Forest School
“The best classroom and the richest classroom is roofed only by the sky” – Margaret McMillan
What is Forest School?
Forest School is a child centred outdoor approach to learning which promotes many areas of development, it encourages imagination immersing children into nature and to capture their own holistic journey supporting their pursuit of internally motivated learning. Confidence, self-esteem and self-belief are built during the sessions and the children develop independence, creativity and resilience. Forest School encourages learning to take risks and manage risks, physically, mentally and socially. The ethos of Forest School is to respect the child’s decisions and abilities. The children learn to develop essential cognitive and physical skills but also develop a deep connection with the natural world, they learn to appreciate and respect their surroundings, fostering a life long love for nature and the environment.
“Forest School is an inspirational process, that offers ALL learners regular opportunities to achieve, develop confidence and self-esteem, through hands on learning experiences in a local woodland or natural environment with trees”
- Forest School Association
What is our vision at Forest School?
The aim of our Forest School at Wimborne First School is to encourage and inspire our children to develop positive relationships, in all aspects including the natural world, through positive experiences and participation in fun, engaging and motivated learning. Through Forest School we aim for our children to develop their confidence, communication, creativity and self esteem to fully immerse themselves in a rich learning environment. We recognise the importance and value of outdoor learning and the important role it plays.
Forest School has 6 core principles;
1. Forest School is a long-term process with frequent and regular sessions in a local natural space, not a one-off visit. Planning, adaptation, observations and reviewing are integral elements. Currently all classes in Reception and Year 1 use the Forest School area on a weekly basis. Year 1 sessions are led by Marie Whetlor as she trains and expands the schools Forest school area. There are also groups of children that use the area throughout the school up into year 4. Sessions commence with a hook and the children are free to explore and develop their understanding of the outside environment. There is weekly planning that will be based on the children’s ideas and interests.
Our aim is to ensure that all the year groups are able to access the Forest School area as the site and settings develop and when the training is completed.
2. Forest School takes place in a woodland or natural wooded environment to support the development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world. Our Forest School area is situated on the peak of our school grounds and adjacent to the MUGA. The schools building completion was in 2019 meaning the site itself is limited with expansive trees, however, fortune favours us as we have a Mighty Oak and many other trees and shrubs are showing their substantial presence. The children will be involved in developing the area and we intend to use little or no ecological impact during and after our sessions. Materials for woodland woodcraft will be sourced from the site once it has developed. The school also has network links to recover any materials or resources for planned activities.
3. Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all those involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.
We aim to promote the physical, social, emotional, cognitive, spiritual and linguistic skills of every child that visits our Forest School.
4. Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and themselves. Forest School is an outdoor educational approach that encourages children to explore and learn in natural environments. It promotes hands-on experiences, creativity, and a deep connection with nature. Risk management is an essential aspect of Forest School, ensuring that children can engage in activities safely while still experiencing manageable risks.
5. Forest School is run by qualified Forest School Practitioners, who continuously develop their professional practice. Marie Whetlor is currently training for Forest School Leadership Level 3 Qualification; she is outdoor emergency first aid trained and this handbook provides all the relevant policies and procedures to safely run a forest school session.
6. Forest School uses a range of learner centred processes to create a community for development and learning. The forest school leader will ensure all planning/resources are up to date to support the children with developing in their own areas. Our Forest School will consist of a play based approach using the children’s ideas to lead the plans for their sessions.The Forest School Leader models the pedagogy which they promote during their programmes through careful planning, appropriate dialogue and relationship build
What is the role of play and choice in our Forest School?
Play is of vital importance for natural child development, and Forest School provides an ideal environment for purely child led play. Children will have the freedom to choose which activity they take part in, and if they come up with their own activities, then it is even better! Adults attending and supporting must understand the importance of choice in play. Child led play supports children to progress according to their own interests and level of learning. Play has been shown to be extremely important as it helps children to make connections in their learning by thinking in abstract ways, using their imagination, and developing their understanding on how others think and feel. Play should not have a purpose but should be open-minded to focus on the process rather than the end product. Playing outside is very beneficial to children, promoting their well-being and allows them to build on their physical development while working on muscle strength and coordination. It has also been shown that exposure to sunlight can give us a natural boost and therefore have a positive effect on
children's mental health.
● Play is free and unstructured.
● Play can be independent or as part of a group.
● Play may involve equipment or just pure imagination.
● Play can be; boisterous, energetic, quiet, contemplative, light-hearted or serious.
● Play can bring children and adults together.
● Play is an essential element to Learning.
A wide range and variety of activities will be available during the Forest School sessions and will vary according to each of the children’s ability, age and experiences. These may include:
● Den building
● Use and practice of a variety of knots
● Safe use of Fire lighting and cooking
● The identification of plants and animals
● Exploration of the natural world
● How to look after the natural world
● Use of sustainable resources within the Forest School
● Safe use of tools to support learning
● Different seasons/what happens in each season
● Developing key social and emotional skills; e.g spiritual development, health and wellbeing
● Playing in the outdoors
● Taking risks in a safe way
● Building relationships/supporting each other
● Achieving manageable tasks individually and in a group
What are the rules of Forest School?
All children participating in our Forest School sessions are encouraged to be involved in the decisions about their environment and safety: however, there are a few rules that the children will be made aware of at the start of their Forest School experience. Behind each rule, there is a range of learning opportunities that will encourage children to engage with and understand these rules, They are:
● Look after the Forest School
● Eating plants: Do not pick anything growing without checking with the Forest School Leader, if it is ok to do so.
