Arts & Writing

The Circle was formed in 1978 following a creative writing course held by the Workers Educational Association, with the objective of of providing support, advice and inspiration to improve writing skills. 
They are here to support and encourage local writers to be the best they can be.

A unique collection of world class, contemporary sculpture, both permanent and temporary, within the Forest of Dean.

Art Space Cinderford

Artspace Cinderford are an arts and education based charity based in the Forest of Dean. Established in 1988, the organisation specialises in offering fully inclusive, accessible creative opportunities for people of any age or ability.

Music

The Foresters' Forest runs projects that Celebrate the Forest with its vibrant musical and literary traditions, and tells the story of its villages and people in books, poetry, art and music.

The Forest of Dean Folk Club has been promoting folk and acoustic music in the Forest for in excess of 35 years and are proud of their legacy of keeping music live and accessible to everyone in the area and beyond.

Forest Brass Bands

The Forest of Dean has a long tradition of band music. There are several bands in the area. Click on the links below to visit them.:

Bream Silver Band
Forest of Dean Brass
Cinderford Band
Pillowell Silver Band
A W Parker Band (Drybrook)
Lydbrook Band


Coleford Music Festival

Unfortunately because of Covid-19 restrictions the 2020 Festival was cancelled, but hopefully 2021 will be a better year. Keep an eye on their website for news.

Science & Nature

Free Computer Courses

There are free computer courses and tutorials on the web. There are courses here aimed at complete beginners, as well as more advanced learners. Learn programming, how to use Microsoft applications or how to design websites. Something for everyone. Click on the links below.

FOD Astronomical Society

The aim is to provide somewhere for astronomers of all levels, ages and regardless of disabilities a place to meet in the Forest of Dean area. They are active on Facebook.

Forester's Forest (Nature)

Our Stronghold for Nature recognises the national importance of the Forest of Dean for wildlife, and will provide fantastic opportunities for us all to learn about the plants and animals that make the Forest their home, as well as opportunities to help maintain and improve the forest’s habitats: waterways, ponds, mires, heathland and woodlands.

RSPB Nags Head
Nature Reserve

Curated by our passionate, dedicated staff, we stock latest titles in all reading genres. We offer a free 48 hour ordering service for almost every title.

Gloucestershire
Wildlife Trust

Curated by our passionate, dedicated staff, we stock latest titles in all reading genres. We offer a free 48 hour ordering service for almost every title.

International Centre
for Birds of Prey

Curated by our passionate, dedicated staff, we stock latest titles in all reading genres. We offer a free 48 hour ordering service for almost every title.

Forestry England

Forests care for us. Together we care for forests.

For over 100 years, Forestry England have been growing, shaping and caring for over 1,500 of the nation’s forests for the benefit and enjoyment of all, for this generation and the next.

There are podcasts to keep you connected to nature. Hear them here


Gloucestershire
Geology Trust

Gloucestershire Geology Trust (GGT) is a registered charity, a founder member of The Geology Trusts and one of the leading geoconservation organisations in the country. The Trust was set up in 1992, with the aim of surveying and recording Regionally Important Geological Sites (RIGS).

Parents & Children

Online resources for children and parents


We have put together some of the best resources for online learning for all ages from pre-school to University. In our children's section we also have books on the current topics taught at Bream Junior School. If you live locally please come in and browse our collection.

If you have a great resource you think should be added to our list let us know by sending email to : info@breamcommunitylibrary.co.uk



Age : University and College Students

StuDocu is a student-to-student knowledge exchange platform where students can share knowledge, college notes, and study guides. There are free resources, summaries, practice questions, assignments, solutions and much more. 80% of all the documents on the platform are free. They do however have a premium version which unlocks 20% of the most popular documents across the whole site for £2.49/$3 a month


Visit StuDocu















Ages 5 - 16

YouTube has created a directory of educational content on its website. With Learn@Home, parents can find lists of YouTube channels that create educational content for children. There are videos for toddlers, children aged 5 or older, and content for children aged 13 and older.

