We have developed a new purpose built area within the school for our Forest school lessons where children learn a variety of new skills including bush craft; whittling, lighting fires, outdoor cooking, shelter building and tracking.

 The Forest School Ethos

Forest School is a unique educational experience and process that offers children the opportunity to succeed and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland environment.

Children engage in motivating and achievable tasks and activities throughout the year and in almost all weathers. Children will work with tools, play, learn boundaries of behaviour; both physical and social, grow in confidence, self-esteem and motivation whilst developing an understanding of the natural world.

The Forest School concept originates in Denmark, originally aimed at preschool children, where research showed that children who had attended forest school started their school career with strong social and communication skills, having the ability to work in groups more effectively. Generally, these children had higher self-esteem, confidence and developed a positive growth mind-set regarding their own abilities. These foundations helped them to raise their academic achievements.

  A Forest School encourages children to:

• develop personal and social skills
• work through practical problems and challenges
• use tools to create, build or manage
• discover how they learn best
• pursue knowledge that interests them
• learn how to manage failures
• build confidence in decision making and evaluating risk
• develop practical skills
• understand the benefits of a balanced and healthy lifestyle
• explore connections between humans, wildlife and the earth
• regularly experience achievement and success
• reflect on learning and experiences
• develop their language and communication skills
• improve physical motor skills
• become more motivated
• improve their concentration skills