesdale too is on the 'At Risk' register. More information on this wonderful breed can be found here https://clydesdalehorsesociety.com/

Gender Inequality

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 14:43:43 GMT

Hello there from my isolation booth at home.

Yes, you guessed it! The dreaded Covid-19 has hit our household!!

This week I have been planning the PSHE lessons for students and have been exploring gender inequality and what that means in our society. As you read this, students might be exploring the discrimination and experiences of people all around the world.

Did you know?

The highest paid jobs are currently dominated by males, who are five times more likely to be earning the highest salaries (The Times, 2020).
Women earn on average less than men per hour, with the pay gap in the UK currently at 7.4% (ONS, 2020).
In the USA girls are less likely to be literate (inequality.org, 2020).
In the USA gender inequality has been further impacted by the Covid-19 Pandemic (inequality.org, 2020).

As Rosie Carter describes ‘Gender inequality, it is not okay in any way shape or form, and it is time for the world to realise this’.

Have a great day,

Adam

Rosie Carter’s TED Talk is available on Youtube (I would advise you take a quick look, as she is an incredible young person).

REFERENCES.

Inequality.org (2020) Available at: https://inequality.org/facts/gender-inequality/

The Times (2020) ‘Men dominate jobs offering highest pay’ Available at: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/men-dominate-jobs-offering-highest-pay-3jx2zmp00

The photo is of Jo, our founder and CEO of Running Deer C.I.C and Running Deer School, with Wulf (the reason Running Deer exists) and Willow.

Bees are brilliant!

183:858834622 (Joanna Winterburn) — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 12:52:47 GMT

Honey Bees at Running Deer School!

In the spring we sowed wild flower and grass seeds across prepared fields on one of our sites. Our plan is to turn our fields that have been cut for hay, and heavily grazed by sheep for nearly 2 decades, into wild flower meadows, grazed by our heavy horses, but allowing the fields to rest and regenerate as well.

The late spring delayed the germination of some of our wild flowers and grasses but we have been pleasantly surprised at the number of species we have seen in the fields this year. The introduction of the wild flowers and grasses that are native to the area, are helping to improve biodiversity and support for our wildlife.

Bees are a buzzing...

We recently introduced some honey bees to the site, something we have wanted to do for some time. We felt that our Butterdon site was too cold for the bees, but our meadows are more sheltered, sunnier, and offer the perfect place to support the bees.

We chose to use a top bar hive which is gea red towards the bees, (rather than necessarily producing honey for humans). The top bar encourages the bees to build their comb down from these bars naturally without the use of a frame, or foundation.

We were very lucky to find a swarm of Italian Honey Bees (Apis mellifera ligustic) to introduce to our hive, and they are the most laid back colony you could ever want to meet!

The bees have been building the colony and regular inspections have seen their beautiful white comb quickly growing in the top bar hive. Its impressive to see!

Volunteers built a hurdle fence around the hive to protect it from the wind, and students from the school have been checking in on the bees regularly, with staff making sure everything is ok during the summer holidays.

We hope to expand our bee keeping and introduce more hives in the future - so if anyone would like to donate (doesn’t have to be a top bar) please get in touch!

Butterfly Surveys at Butterdon Wood

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 19:03:19 GMT

Small Butterfly Survey

Claire, one of our new school Governors, is a keen butterfly and beetle enthusiast and more often than not on a warm sunny day when there isn’t too much wind about you might find her out Butterfly or Beetle hunting.

So on a warm summers day in August (one of those rare days when it didn’t rain…) Claire visited Butterdon Wood and made her way down to Compartment One where we are encouraging natural regeneration of native trees and flora, alongside our tree planting programme.

In 2015/2016 we had to make a difficult decision to remove all the Japanese Larch from this Compartment, and the next one along too, to protect the remainder of the plantation from a disease called Phytothera ramorum a highly contagious disease that can cause sudden oak death.

Whilst our Larch trees did not have the disease, a tree only 200m away did, and these drastic measures were necessary to protect the remainder of the woodland. To lose the whole woodland in one go would have been devastating.

Since then Compartment One has become a haven for flora and fauna that had not had the opportunity to flourish under a heavy canopy of dense, and unmanaged conifer trees prior to Running Deer C.I.C purchasing the woodland in 2013. Indeed the only thing that was in abundance when the larch trees were there was bare soil (and larch needles) and wood sorrel. The ground was very acidic.

Our own tree planting programme, alongside over 70 silver birch trees planted by Moretonhampstead Primary School (who had grown them all from seed) kickstarted our woodland management plan for this Compartment.

Now the natural regeneration has turned this area into the most beautiful spot, with native trees and shrubs such as rowan, birch, cherry and broom growing alongside wild flowers and grasses.

So on that very rare sunny summers day in early August, Claire visited Butterdon Wood and started to survey the area where she noted the butterflies that she came across so far.

Gatekeeper 10+

Meadow Brown 10+

Peacock 3

Small Skipper 3

Large White 2 Marbled White 3

Small Copper 4

Common Blue 1

Small White 1

Silver Y Moth 3

We look forward to more visits and hope to include beetles and other bugs into our surveys as well!

Thank you so much

183:858834622 (Joanna Winterburn) — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 10:37:21 GMT

I am a social worker based on Devon Children’s Social care POD team.

I wanted to bring to your attention the outstanding support from staff at Running Deer School.

I have been working with Nick Hurst (Acting Head of School) regarding a family.

I wanted you to know that the support that Nick and his staff have provided to the Child In Need Plan regarding this young person is phenomenal, they have shown dedication to ensuring this young persons needs are met, they have gone above and beyond to support this young person within the education setting, provided the Child In Need group with an interaction plan regarding child to assist mother with managing child at home and have offered outreach support to assist family.

The support from Nick and his staff has managed to prevent a young person possibly ending up in the care system. Without support from Nick and his staff there would be a very different outcome for this young person, I just wanted you to know that the team at Running Deer have been outstanding.

I am sent a picture...

Thu, 27 May 2021 10:44:00 GMT

After this swim, he demanded a nose clip so he could dive for bricks.

This boy has had swimming lessons before, with his mainstream primary school. the whole class packed on a bus and taken to the nearest public pool.

Everyone expected to change and present themselves at the poolside unaided, chivvied. Expected to listen in the echoing, reeking building to shouted commands to get in a group, fetch a float, line up, get in the water, listen to a string of verbal instructions on body movements, attempt it in front of your peers but only at your turn.

When this child changed school, to a setting that meets his needs as a PDAer, I sent them an 'anxious mum' email before his first swim. I said that he can't swim at all, that he needs earplugs and goggles, that he panics as he lowers his torso into the water, that he can't tolerate splashes on his face, that his previous responses to swimming lessons have included running away and hiding, swearing at staff, hitting out at staff, as well as ignoring every instruction given if ever actually in the pool.

And then I am sent a picture.

After this swim, he demanded a nose clip so he could dive for bricks.

What? I am stunned.

This has been his full time school for less than a year, much of that during lockdown. He still does not attend timetabled lessons or complete written work. He swears lavishly around, but not often at, staff. He still experiences significant anxiety around school, but it is 'purer' PDA, not exacerbated by persistent feelings of stupidity and inadequacy that were reinforced daily in his previous school. Can we measure this improvement? not conventionally, but its blindingly obvious.