The animated series Amoeba sisters covers science, Brian McLogan teaches maths to struggling students and Computerphile gets kids excited about IT. There's something for every student and every subject. Well worth checking out.



Ages 6+

Shemza Digital Art

This digital painting activity is fun to take part in and the a great activity to do with children.
Visit Shemza Digital Art




Looking for something fun as a family? Enjoy storytime with free online books and videos, play games, win prizes, test your knowledge in book-themed quizzes, or even learn how to draw some of your favourite characters.Discover some of the best new books, as well as the children's classics waiting to be re-discovered. From babies to teenagers, the Book Trust has got it covered!



Ages 0-13
Scholastic Books
Scholastic have some great home learning resources.  Play games, win prizes or even ask the Book Wizard which book is best for you when you join their Book Club. Take a look at Scholastic Children's Books to find a great new read.

Visit Scholastic



Ages 4 - 16

Twig Education provide free science resources for children aged 4 - 16
They have free access to their supplemental science programs, which include:
  • Bespoke curriculum-aligned videos
  • Supporting lesson materials
  • Hands-on activities that you can do with limited resources
  • New student independent study packs for distance learning
Visit Twig Education


Key Stages 2 and 3

Chicken House
Subscribe to the Chicken House Newsletter and get all the latest scoops from the coop including exclusive author news, book releases, competitions and more!

Visit Chicken House





Children up to 14

Funbrain has been a world leader in children's education since the 1990's providing fun and free classes for children up to the age of 14. Children can work on literacy and numeracy and build up their confidence, while playing games to make the learning enjoyable. The grade system used is American.







All Ages

Giving teachers and families the tools and tips they need to help keep students learning.

Now that schoolwork is happening at home, students are spending more time than ever online. Here are some tips and tools to help families support children’s use of technology and help them stay safe online.

Google have created this website to help teachers, but there are plenty of tips for children and parents learning at home.

Visit Google Teach






All ages

PE with Joe is for children of any age.

PE With Joe Wicks began on Monday 23rd March 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic and the UK lockdown. When it was announced that all schools would be closed and with the prospect of kids spending more time at home, he thought it was more important than ever that they kept moving and stayed healthy and positive. Joe is still doing it!

Joe has his own YouTube channel. There are live sessions three times a week at 9am., and plenty of past videos to enjoy.

Visit PE with Joe




Early Years Learning

Starfall focusses on early years learning, offering free interactive classes on art, language and music. This colourful American site is a great place for parents to find useful ideas for teaching their children - like "How to build a robot", which can be replicated using Lego building blocks.

Visit Starfall






Ages 2 - 18

In a bid to help parents and teachers with the school closures and the coronavirus, TES has compiled a list of free resources to assist with home learning. A huge range of companies, celebrities and organisations are now offering their services for free. There are 148 of them!

The resources range from Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to Key Stage 5, covering all aspects of education from ages 2 to 18. Something for everyone.

Visit TES




For children with special educational needs and disabilities. The BBC has some great SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) resources, activities and support to help you and your family during lockdown.




Ages 3 - 16+

BBC Bitesize has lessons full of videos, quizzes and practice activities to for home learning. Click on the subject to go to its page:

History  Geography  Science  English  Maths  Computing




Ages 0 - 12+
Whether you're a parent or teacher, make the most out of Faber's children's books by downloading their free resources including activity sheets and cross-curricular lesson plans. You can also browse their upcoming titles.

Visit Faber



Ages 3 - 16

Audible Stories have made all their classic children's stories free online as audiobooks. There is something for ages pre-school to teen. Well worth a look.




Early Years

The government has produced simple, fun activities for kids, from newborn to five.

Many little things light up hungry little minds. Kids take everything in, and even the smallest things you do with them can make a big difference.

They love it when you chat, play and read with them, even when they’re too young to understand everything. Whatever the time and wherever you are, you can turn almost anything into a game. And every little thing you do together will help set them up nicely for the day they start school.

