What is Forest School?
‘Forest Schools is an innovative educational approach to outdoor play and learning.’
Forest Schools is a philosophy that encourages and inspires individuals through positive experiences and participation in engaging and motivating achievable tasks and activities in a woodland environment, helping to develop personal, social and emotional skills:
¨ Independence
¨ Self-discovery
¨ Confidence
¨ Communication skills
¨ Raised self-esteem
Children from all year groups will visit the on-site woodland and, through play, learn about the natural environment, how to handle risks and most importantly to use their own initiative to problem solve and work with others. Forest school runs in all weathers (as long as it is safe to do so) and can, therefore, run all year round. The children take part in a range of child initiated learning opportunities that seek to develop their curiosity, confidence, self - esteem, creativity, empathy, communication skills, knowledge of the natural environment and ability to assess risk.
Our Forest School practice is shaped and guided by the Forest School principles:
- Forest School is a long-term process of regular sessions, rather than one-off or infrequent visits; the cycle of planning, observation, adaptation and review links each session.
- Forest School takes place in a woodland or natural environment to support the development of a lifelong relationship between the learner and the natural world.
- Forest School uses a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for being, development and learning.
- Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.
- Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.
- Forest School is run by qualified Forest School practitioners, who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.
Further detail of these and the ethos of Forest School can be found here: https://forestschoolassociation.org/what-is-forest-school/