This child has changed radically, as his needs -primarily his need to feel safe- begin to be met. He is still profoundly disabled by PDA in the social sense, but he is no longer heading towards the mental health crash that seemed inevitable only ten months ago. Disabled but not ill. I'd say that's a win.

With heartfelt gratitude to all of those involved in this journey, every bit of support is appreciated.

Wombling Free

Tue, 25 May 2021 06:15:36 GMT

It's a strange life at the best of times...

Spending most of our time away from our homes and families doing something we are paid to do, to earn money to pay for the things we need for ourselves our homes and families. However there is nowhere stranger than Running Deer and the motley selection of people that work there. I say this with admiration, as I feel that we are a disparate group of similar thinking, somewhat like minded but extremely different and divergent individuals. And the things we get up to!

Sometimes I feel like we are all wombling about ‘making good use of the things that we find, things that the everyday folk leave behind” (Mike Batt) as can be evidenced by some of the structures that now exist in Butterdon Woods.

One fine day in September Alex and I upgraded the recently upgraded and re-sited staff toilet facilities as although we now had an external urinal area it had no roof. This had been fine but with the rainy season approaching it felt like a problem we should get ahead of. After some rummaging about (mental and physical) we came up with a few useful items and supplemented this with some hazel branches to fashion a beautiful rustic creation which still keeps you relatively dry in inclement weather (which we are still experiencing in MAY!!!)

More recently Anna, CJ and myself were tasked with creating a bin store with a budget of £0:00.

And again with a sprinkle of imagination a few reclaimed pieces of timber and several reclaimed screws even (!!) the bin store now exists.

But which womble would I be - alt hough I like to see myself as Tomsk I imagine others’ perspectives of me could range from Great Uncle Bulgaria to Madame Cholet maybe with a bit of Tobermory and Orinoco thrown in?

Darren and Dave's mystery tour in Cornwall

Fri, 21 May 2021 18:30:09 GMT

Remembering the floods of Boscastle 2004

Our next Mystery Tour extends beyond Dartmoor and into Cornwall!

This time we travelled to find some modern day history and rock pools, in other words; Boscastle and Crackington Haven.

SW had not heard of the floods of Boscastle (unsurprising really as it was before he was born) however both Dave and I talked about the harrowing images of that day in 2004, SW was interested in how it happened and was shocked when towards the bottom of town on a house, about 8 or 9 feet above street level is a sign saying this was where the flood waters reached.

We ventured out to the harbour, mesmerised by the turquoise coloured sea and thought how what we saw then would have looked very different on the day of the flood.

We then made our way in search of rockpools, by the request of SW, and after a short drive we found ourselves at Crackington Haven where there is a stoney beach, big waves and lots and lots of rocks, large rocks with many pools in between, and we got to searching for sea creatures.

After a couple crabs, what looked like a crayfish, some tiny tiny fish and lots and lots of seaweed another fun day out had come to an end and we were homeward bound again.

So we have had the opportunity to learn and develop.some important life skills, problem solving, tram work, communication and we have also expanded our horizons and learnt about the lives of others showing empathy towards those who live through difficulties and how they rebuild and bounce back after devastation.

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for the next installment of Darren and Daves Mystery Tours.

Darren

Darren and Dave's Mystery Tours Dartmeet

Fri, 21 May 2021 18:26:03 GMT

We're back! Mystery Tours part 1...

It has been a little while since I have blogged about our Outreach days, mainly because we have not been able to go on them together, it is only fair other case workers have the opportunity to go off site, but for now we are back together and have had a couple of adventures.

Our first Mystery Tour takes us to Dartmeet, or more precisely, a short walk down the river Dart outside of Dartmeet.

Our aim was to find a nice spot to sit quietly and enjoy the sounds of the river and nature while setting up the wood gas stove, hammock and new tarpaulin rain cover.

After a short walk from Dartmeet car park we found the ideal spot.

Dave, SW and myself then set about setting up the hammock and cover, now we have set up the hammock before and therefore it went up easily, the cover however had not been set up before and this provided a perfect opportunity for SW to learn and demonstrate his Fault Finding and Problem Solving skills, the instruction we had when it came to putting up the tarpaulin was to not hang it over a ridge line, instead hang it from a ridge line, to protect the material from excessive wear and tear.

After exchanging ideas and opinions between the three of us it was set up successfully.

The camp stove was also soon set up (we have had a lot of practice getting it set up and the kettle boiling) and a hot chocolate was soon on its way.

We settled down and enjoyed a hot drink, watching the swallows diving across the river catching insects, at great speed and we had some ponies, and a foal, pass by us, and finally we had a group of foreign students walk by, we chatted with them for a while, finding out they had started in Exeter a couple days prior and were on their way to Plymouth, camping in the Moor along the way, but the best part, the young man leading the group had never even seen a map until the day they set off, we gave them an idea of the direction they were heading and they carried on their way.

Shortly after the rain began and so a very very wet camp breakdown began and a quick walk back to the car to head back to school.

Darren

Dawlish Beach Day

Fri, 21 May 2021 18:10:54 GMT

Outreach days at Running Deer School

One of my favourite things about working at Running Deer is being able to go on outreach days with some of our students, so when I saw that I was going to be on an off site day with SW I was excited.

When Thursday came around the weather wasn’t great at all; very wet and slightly windy so I was worried that it may impact the day.

On route to collect SW myself and Anna had a chat about where to take him that would be beneficial for him and we decided that heading to the beach would be a great idea we find that he loves being around water.

When he got into the car and we told him where we were going he seemed keen to go exploring which of course added to our excitement too!

On arrival at Dawlish SW was in a great mood despite the weather. We initially took a walk by the stream and looked at the ducks and the famous black swans of Dawlish and he was great at engaging in conversation with myself and Anna.

He was then really keen to get down on to the beach for a walk. As we got down on to the beach we instantly begun to look for some cool pebbles and shells but we didn’t quite expect to find what we did…

Firstly we found 2 washed up little fishies which unfortunately weren’t alive but SW held them for a while and named them Steve and Chris (haha) before putting them back in the sea.

As we continued our walk we found several crab shells and cuttlefish along with lots of pretty pebbles and shells. Then… as we approached the end of the beach, Anna spotted what we believe to be either a washed up lobster or a crayfish. It was sooo amazing. SW picked it up and began to explore all of the tiny details on the creature such as its patterns and texture and we even gave him a little photo shoot and named him Craig before giving him a little send off back into the sea.

We then walked across to the other part of the beach to look in the tide pools where we managed to spot a few alive crabs in the rocks which SW was pleased about.

This day proved that exploring the beach can be so much fun even in the wind and the rain. So don’t let the weather stop you….pack a warm jacket and an umbrella and see what cool things you can find!

Encounters with an Adder

Sat, 08 May 2021 14:10:57 GMT

I have always been keen to spot an adder, or two!

I grew up in east Cornwall and moved to west Cornwall about 10 years ago. And since moving west I have been keen to spot an adder on our travels. Why? Just because not seeing one made me want to find one even more.