Visit Hungry Little Minds





                                         
Key Stage 2 - A Level
Join 4,500,000 students using Seneca as the funnest way to learn at KS2, KS3, GCSE & A Level. And it's free! This is a very good site for GCE and A Level revision material.

Visit Seneca





Mostly for younger children

Kevin Graal - Talking Tales

Storytelling resources featuring rhymes, songs, stories and related storytelling activities – from play-rhymes for babies and toddlers and their grown-ups to stories for school-age children and young people.

Visit Talking Tales






All ages

Minecraft

Minecraft is already popular with children. It's a game-based learning platform that promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive digital environment. Educators in more than 115 countries are using Minecraft: Education Edition across the curriculum!







Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Book 1
Written By: J.K. Rowling
Narrated by: Stephen Fry
Free audiobook on Audible






Ages 8 onwards

National Geographic

 Content free for students to explore the world from their bedrooms.



All ages

Oak Academy
Let's keep pupils learning - Over 10,000 free video lessons and resources.

Made by teachers, for every teacher and pupil. Children can visit their online classroom and access their free lessons. You can search for lessons by subject and year group, or follow their suggested weekly schedule.





Ages: Early Years - 11
Teacher's Pet
Sign up for their FREE account and get weekly learning timetables, resources, ideas, tips and more. This site is for primary school pupils






All ages

Duolingo for foreign language learning

A free app for your phone for students to work on their language skills, or try a new language.

Learning languages with Duolingo. It's fun and addictive. Earn points for correct answers, race against the clock, and level up. They have bite-sized lessons for effective learning


Visit Duolingo


GCSE
For GCSE students who like podcasts this site has collections on a range of subjects.





Primary
News Mag Media are publishers of curriculum-linked children's monthly news magazines. 
They have made their content free. Great for supporting children with their non-fiction reading. 





Ages 0 - 12
The National Literacy Trust - Words for Life
It's never too early to support your child to read. The National Literacy Trust Words for Life website provides parents, children and young people with activities and support to improve their language, literacy and communication skills from home.


Primary TTS
TTS have created a curriculum-focused independent learning resource with over 120 home learning activities all planned and all prepared! There is a choice of free workbooks for primary-aged children.

Visit TTS




Age: 2 - 18

Khan Academy

For every student, every classroom. Real results. Khan Academy are a nonprofit with the mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.




Museums and Galleries

Museums and galleries are available to visitors, or for those unable to visit in person why not use 'Virtual Visits' online? See link below:



GCSE English
Mr Bruff has shared daily English lessons for GCSE students.


Ages 8+

Microsoft

Microsoft are offering free workshops for children in coding and lots of other subjects
Spark their curiosity with free virtual workshops
Make good use of free time with interactive online workshops for students. They'll be having so much fun they won't realise they're gaining new skills.






Parents and Teachers

Podcasts about Education for Teachers and Parents

A series of podcast interviews with teachers who have been doing an outstanding job in dealing with the challenges of the pandemic. These podcasts are based on the American education system, but there are ideas that will be of interest to all educators.


Community

The Bream Heritage Walk is a National Lottery Heritage funded 6.5 mile heritage trail around the villages of Bream and Whitecroft and the hamlets of Saunders Green and Brockhollands. It can be walked in one go in 3-4 hours or in less time in shorter sections.

FRED is a FREE service for people who live in the Forest of Dean and who would like to improve their reading and early writing skills

Forest Talk is a free, weekly, recorded ‘newspaper’ for reading-impaired people who live in, or are interested in, the Forest of Dean, helping them keep in touch with local news and events. There's a good selection of local news items and features.ated by our passionate, dedicated staff, we stock latest titles in all reading genres. We offer a free 48 hour ordering service for almost every title.

A wide range of local groups regularly use the hall, covering interests such as keep fit, gardening, singing, history, art, Guides/Brownies and Early Learners.

Wyldwood Arts Forest Podcast

Wyldwood Arts produce socially engaged projects across The Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire & Bristol that help connect communities, including podcasts sharing the unique stories of places & people in the Forest of Dean.