We are fortunate to have a fantastic Forest School in the school grounds, which is looked after and run by our dedicated Forest School specialist. The concept of Forest Schools originated in Scandinavia in the mid-20th Century where outdoor living and learning is a societal norm. Forest Schools were introduced in the UK in the mid-1990s after a group of teachers visited Denmark and were so impressed by what they saw that they developed their own programme. Further to this, in recent years the Department for Education has sought to enable schools to make better use of the outdoor classroom as a context for teaching and learning.
Forest School recognises the value of the natural world as a direct educational resource. Appreciation of the importance of woodlands and the natural world, comes only with a deeply ingrained relationship with that environment. The creation of a positive environmental identity in childhood has an impact on beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviours that last into adulthood.
A central aim of our Forest School provision is to promote our pupils’ self-esteem, confidence and well-being. We are focused on supporting pupils to become self-capable learners over all the seasons of an academic year in an outdoor context. Experiences we offer create memories that enable future understanding and support problem solving skills in our students, an essential aspect of learning and development. Our Forest School gives pupils the opportunity to freely explore the environment and grow in confidence, take responsibility for their own learning and show a greater appreciation for the natural world in which they live.
Our pupils can apply so much of their Forest School learning not only to their everyday lives in school, but also at home and in the wider community.
All of our pupils are able to learn in the Forest School throughout their time in both Reception and Year 5 and will engage in a wide variety of activities from pond-dipping and mini-beast hunting to plant classification.
When attending Forest School, pupils should bring a change of clothes suitable for hot and sunny weather or cold, wet and muddy conditions as appropriate. This may include:
Forest School recognises the value of the natural world as a direct educational resource. Appreciation of the importance of woodlands and the natural world, comes only with a deeply ingrained relationship with that environment. The creation of a positive environmental identity in childhood has an impact on beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviours that last into adulthood.
A central aim of our Forest School provision is to promote our pupils’ self-esteem, confidence and well-being. We are focused on supporting pupils to become self-capable learners over all the seasons of an academic year in an outdoor context. Experiences we offer create memories that enable future understanding and support problem solving skills in our students, an essential aspect of learning and development. Our Forest School gives pupils the opportunity to freely explore the environment and grow in confidence, take responsibility for their own learning and show a greater appreciation for the natural world in which they live.
Our pupils can apply so much of their Forest School learning not only to their everyday lives in school, but also at home and in the wider community.
All of our pupils are able to learn in the Forest School throughout their time in both Reception and Year 5 and will engage in a wide variety of activities from pond-dipping and mini-beast hunting to plant classification.
When attending Forest School, pupils should bring a change of clothes suitable for hot and sunny weather or cold, wet and muddy conditions as appropriate. This may include:
- Waterproof coat
- Waterproof trousers
- Sturdy footwear
- Long sleeved top
- Long legged thick trousers (leggings do not protect pupils from stinging nettles)
- Socks
- Gloves
- Sun hat
- Plastic carrier bag to put muddy footwear in after Forest School sessions