Forest School

Every Tuesday (Oak Class) and Wednesday (Maple Class), our youngest children come to school in waterproof clothing and spend the morning enjoying and exploring our extensive school grounds during their Forest School sessions, with our fully trained Forest School Leaders and class teachers.

We have now opened up our Forest School to our three Y1/2 classes in the afternoons when the children work with our Forest School Leaders and Teaching Assistants:

Elm | Tuesdays

Willow | Wednesdays

Holly | Thursdays

Forest School is an inspirational process that offers children regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence through hands-on learning in a woodland environment. It is based upon the desire to provide children with an education which encourages an appreciation of the natural world.  It is child led learning where pupils gain a better understanding of the environment, themselves and others.  Research shows that children are stimulated by the outdoors and typically experience, over time, an increase in their self-belief, confidence, learning capacity, enthusiasm, communication and problem-solving skills and emotional well-being. 

Children learn best when they are engaged in active learning and possibility thinking and exploring.  “What can I do with this?”, “How can I do this?” Forest School is full of opportunities for exploration, which is at the heart of learning.  Children discover connections and find new and innovative ways of doing things and achieving, supported by adults to think critically. 

Whatever the weather, the children enjoy their time engaged in a wide range of activities which help to develop their  confidence, social skills, communication, motivation, physical skills and of course knowledge of the world in which they live. 

What to wear for Forest School days

There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing!!

Because of the nature of Forest Schools, we are asking that children wear their own clothes on their Forest School day: old clothes and wellies that you are happy for them to get dirty!  They will get muddy!!!  They will also require a waterproof coat, trousers, an extra jumper and extra pair of socks, along with a hat, scarf and gloves! All of which must be very clearly named please!  The children can get cold during Forest School if they do not have the right clothing.  

The children need to arrive in school on Forest School day wearing:

• their home clothes;

• appropriate footwear for in the classroom and playground (no lace-ups please);

• their waterproof coat.

In a clearly named and easily identifiable bag, ready for their Forest School session, the children need:

• wellies;

• waterproof trousers;

• an extra jumper, scarf, gloves, socks and hat.   

Thank you!

Here are some photos of the children fully engaged in our Forest School.

As you can see, great fun is had by all!