● Do not put your fingers or anything in your mouth (younger participants)
● Stay within the boundaries marked at the start of the session, (this is mentioned at the start of every session)
● Stay outside of the fire circle (except when allowed to light fire), do not cross through the fire circle,
● Look above, below and around for hazards
● Answer and return to the leader when the group call is made
● You must listen and follow instructions from the Forest School Leader at all times.
What are the behaviour expectations at Forest School?
Good and helpful behaviour is positively encouraged at Wimborne First School Forest School, with much emphasis on courtesy and consideration for others and the environment. We recognise that children respond well to praise and encouragement, therefore we use it freely to promote good behaviour.
As a Forest School Leader, my aim is to:
● Develop an awareness of acceptable behaviour in an outdoor environment.
● Encourage participants to take pride in their everyday activities and develop a sense of pride
in their achievements.
● Build on self esteem, independence and motivation
● Reinforce collaborative behaviour
● Promote awareness of other people's feelings, respect and care for each other.
● Have a consistent appraise to expectations as Forest School
● Create a positive and happy environment to encourage caring, nurturing and helpful behaviour
● place the needs of the children first
● Provide positive role models for children and volunteers
● Promote effective relationships in which all are accepted, valued and treated equally.
For the environment, we will:
● Promote respect for equipment, tools and their maintenance
● We always place a high value on our surrounding environment
● We provide activities to understand and encourage sustainable living
● We practise no litter policy and offer a ‘leave no trace’ experience
● We demonstrate conservation and good practice in a natural environment. (eg not to damage vegetation unnecessarily and use sustainably sourced materials)
If behaviour expectations are not recognised and action is required, the following steps will be taken:
● Re-engage the child into Forest School activities
● Talk to the child and remind them of the importance of acceptable behaviour and what we are trying to aim for.
● Give the child time away from the activities to reflect
● If after two warnings the behaviour continues, the SLT at the main school will be contacted via the walkie talkie and a discussion will be had to determine the next step.
● If the behaviour continues during 3 sessions, or the behaviour places them or other children at risk, the child will need to miss a session or more future sessions.
What are the benefits of Forest School?
The benefits of a Forest school have long been reported by practitioners, parents and learners. The benefits are linked to the ethos and principles that guide Forest Schools. Research has been conducted into the benefits of Forest Schools and multiple studies have reported extensive benefits of attending a Forest School. Many of the benefits of Forest Schools are found to be long-lasting and can be applied to other aspects of a child’s life and even follow them into adulthood.
Some of the benefits include:
● An increase in self-belief - Learners are encouraged to assess risks themselves and decide when to take risks. Exploration - risk-taking and child-led learning can all result in an improved self-belief. Learners and practitioners are encouraged to reflect to understand their achievements and learn from their failures
● An increase in confidence - The encouraged risk-taking, access to the natural world, learner-led experiences and learning through play can all result in increased confidence.
● Improved problem- solving skills - learners learn how to assess problems and make their own
decisions about the best way to solve their problems. Learners become more independent
problem solvers
● Communication skills - This includes further development of language skills. Forest Schools encourage sensory experiences, scaffolding from practitioners, the use of appropriate dialogue and collaborative work, which can all help to improve a learners communication skills.
● An increase in motivation and concentration - young learners often find concentration difficult. However, Forest School activities are designed to be interesting and engaging. LEarning through play and child-led learning results in higher levels of interest, which in turn improves a learner's attention and concentration. Learners are more likely to concentrate over a longer period of time.
● The development of physical skills and motor skills - many Forest School activities will help it to improve a learners fine and gross motor skills. Outdoor activities may also focus on a variety of other physical skills such as balancing, climbing and sensory skills.
● Promotes emotional intelligence - Emotional intelligence includes self-awareness, self-regulation, social skills, empathy and motivation. Good emotional intelligence enables children and young people to identify and manage their own and other peoples emotions.
● Focus on physical health - Forest School learners are usually more physically active. Parents of Forest School learners often report that their children's interest in woodland settings and the outside world transcends into their home life. This means children may also be more likely
to be physically active at home.
● Builds resilience - Learners are taught how to cope with stressful or negative situations. Not only can nature and the outdoors reduce stress, but children are also taught how to overcome obstacles and reflect on their experiences.
Additional benefits of attending a Forest School include:
● Achieve personal and social development
● Learning about the natural environment
● Learning problem-solving skills
● Build positive relationships
● Improving communication skills
● Encourages emotional well-being
● Improves the capacity of learning
● Encourages children to have a positive impact on the environment and to respect and care for the natural world.
What are the routines of Forest School?
Forest school runs on a weekly basis with PP children from different age ranges, a group of children that will benefit from the sessions from different age ranges and on a rotation for 3, year one classes. Before the session I:
● Carry out a site check before the session to identify hazards
● Weather check (refer)
● Ensure all equipment is clean and in good working order
● Resources are available on site
● Session plan and specific risk assessments available
● Head count
● Ensure correct ratios
● Ensure children are appropriately dressed and have water bottles
During session
● Introduce children to session
● Talk about the areas in use and any out of bounds
● Discuss rules of Forest School
● Do keep yourself safe, Do keep others safe and Do look after our Forest School and natural world.
● Give a brief outline of session (recap previous weeks)
● Make an ongoing assessment on weather conditions
● Ensure all children are accounted for during session
● Observe children and activities are being used.
End of Session
● Check tools back in
● Finish with circle time
● What did you enjoy?
● What would you like to learn next?
● Ensure no rubbish is left on site.
● Make sure Eco loo, cabin and premises are locked on return to school
● help children to wash hands and change clothing, if required.
● Debrief with other adults.
Post session
● Reflect on session
● Record any observations
● Record any incidents