I live near the coast with my wife and two boys, and we love to explore where we live at every opportunity. We have woods to walk in, hills with views for miles and a coastline that seems never ending. Our favourite places to visit are the stunning coves and beaches we have on our doorstep. We regularly find new spots to hike to, carrying lunch in our backpack and searching out wildlife and plants as we head to our destination. I like to spot new things as we walk, especially foods to forage or unusual animals to tick off on my list of things to see.

Every visit to our local beach and dunes had me looking for adders. The adder (vipera berus) is the UK’s only venomous snake, and one of only three native to these shores, the other two being the grass snake and smooth snake (we also have slow worms but these are classed as legless lizards if we are being pedantic). These reclusive reptiles like nothing more than to warm themselves in the sun this time of year, so spotting one is more likely, if you tread lightly.

Eyes peeled for their distinct black diamond pattern as they basked in the sunshine. But with two loud and energetic children in tow, the likelihood of a sighting was always rare.

My hunt for the elusive adder (or viper) finally yielded success this past easter break. I was thrilled! More than thrilled, I was ecstatic (my wife will attest to this!)

On this occasion, I spied not one but two adders. Like buses, you wait all day for one then two come along at once! I stopped in my tracks and called over the boys and Cherie to take a closer look before the snakes slithered off. We quietly observed them from the track as they warmed up on the verge, and then within a minute they were gone. Out of sight, into the long grass.

I’m sure I’ll see one again on our adventures, they seem a fascinating, if hard to find creature. But now I’ve got two more species to track down – the grass snake and smooth snake, so I’ll be even more alert from now on!"

Alex

Fire

Sat, 08 May 2021 14:04:33 GMT

Since the dawn of time fire has been an important to humans in a physical and psychological way.

One of the first things I tend to do in the morning when I arrive at running deer is get the fire lit in camp. It’s a job I enjoy doing and can’t think of a better way to start the day. It gives warmth and a welcoming glow and serves as a natural gathering spot for meetings and assemblies.

Since the dawn of time fire has been an important to humans in a physical and psychological way. Fire is used to cook our food and warm our homes and who can resist the inviting glow and crackle of a real fire it never fails to lift our spirits.

In this modern world we have lost our connections with this fantastic element. Over time we have opted for more ‘instant’ ways of getting our warmth and cooking our meals using gas, electricity etc.

While I’m not anti these things I think it does everyone good to get back to basics and learn how to use fire for cooking and warmth safely. I find something as simple as toasting marshmallows over the camp fire can help rekindle that lost connection that our ancestors had with fire.

As a keen bushcrafter I’m constantly searching for new and interesting ways to start and use fire, from striking a flint and steel, making an ember by friction, and one of my most recent and amazing learnings of striking a shard of pottery against a piece of high silica bamboo to create a spark.

Anything that can be cooked in a conventional oven can be cooked on a camp fire with the correct equipment and a bit of know how. A cast iron pot with a lid called a dutch oven can be used to roast meat etc by putting the pot on the fire and covering the lid with embers to create an even heat all around what you want to cook.

While fire is a fantastic thing it can also be dangerous. If not respected and care is not taken it can destroy property and harm or worse kill us. Even someone who is accomplished at working with fire can fall foul of it if care is not taken.

Fire in my opinion has a magical quality that I will never tire of. It is something I hope to work with and appreciate until I end my time on this earth.

A Walk with Purpose

Sat, 08 May 2021 14:04:26 GMT

Getting to know the area

Being fairly new to life at Running Deer (I only started last Sept) and being a resident of Cornwall (a few miles away from north Dartmoor) I know very little of the school’s local area.

So when a chance to take a walk to a new place arose I jumped at the chance to explore and learn more. I also knew that it would be a fantastic opportunity to chat with my student about map reading and share some of these skills in the process.

So with lunch in our backpacks and map in hand we set off across the foggy moors towards Butterdon Common. Our student, JH, wanted to explore a new bottle dump for finds for an art project, so it was a great reason to walk, talk and enjoy the wildlife on the way.

Every now and then we’d stop for a map check, looking at our compass to check the direction, getting a sense of where we were in the environment, and that we were heading in the right direction through the moorland mist!

Once on the common the sun slowly burnt off the fog, giving us a fine view of Cranbrook Castle, which was near our destination and allowed us to orientate our map once more using landmarks and compass bearings to direct us onwards.

We walked through fields, crossed stiles, peered into sheep creeps and admired the snowdrops as we went. Crossing the road, we found some inquisitive black and white sheep, a red ants nest and could also hear the brook in the valley nearby as we walked. The sun shone and jackets came off as we neared our destination, up the hill, heading south west.

Then there it was, our spot for the day. JH busied himself looking for finds, trowel in hand whilst I admired the view and felt I knew the area a little better and sipped on a well earned coffee.

Cheers, Alex

Dartmoor Days

Sat, 08 May 2021 13:58:22 GMT

Wistmans Wood

Since working at Running Deer I have been able to visit and explore some amazing places on Dartmoor that I hadn’t even heard of before mainly thanks to Dave who has all of the knowledge on the best places to go.

Today I got the pleasure to spend the day with SW and Cj on outreach and we decided to take a trip to Wistmans Woods.

From the car park it took us around 30 minutes to walk to the woods and from afar it looks like a normal woodland area in the middle of the open moorland but once you get closer and enter it becomes a magical area like something from a Harry Potter movie.

The trees are crooked and twisted and covered in lichen (which Cj enjoyed using as a pretend moustache) and the surrounding rocks are full of thick, squishy moss which made them great comfy seats for our lunch break!

Wistmans woods is said to be one of the most haunted places on Dartmoor but I feel like it has more of a spiritual vibe as some other myths say if you look close enough you can see tiny fairy’s hiding.

We enjoyed climbing on the rocks, taking some photos of the beautifully weird looking trees and sitting very still so we could watch 2 cute little robins play together and wait for any crumbs to be dropped. We even walked down the the river and used the stepping stones to get to the other side.

The sun was shining all day and with all the walking I even said the words “I’m hot” which If you know me it’s not something I EVER say.

It was lovely to just forget about the world for a moment and just walk and chat with SW about random topics and laugh together.

Don’t forget if you’re visiting Dartmoor to make sure you take lots of memories but leave only footprints.

Savannah

The importance of making your own decisions

Sat, 08 May 2021 13:56:17 GMT

So how important is it?

I would imagine most would say “very”, I know I would, its fairly obvious isn’t it, making our own decisions is an important part of our independence. However, let me give you a scenario; you have just made a bowl of soup for a young person, and they go and grab themselves a fork to eat it with, what do you do?

Let them use a fork (your soup isn’t that stodgy) no, of course not, you tell them to get a spoon, and if they are particularly young you use the opportunity to do the whole “spoons are for soup” learning.

But what have you just done?

Has that young person learnt anything?

Yes, they now know you eat soup with a spoon, but the next time they go to grab their own cutlery they might not make their own decision, they will just wait for you to tell them what to use.

This is known as Learnt Helplessness .

A few years ago I was very fortunate to complete some specialist training, in fact it is so specialist there are only 2 people in the country who deliver it.

The course: Training in Systematic Instruction .

