Forest School
Forest School is an inspirational process that offers all learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment with trees.
Forest School is a specialised learning approach that sits within and compliments the wider context of outdoor and woodland education. The ethos is shared by thousands of trained practitioners across the UK and beyond. It’s roots reach back to early years pioneers in outdoor learning and across the sea to Scandinavia.
At Forest School all participants are viewed as:
-
equal, unique and valuable
-
competent to explore & discover
-
entitled to experience appropriate risk and challenge
-
entitled to choose, and to initiate and drive their own learning and development
-
entitled to experience regular success
-
entitled to develop positive relationships with themselves and other people
-
entitled to develop a strong, positive relationship with their natural world
At Acomb First School we believe all children should have the opportunity to access a woodland or natural environment over a period of time which provides them with inspirational and challenging outdoor learning opportunities. Forest School offers a learner centred approach, where participants can learn through self-directed play and exploration. Children involved in our Forest School Programme will be given the opportunity to develop their curiosity, confidence, self-esteem, creativity, empathy, communication skills, knowledge of the natural environment and ability to assess risk. These experiences also enable high quality writing to be completed based on real life experiences.
Acomb First School children regularly access Forest School with our Forest School teacher Mrs Grey. We link our forest school sessions to our curriculum. Our activities will depend on the ability and experience of participants. Examples of Forest School activities include:
• Nature exploration
• Building dens and other structures
• Fires and cooking
• Games and invitations for imaginative play
• Natural crafts
• Using tools, such as knives and saws
• Scavenger hunts and adventure
