The Bushcraft Challenge
Alex • 2 May 2021
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.
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."
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.
Summer Newsletter 2025
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.
February in the forest can be pretty bleak...
I look forward to the learning nature will bring me.
Who doesn't like to learn a new skill?
Trauma informed school status.
This is just the beginning as now we have mastered the basic idea there is no holding us back.
Another successful day with the Running Deer.