The aim: Teaching a practical skill to a young person with a medium to severe learning difficulty and/or disability. The idea is to use this as a “job coach” for such young people in a real work place.

The content: Throughout the 2 week course we learnt the theory behind the course, as well learning how to assemble a BMX bike brake, it sounds unusual however there is a reason behind it.

The bike brake: The BMX bike hub brake is constructed from approximately 16 individual components, we spent 9 of the 10 days learning how to put the brake together from the components, but in a very specific way, following a Task Analysis which describes and clearly explains the process of putting each component together, even down to very specific hand position, how you hold the component, and how it goes together, we did this over the 9 days until it became second nature, we could assemble it blindfolded. On the 10th day we were each joined by a young person, in front of us were 4 disassembled brakes, all components lined up ready, first, we sat beside our young person and slowly assembled brake number 1, when it was finished we swapped seats and it was the turn of the young person to assemble the remainder of the brakes, our job was to support them to assemble each brake, but with one rule; support them without talking!

The theory: The idea behind this training was originally developed by Dr Marc Gold in the 1970s who wanted to give people with learning difficulties and disabilities the opportunity to lead as full a life as possible and with support be able to find employment ultimately allowing them to be independent. Although that was the primary aim it was also developed to help overcome Learnt Helplessness, going back to my scenario from earlier it is only natural to want to prevent a young person, or anyone, from feeling disappointed or to avoid any anxiety that can arise from decision making, unfortunately this avoidance actually does a disservice to young people, as they grow and learn how to avoid making decisions. So does this have a big impact? Surely being told to use a spoon instead of a fork to eat soup won’t have a long term effect? Well no probably not, however when this translates to adult independent life it does, decisions have to be made all day every day, whether they be what to wear, what to eat, who to speak to, when to go for a break at work, what time to go to bed etc etc.

The outcome: So armed with the theory knowledge and the practical skills, you sit beside a young person with 3 brakes to assemble and they stare at you, and stare, and stare (trust me we watched a video of one of the trainers doing the task with a younger person and it took 3 hours for the young person to make a decision and pick up the components) but with confidence you allow the young person to make a decision and assemble the brakes, and I can not begin to tell you how amazing the look of accomplishment they have on their faces when they do it, it makes it all worthwhile!

So how does this translate to us at Running Deer? Well it is important for us all to strike a delicate balance between keeping everyone safe and in control while allowing the students to make their own decisions, contributing to their ability to live full lives and make their own decisions.

Let me tell you how I learn...

Sat, 08 May 2021 13:50:49 GMT

I remember being at school and secretly wearing my headphones to listen to music.

Not to be deliberately defiant, but to help me concentrate on my work.

The problem was, my headphones were only seen by the teachers as a “distraction,” much like many other things, such as my choice to dye my hair or have a nose stud.

I was in fact a very hard working student and it was more of a distraction for me when teachers would tell me to tuck my shirt in, when I would have felt much more comfortable and would have learnt a lot easier, if I could have chosen how to wear my own shirt or to style my own hair.

When I studied Art for GCSE, we could openly listen to music in front of the teacher, which was fantastic! It helped me to focus on my work and made me feel less nervous during my Art exam.

I worked with KD yesterday. KD and I are big Harry Potter fans (as you well know) and yesterday we enjoyed watching some Harry Potter videos and listening to music. During this time, KD made excellent progress with the fabric that she printed last week and has now decided to sew, to create a bag.

At Running Deer, we recognise that everyone is an individual and may want to express their uniqueness in what they wear or how they learn.

A great example of this is how our school is based in the woods and we use the outdoors as much as possible to help our students to learn rather than sitting down in classrooms full of lots of people, all day.

As caseworkers and teachers, we understand that spending time outside, learning 1:1 and even having some background music are all factors that can sometimes help people to focus and having the choice over this is so important.

Aimee

The Bushcraft Challenge

Sun, 02 May 2021 09:59:49 GMT

Bushcraft encompasses many things

I love working and being outdoors (which helps when you work at Running Deer) and part of why I enjoy it so much is because I get to work at and pass on my love of bushcraft skills.

Bushcraft encompasses many things, but to me it is about learning and practicing practical outdoor skills. These can be as simple as tying a knot, using a knife or identifying a tree. Or they can be complicated projects like constructing a waterproof shelter or lighting a fire using friction alone. All this knowledge is both fun and easy to pick up, but you can spend years learning to master it and you never stop gaining new knowledge.

At Running Deer we are introducing more bushcraft skills into our curriculum this year by way of the Bushcraft Fabulous Forty Challenge . The challenges range from toasting a marshmallow to using a map and everything inbetween. The students will work towards four levels (bronze, silver, gold and platinum) gaining a certificate and reward for every 10 challenges they complete.

These challenges, whilst based on bushcraft, will teach other life lessons along the way too. Patience, perseverance, resilience and teamwork to name a few.

I’m looking forward to the challenge of the project, and hope the students will enjoy learning about bushcraft as much as I enjoy teaching it.

If you’d like to find out more about bushcraft you can do with you kids at home then check out www.bushkiddz.co.uk for information. Their website has some great ideas for activities you can try in your garden, especially helpful during times like these whilst home schooling.

Hello Folks

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 11:59:33 GMT

I thought it would be good to introduce myself with a quick blog.

So I’m Jo (or Jo B to avoid confusion!) and I’m a new part-time case worker at Running Deer. I have recently qualified as a secondary school science teacher and, although I love a science lab and Bunsen burners, I’m very much at home up in Butterdon Woods – having been involved in outdoor education for many years here in the UK, Europe and Southern Africa.

It’s always funny when you start a new job (especially a day before a national lockdown) – getting familiar with faces, names and where the compost toilets are! But I already feel part of the team as I heat up my soup on the fire, support a screen- printing session and are taken around the site by the young people here – so that they can show me the pond, the trees they have planted, their dens and most importantly their favourite places.

As we move slowly into Spring I’m excited to hang up my thermals, find out where the best bluebells can be found and see the two new foals grow and develop. It’s going to be great to use the beautiful environment and natural resources, just on our doorstep at Running Deer, to enrich the science curriculum and see if we can set up a few experiments!

I think the reason that I have settled into my new role so easily is because of the kindness and generosity of all the staff at Running Deer and the openness of the students. I feel really lucky to be part of this extraordinary group of folks.

So a massive THANK YOU to everyone for making me feel so welcome and watch this space for updates on my new journey up at Butterdon woods.

Snow. It's Snowing!

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 11:41:29 GMT

The shout of surely every child in the land...

Snow! It’s snowing! The shout of surely every child in the land, as the flakes start to flutter down.

Every adult has a shared moment of dread – work, car, driving, schools closed. Every adult also has a shared rush of excitement when the curtains opens and a blanket of soft, virgin snows quilts the outdoors. They are transported back to the same emotional state they had as a child, their inner monologue screaming “it’s snowed!”.

Many things evoke this kind of emotional response. For me, the smell of lemon and thyme together takes me back to childhood memories of Christmas dinner, or the feeling of sea water running through my toes as a wave recedes back into the sea takes me back to the beaches of Cornwall and family holidays. I’m taken right back to the moment as if I’ve been teleported there.

I can recall many smells, tastes, and textures, from over the years and the emotional response that is linked to it. But why are some of these memories so strong, and why do they link to emotions so strongly?

It’s all to do with brain and how memories are stored. Sensory Memories are stored in the short term memory; they are very short lived, at best half a second, but are very detailed and contain a lot of information.

Sensory Memory leaves a trail (trace) that lasts longer than it decays. Imagine the trail a sparkler leaves when moving through a dark night. Senses are processed in the brain by the Thalamus, which sends information to different parts, including storing information in the Neocortex as memories. What makes Sensory Memories different is they are beyond cognitive control, they are autonomic – we can’t choose to access them. They are triggered when the brain associates a new sensory input with them.

The Thalamus sits on the Amygdala. One if its jobs is to control emotional response to things, including sensory input (particularly from taste and smell). Which is why Sensory Memories come which such a powerful emotional response. The sense triggers the memory; before we are aware of it, it’s over and we are left with the trace and the emotions associated with it.

The Amygdala also does another job, a very important one: fight or flight. It decides if we’re are danger and controls the body’s response to it.

We can all think of Sensory Memories and the warm and fuzzy feeling. But for some, these memories are bad memories; the emotion triggered is fear, anger or something dangerous. When the Amygdala gets this trigger, it doesn’t have time to distinguish between memory and reality, it goes into fight and flight.

This is how trauma triggers work. Sensory input —> sensory memory —> fight or flight/ emotional dysregulation. Ultimately this means very big emotions and behaviours. If these sense memories are everyday things, like cigarette smoke, toast or coffee, then you’re going to be triggered all the time.

Triggered in a way you simply cannot control, and no amounts of sticker charts are going to solve this problem! The brain needs to learn that these memories are safe, there is no threat associated with them anymore.

This is done through love, care and understanding, through a trauma-informed approach.

Every day is a new challenge / opportunity

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 11:31:54 GMT

No two days are alike at Running Deer

No two days are alike at Running Deer. Even if you are working with the same student from week to week it pays to be on your toes and expect the unexpected.

Some mornings the students arrive and crack on with their timetable, on others they come with a firm idea of their own on what they would like to achieve that day and that’s the plan. So as a caseworker, adapting and thinking on the go is the best way to work. Go with the flow, just see where the day will take you and more often than not both you and your student will learn along the way.

Recently, there was a day just like this; I was working with ES. Full of energy and ideas as always, ES decided he would make Dave a tincture to ease his back ache, so that was the plan. I had a general idea of what they were but after a quick, Google, I found out a little more about tinctures, which are plant-based medicines dissolved in water. So we set off on a ramble, ES using his knowledge of hedgerow plants to find and trim some inner willow bark, planning to use it for its medicinal properties. Next, he collected some snow leftover from our recent snow day, being pure water he said this would “work best”. We tended the fire, then boiled and filtered the snow, using a cloth filter to remove any sticks and dirt.

The willow was added to the boiled water, along with a squeeze of orange peel for taste and left to soak.

Then hay presto a tincture to help relieve Dave’s bad back!

Did it help? Only Dave can tell us.
Was it part of the plan when I arrived at school? Nope.
Did we learn as we did our apothecary? Yep.
Did ES enjoy himself, build on his outdoor knowledge and benefit from our support to achieve his own personal goals for the day? Yes.
Is it what Running Deer is all about? Most definitely.

Change and adaptability

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 15:01:27 GMT

We are all trying to deal with change in our own way

Change is something that a lot of us can struggle with and can be difficult to manage. Changes can happen every day such as changes in routine, changes in environment or changes in mood. When we expect something to happen a certain way and it changes, this can sometimes feel quite unsettling.

Change is ever evolving, and we are all trying to deal with this in our own way. Our students are currently coming in on limited days of the week and some of our staff are having to self-isolate.

This is a big a big change and I really miss having everyone together at school.

Change can be scary, but I have been so impressed at how well our students have dealt with some huge changes at Running Deer including new classrooms, new staff members and new ways of learning. We as caseworkers are here to support our students through these changes and make them as positive and as manageable as possible.

Despite this, there are some things that will always stay the same; Savannah will always be cold, Dave will always love cake and I will always be short. It’s lovely to come to work and know that despite the ongoing changes in the world, there are some things that will never change at Running Deer.

Changes can be positive and sometimes we want change to happen. Sometimes it can get annoying when it’s just been our birthday, and everyone says “Hello! Did you have a nice birthday?” We might wish for someone to ask us something different or change the subject! I often wish to change the song on the radio or for a change in the weather. We might be better at handling change than we think we are.

Change is inevitable but we can learn how to cope with it when it comes our way. Even if Dave were to ever stop loving cake, at least there would be more for us.

Whatever happened to all the cake?

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 14:48:00 GMT

Most of you know I love cake...

So as most of my colleagues (current and former) know, I love food and could well be described as having a sweet tooth with an astounding ability to eat large quantities of most things (but especially cake/biscuits).

This is not the first job where people have suggested I shouldn’t be left unsupervised near supplies of such treats – I was actually given the name ‘bad biscuit boy’ for my ability to locate and consume them by a previous employer!

Generally supervision doesn’t address my lack of politeness when cake is brought out though – just so you know, I am aware.

Anyway, long long ago in a woodland not far away it used to be the custom that Friday was cake day, whereby a cake was purchased (usually from the honesty box at ‘cake farm’ down the road) and this was served up at the close of play (often with the students getting a share too). As the staff team grew it was more often the case that the Friday cake was saved till after 3pm to ensure there was enough to go round. There were also occasional spontaneous cake days, sometimes where the cake was bought in conjunction with a student as part of an off-site activity.

Along the way ‘cake farm’ started making their now legendary and much revered bakewell tarts and Adam and I started ‘cake club” which was a closed shop of reciprocal cake sharing. A long departed colleague tried to join but quickly fell foul of our standards by bringing in malt loaf as her contribution – malt loaf?!

With the staff numbers still increasing the Friday cake supply moved more often to two of coop’s truly irresistible cakes and then three to make sure there was a piece for everyone which while much appreciated did feel like a decline in quality to address a shortfall in quantity. However, Leanne brought in home made brownies fairly regularly to keep standards up and she didn’t like to eat them herself so all was in balance.

As time moved on and the staff team swelled and diversified, all sorts of soul searching was revealed on cake days; vegans (whaaat?) fought for their slice while feeling they had abandoned their higher moral ground; CJ and I just fought over the last slice of the carrot cake (obviously the connoisseurs’ choice); meanwhile, those who felt they needed to eat more healthily struggled to stay strong in the face of all that sugary stodge.

The senior management team were at a loss as to how they could meet the needs of all the staff ethically and responsibly while still keeping to a limited budget given that we could eat cake till long after the cows had come home and that vegan cake was (& still is ) in short supply around Moretonhampstead and prohibitively expensive (I do wonder if this was the real reason that Jo handed over the reins to Rachael??).

There were other notable moments along the way – vegans calling each other out as fakes while secretly feeling more sad and angry than virtuous. Aimee’s mum’s rocky road – wow! Even I struggled to eat more than 3 pieces at a time which attests to it’s luxurious richness. Aiden even took to making his own vegan cakes and bringing them in (to share, not gloat) a few times which were very good.

And then came COVID19 and lockdown 1.0 with the clear commandment …..’ thou shalt not share food..’ This put an end to cake for sharing on any day of the week (or at least public sharing), sort of ended the argument over what was and wasn’t acceptable offering and led to Aimee gloating over her own very large supply of rocky road. It may have removed a large and potentially irresolvable problem for the senior management team and helped prevent an unavoidable budget deficit but where are we left now?

What happens when the restrictions are relaxed? I await a reply from those with the authority to take his to the next level and a pastoral responsibility.

Quotes from the Woods

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 07:12:10 GMT

Only at Running Deer...

Some time ago we started keeping a notepad of some of the crazy things we heard people say at Butterdon Wood. When the pods arrived, we lost the notebook in all the melee of removing containers and towable classrooms, and installing our beautiful wooden pods.

Last week, however, it turned up and it felt that now was a good time to share some of these wonderful quotes with you!

Over the years we have had people say the most funniest of things…staff and students alike! Misinterpretations, weird and wonderful conversations in the context of our school at Butterdon Wood, seem simply normal. Out of context, however, and people just look at us very strangely.

For example - where else would you hear “Chris, can you get the bones out of the toilet” (Before anyone raises the alarm this relates to a bag of plastic halloween bones we were going to bury around camp as part of the celebration.)

Or “Its that weird combination of a (bow) saw and an exercise book…” Rachael says as she pauses mid discussion with another member of staff to observe someone walking across the car park.

Even during lockdown 1 some sayings continued to be recorded in the book including “J left me in a plant pot” Adam reports following a welfare call to a student.

Ummm...

Of course all our staff are great people, bright, intelligent and empathic souls who do a fantastic job of looking after our students. But sometimes, just sometimes, when we are asked questions like these we have to wonder…

Solar flares? Are those the ones from the moon…?”

"Whats this?”

“A beehive”

“What? For bees?”

“Is it true you can have two biological fathers?”

We Want CAKE!

Staff and students at Running Deer tend to be food (cake) orientated…We don’t need much of an excuse to break out the sweets or cake.

“Fruit Pastel Lead” says Adam “ I will always bring Jelly Tots for you”… and he does…every week.

Student to staff “He’s made you pregnant with biscuits!”

Student: “I have just got a Frazzle splinter!” after he has eaten a bag of Frazzle crisps.

“I have just ordered a crown and a horse. We don’t have a velvet cushion, so put the crown on a red velvet cake”. Rachael ‘demanded’ a crown and a horse when she was offered the job as Head of School. She was ceremoniously presented with both (on a red velvet cake).

Education

Every one of our students has an individual plan which means every student is taught in a way that works for them. Some are visual learners, some are practical learners and some prefer a more traditional approach…

Staff to student “Whats in your mouth?”

Student “The B” as he produces a letter B from his mouth.

Teacher: “Write an expression for the perimeter of this triangle”

Student “Surprised!”

Staff to student “Stop snogging the dog and come and do this graffiti”.

Student “Thats a big-ass hole”

Teacher looks at student.

Student replies “I didn’t mean it like that”

Student “A church tried to resurrect a toddler!”

“My hands are R.I.P” said one student after a practical activity.

On a serious note...

When Dave said “I think the Euro has taken some of the excitement out of money” quite a few people agreed… as they did when someone stated “Our students spend half their time outdoors, the other half in metal boxes.” They are, of course, referring to our towable classrooms that we had before our beautiful pods were installed at Butterdon Wood.

When there was a brief discussion about branding for Running Deer School someone misheard the discussion and said “Branded Pants?”

No. Branded Pens”… sigh.

And when staff are looking for tools and they ask “Where are the Forestry Thongs?”…I think you mean tongs…

Max the office dog doesn’t like the printer, or people laughing, or people clapping, or raised voices. On one such morning whilst staff were having a conversation before students arrived, Max was being very vocal until someone piped up “Max be quiet - you’re upsetting the spider”.

Probably the most telling phrase that one student announced just before he was going to make a run for it was “to the gate…”. It was turned into a game but it was very helpful that the student told everyone his intention before doing it!

Saving the best for last

We had a 9 year old student who came to us twice a week for over a year through our Intervention Programme. He was a child in care and lived on a farm. He told lavish stories about his life on the farm that, at times, seemed to good to be true, but they were all true. He was truly lucky to live with such a wonderful foster family.

He was a really bright cheerful child with very low attention span. He was quick to laugh and a wonderful (if exacerbating at times) person to work with.

On returning from visiting the horses one summers day, this student came into camp and asked someone who was spreading wood chip on the path what they were doing.

“I am raking chippings” came the reply… there was a brief pause…

“Raping Chickens!” came his response “that’s disgusting”

Needless to say he informed his carer when he got home “today we raped chickens”. We got that concerned phone call that soon turned to laughter when we explained what happened.

For the sake of decency we can’t tell you what he thought we did to squirrels.

To finish

So whilst we “take over the world one dentist at a time” and make sure that the student who said “Adam I am going to sell your bag on Ebay” doesn’t actually do this’ I want to reassure you that our staff are deep thinkers and take philosophy very seriously “The stars are just a hole in the box so we can breath”.

I have been informed that the“Moon Pigs are here” and confirm that the students are not actually being “raised by Wulf’s”

However the time has come and “I need to go to the dentist to let Batman in” I guess I could “take the ponies to the dentist” at the same time.

So my parting piece of wisdom is this…

“You need to hunt the magnet to find the fish”.

But first remember “The horse is natures motorcycle.”

Outside whatever the weather!

Sat, 30 Jan 2021 12:53:05 GMT

The coldest months of the year.

January and February are the coldest months of the year, and this year seems to be no exception. We’ve had wind, buckets of rain and sub-zero temperatures so far.

We’re just sad not to have had any snow yet, but there’s still time!

Outside whatever the weather!

At Running Deer, we’re outside with our students whatever the weather. While we do have some very beautiful new pods which can be helpful if we’re doing work on a computer or paper, we try and spend the majority of the day outside and keep warm by exercising or lighting a fire.

They say firewood keeps you warm three times. You get warm when you cut it, warm when you split and stack it and then finally warm when you burn it. Here’s a photo of R proving this, keeping warm by cutting the wood!

Most young people’s education, except for occasional outdoor PE lessons, is conducted entirely inside, often sat still on a chair. However, we know that there are so many benefits from being outside and moving our bodies. It can lower blood pressure, fight depression and improve our health.

I can almost feel the magic working, when my student and I are stood around a fire, smelling the smell of woodsmoke, watching a robin or a tree creep hopping around outside camp.

Did you know that lots have research has shown that especially for children being outside improves eyesight, reducing near-sightedness? Although in a very British way, we all complain about the weather, we can all probably agree that we’d rather be in the woods rain or shine, than sat down at a desk to learn.

At the moment we’re feeling especially lucky to be outside. In the midst of the third national lockdown, being an outdoors school makes us much safer, as we know the virus doesn’t spread as much outside.

Unlike many schools who are closed to the majority of students at the moment, our special model means we’ve been able to find a safe way of opening to all of our students.

With the closing of many of the indoor venues we normally go to at this time of the year, perhaps one of the few positives of lockdown is it will get more of us, young and old, enjoying some of the health benefits of being outside more.

Kindness

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 20:45:12 GMT

I work in a school because I believe in the importance of education for young people.

Kindness

I love that our school supports each young person individually and recognises that education is not always a “one size fits all” kind of deal. Everyone has different strengths and different areas that they may need more support with; I think that this is just part of being a human.

Lessons such as Maths, English and Science are so important for helping our students to progress further, live independent lives and to follow a path of their choosing. Lessons such as the above also teach all sorts of other crucial lessons such as confidence, resilience, determination and the feeling of accomplishment.

One of my favourite traits in a person and an attribute that I think is so meaningful to teach is kindness. Kindness is something that has such a huge impact on our lives and according to Albus Dumbledore, is “a trait people never fail to underestimate”.

Today was a very icy morning and the ice stopped CJ and I from being able to continue any further up the lane to school in our vehicles. CJ put his hazard lights on and watched me as I slowly reversed down the icy hill to a space that I could turn around in. This one small act of kindness made quite a stressful morning much easier.

Sometimes situations occur that we have no control over. One thing that we can control however, is the way we choose to react to these situations. If we can try to be kind, I find that this often makes things much more straightforward and can have the power to change your day.

I am not a teacher; I don’t know very much about algebra or biology. If I can teach one thing however, I hope I can teach our students to be kind.

Aimee

Importance of having a daily routine

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 06:53:43 GMT

It’s so easy in life to get stuck in a rut

It’s so easy in life to get stuck in a rut and loose yourself in bad daily habits such as snoozing the alarm until the last minute or eating lots of junk food because it’s quick and convenient. We are all to blame for it but do we actually realise what it does to both our physical and mental health to not have a good balanced routine as part of our life?

Having little to no routine can cause us to feel more stressed and having a constant worry of “when will I get it all done?”

It can also contribute to us having poor sleep and a poor diet.

But having a routine can be a fun way to get back into enjoying the small things life has to offer and doesn’t always have to boring.

Better stress levels are proven to help with mental health, with more time to relax and less time for anxiety.

Having a good routine in the evening will improve your sleeping pattern by doing simple things like switching social media for a book or meditation or just switching off earlier can benefit us.

I personally feel like a morning routine has the most benefit. I find setting my alarm half an hour earlier gives me time to get some stretches in or even a little work out; make some breakfast which is great for fuelling the body and mind for the day ahead and I generally feel a lot less stressed about the day if I feel prepared.

With some of our students only coming to Running Deer part time at the moment, I think it’s so important for us to keep providing them with as much routine as we can and encourage them to try a routine at home on the days they aren’t at school.

So if you’re feeling brave I dare you to wake up half an hour early and do some stretches and eat something good!!

No escape for Freddie “Fingers” Thompson or stealth teaching

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Our mission: to investigate a series of clues...

Last Thursday myself and Dave were lucky enough to have a whole day off site with SW, however no matter how fun that sounds, the prospect of no lessons, going where we want (within reason) doing what we want (within reason) sometimes can be rather tricky to think of interesting, engaging and fun things to do all day.

Fortunately in my previous role I had the chance to take some students on a Murder Mystery Treasure Trail around Exeter City Centre, and it was a fun day out for everyone. Unfortunately due to the current COVID situation it was not advisable to spend the day walking around a city centre, luckily there were many more options to choose from, including one that tours Dartmoor.

So we had our days activity ready!

Our mission: to investigate a series of clues and eliminate suspects from our list to find the “specialist” hired by Freddie “Fingers” Thompsons gang to help him escape Dartmoor Prison!

With a set of directions, decoders, a list of suspects, the minibus, waterproofs (it is Dartmoor after all) and our cunning the three newest recruits to the National Crime Agency Running Deer division were on the case!

The premise is simple, you follow the directions solve the clues and at the end of the day you have your prime suspect, and it took us all day but everyone enjoyed it. We had explored everywhere from Princetown to Moretonhampstead, and everywhere in between.

As fun as the day was, was it just an excuse for a jolly for the day? I don’t think so!

Because as much as there was no English or Maths lessons that day what there was is what I like to call Stealth Teaching. For example; to solve clues we had to complete quick mental arithmetic, we had to solve anagrams, we had to communicate with each other, problem solving, patience, turn taking, map reading, time keeping, adapting to new information and situations, all of these skills are vital for our students to process and live full independent lives, and these were taught, supported and encouraged without a lesson in sight.

So if you were to ask SW what he learnt from our day out he might reply with some random piece of knowledge about a church we saw or a town we visited, but he probably wouldn’t talk about any of the above mentioned skills because thats the key to Stealth Teaching … they don’t even know they’ve learnt it, but they have, and when they need to use those skills one day in their lives they will be able to, and maybe, just maybe, SW will think back to the day he spent with myself and Dave pretending to be NCA agents and having a laugh and smile and think “perhaps they’re not as weird as I thought and they actually taught me something”

Nevertheless, it was fun, we found our suspect, some skills were developed and what more can you want from a jolly around Dartmoor?

Busy hands happy souls

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Art is very subjective...

One thing has been certain and has been keeping me going through the uncertainty of the last few months is the never-ending creativity of our students in our new designated ‘Art and maker pod’.

Busy hands happy souls

We have been so busy in there it has been hard to find time to write about it and it is long overdue a blog mention! Since we got the new pods last term, it has given us a whole new inside space making it easier to do Art, which is something I think keeps us grounded in our ‘lockdown’ limited world where things keeps stopping or changing.

Art is very subjective : we all have a different view on what we like or think is good; and it’s also a very easy subject for us to feel ‘useless’ at. Sometimes our students have come to the decision that they are no good at it, possibly from a former art experience (I am sure many adults can relate) and sometimes as they think they know what it ‘should’ be like and can’t meet that expectation.

Our goal is to enable all students to feel confident enough to have a go and try not to worry about what anyone else thinks – to try to enjoy the process and not worry too much about the end product.

We like to encourage them to think of their own ideas and make or try things they want to. Some students bring an idea and are happy to do that whilst others need a more structured approach but either way we try to meet them where they are and try to get the most reluctant artists to try something to unleash their inner creativity.

Consequently students have been busy using every material we can get our hands on from sewing felt and fabric, clay modelling to paint and paper mache – and using the pod space to its fullest – some of it turns out brilliantly and of course – some doesn’t but the experience is always valuable and there is always something to learn and see!

Our students have very different likes and ideas – some like to draw neat and precise inked drawings inspired by gaming characters whilst others enjoy a more expressive and spontaneous Jackson Pollock style colourful paint creations. In no other subject is the diversity of students minds so apparent and its really rewarding to see young people’s ideas materialize in a way where we can let them lead and invent.

With a lot of encouragement and time we hope all students will be confident to try and have a go at anything and express creativity in any way they want.

Conscious listening

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Patience and listening is so important.

There’s no time like the very first month of a new school year when patience and listening is more important. Learn more about conscious listening…

Anyone who has ever been a parent or worked in education would tell you that this is a transitional time of year when kids return to school after the long Summer break and it can be challenging for everyone – adults and young people alike.

From the new organisational logistics: going to bed a bit earlier, waking up in time, remembering your bag and lunch, the stress of the journey, and then adjusting to new people and new environments once you arrive can stress the calmest of people, let alone in a year when there has been a pandemic and we are all trying to follow new rules; masks, buckets of hand sanitiser and social distancing to name but a few! It’s too much sometimes – amazing we have all survived this far.

When we are working with young people we try our best to put ourselves into their shoes to try to get a better understanding of why and what they are feeling – its easy to forget that underneath a calm and seemingly happy exterior they may be very unsettled underneath and making a huge effort trying to ‘hold it together’ – possibly only until they get home. (Important to add I could very easily be talking about adults as well!)

As ‘grown-ups’ we should (hopefully) have some coping strategies to build our resilience to new situations but many young people do not have those tools yet and it’s our duty to equip them, to help them face changes and new situations without stressing.

Students with additional things to process have more issues to conquer and the beginning of term is a complicated and demanding time even when doing enjoyable activities.

We can’t assume anything either – everyone is different and has had a different experience of their Summer break – some people love to be back in school having got bored or having had a difficult time, and others would rather curl back up in their beds or just stay home rather than face people again and the demands put upon them at school. (I can write this as a teacher and as a parent and can assure you that even the smallest of demands can be tough on everyone).

Life can be really difficult – things happen – we try to change it, or reduce the factors but we often cannot do anything about it – it’s not our fault, sometimes nobodies; but it is our responsibility to try and help our kids and people in our lives learn to cope with what life throws at them and learn from each experience even when we get it wrong.

We try to make the school transition as easy as possible for our students and we are fortunate to have the woods around us helping us to provide therapeutic, meaningful and fun activities but also to have a good ratio of available adults to be present for our students.

Inspiration

I was inspired to write this after a conversation this morning at the gate whilst we waited for our students to arrive – reminding us about the importance of consciously listening and just being present – and especially right now, at this time of year with all the new challenges and changes we are facing.

By ‘conscious listening’ – we are listening without making any assumptions or projecting any of our own issues or making judgements; we also try not to input any personal gains, opinions, fears or beliefs during those conversations when a person trusts you enough to talk.

It is only by doing this that we can begin to listen solely for the purpose of understanding and so making a real connection.

‘Most people don’t listen with the intent to understand, most listen with the intent to reply’.

This all may sound obvious or even easy to some, but in busy new times and transitions, when there is a lot of excitement and ideas about the new term ahead, as adults – parents, case workers and teachers alike – we have so much to get through we often forget that all people really need sometimes to make a connection is for us to be present and pay attention.

So for everyone who has made it this far this September – try to take a deep breath, slow down and give yourself and your kids a pat on the back for surviving : remind yourself it’s a tough time for everyone and it’s going to get a lot easier as everything settles down.

In the meantime, just listen… and find someone to listen to you.

Benefits of having anger as an emotion

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

There are many values to feeling angry.

There are many values to feeling angry. I recently read an article stating over 10 reasons why it’s good get angry.

Anger has a reputation of being negative when compared with other positive emotions such as happiness or enthusiasm.

Benefits of having anger as an emotion

Did you know that many people believe that we would be better off without anger as an emotion?

However many including psychologists, brain scientists and mental health professionals suggest that anger has valuable qualities and can be beneficial to us as humans.

A few of the benefits of anger stated in the article include:

Designed to promote survival
It provided a sense of control
Motivates us to solve problems
Drives us towards goals
Can lead to self improvement

I’ve always really liked the idea of having a way that our students can release built up anger in a healthy and fun way.

A couple of weeks ago 2 of our students were struggling to manage their emotions whilst at Running Deer. At points I felt like they both had some feelings of anger.

We went for a walk which didn’t seem to help until we came across the pond which had frozen over. The boys instantly reverted to being child like, picking up giant blocks of the ice and smashing it to the ground, harder each time. The pair were laughing a lot and enjoyed breaking the ice for quite some time. I watched their facial expressions, noticing how satisfying it was for each of them to break something!

When we left the area I felt like the boys seemed a little calmer.

Soo next time you feel angry go and smash some Ice…or plates (with permission of course haha)

Kindless

Running Deer School Gains Bronze Award as a UNICEF Rights Respecting School

Running Deer School is proud to announce that it has been awarded the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools (RRS) Bronze Award – Rights Committed.

Charity Fundraising Success

Running Deer School Students’ Charity Fundraising Success.

Running Deer School Summer Newsletter 2025

Summer Newsletter 2025

Inside our Summer Newsletter:

Traditional Meets Modern

Although Running Deer is based in woodland, and a lot of what we do is based around outdoor life and skills, that doesn’t mean we aren’t keeping up with modern technology.

May There Ever Be Birds In Your Garden.

February in the forest can be pretty bleak...

Nature's student

I look forward to the learning nature will bring me.

Learning from mistakes as much as from success

Who doesn't like to learn a new skill?

A Trauma Informed School

Trauma informed school status.

The First Hurdle

This is just the beginning as now we have mastered the basic idea there is no holding us back.

﻿

A Day Out With the Otters.

Another successful day with the Running Deer.

Supporting our mental health supports the students mental health.

P.S. don't forget to send all those Christmas cards. ﻿

Building fences, shelters and relationships

“Can you own too much bushcraft equipment?” we discussed (no we both agreed)...

School monthly newsletter

Welcome to our October school newsletter.

Meet the babies

Welcoming our new therapy horses in training.

Trelawny...

Meet Sonny...

Meet Jack...

At Risk...

Gender Inequality

Hello there from my isolation booth at home. ﻿

Did you know?

REFERENCES.

Bees are brilliant!

Honey Bees at Running Deer School!

Bees are a buzzing...

Butterfly Surveys at Butterdon Wood

Small Butterfly Survey

Thank you so much

I am a social worker based on Devon Children’s Social care POD team.

I am sent a picture...

After this swim, he demanded a nose clip so he could dive for bricks.

Wombling Free

It's a strange life at the best of times...

Darren and Dave's mystery tour in Cornwall

Remembering the floods of Boscastle 2004

Darren and Dave's Mystery Tours Dartmeet

We're back! Mystery Tours part 1...

Dawlish Beach Day

Outreach days at Running Deer School

Encounters with an Adder

I have always been keen to spot an adder, or two!

Fire

Since the dawn of time fire has been an important to humans in a physical and psychological way.

A Walk with Purpose

Getting to know the area

Dartmoor Days

Wistmans Wood

The importance of making your own decisions

So how important is it?

Let me tell you how I learn...

I remember being at school and secretly wearing my headphones to listen to music.

The Bushcraft Challenge

Bushcraft encompasses many things

Hello Folks

I thought it would be good to introduce myself with a quick blog.

Snow. It's Snowing!

The shout of surely every child in the land...

Every day is a new challenge / opportunity

No two days are alike at Running Deer

Change and adaptability

We are all trying to deal with change in our own way

Whatever happened to all the cake?

Most of you know I love cake...

P.S. don't forget to send all those Christmas cards.

Hello there from my isolation booth at home.