What is Forest Schools?

A Forest School is an educational system with an outdoor model and focuses on children learning practical skills in a natural setting. The forest school approach aims for its participants to enjoy their experiences, and to improve their knowledge, well-being, and health, in an outdoor setting.

Forest School Key Features

These are some of the key features of the Forest School approach:

· It takes place in a woodland or a natural environment.

· It is a long-term commitment, rather than a one-off or infrequent activity. At Ysgol Bro Carmel, each year group will have one afternoon of Forest Schools per week, one a ‘one half term on, one half term off’ rotation. At any given point, three classes will be having Forest Schools each week, and then swap with the other three classes. Forest School takes place throughout the year during all four seasons.

· The environment and stimulus in Forest School sessions offer children the opportunity to safely explore and manage their risk-taking.

· It follows a holistic, learner-centric approach by encouraging children to think about their actions, how things work, and how they are connected.

· It is run by qualified Forest School leaders. These trained practitioners focus on well-being and encourage learners to be resilient, independent, and creative. Miss Redshaw is our qualified Forest School leader.

· Forest School benefits children as it cultivates a supportive environment in which they can have the freedom to develop team-building, problem-solving, and socio-emotional skills that indoor learning and classroom settings wouldn’t necessarily be able to provide. These principles are what make Forest School different from other types of outdoor learning. You can visit the Forest School Association to learn more about their qualifications and ethos.

What’s the history behind Forest Schools?

Forest Schools have been around in the UK since the 1990s. There is a long history of open-air culture before this, which would inspire Forest Schools, particularly in Scandinavian countries. This philosophy is called ‘friluftsliv’, which means ‘outdoor life’ in Norwegian, and it is a key part of Nordic culture which is reflected to some degree in their school systems.

In the UK since the early 20th Century, we have had organisations like the Scouts and Woodcraft Folk who taught children outdoor skills. Then, in 2012, the Forest School Association (or FSA) was established as the new professional body for Forest Schools all across the UK.

Forest School Skills

Forest School programmes teach children a wide variety of skills in the great outdoors, such as:

· Forest school skills learned during activities include practical abilities such as building, making and using tools, foraging, and cooking with fire. A classic outdoor learning activity for children is den or shelter building, which requires teamwork and effort to complete.

· Designed to promote creative thinking and teamwork, Forest School sessions centre around the idea of teaching children safe practice and risk-management outdoors, encouraging children to learn to manage these skills themselves.

· Forest Schools are designed to build children’s awareness of their environment and how they are connected to it. They also help children learn to develop a social conscience, by teaching them how to care for and protect the natural world, as well as learning about the different eco-systems of our school and local area.

· For younger children, forest school in the early years encourages messy play, including scavenging and sensory activities to engage them with the woodland. The pupils will learn about native wildlife and plants, making observations of the habitat.

· Forest schools often have materials and activities available and provide guidance where needed, whilst encouraging their learners to choose their direction, and take ownership over their own learning. This develops independent thought and builds skills of self-reliance and ingenuity.

· At Carmel, we have our pond habitat, food-producing allotment, fire pit area and access to Carmel woods, all of which mean we can deliver a wide-range of nature-focussed activities on site.

Forest School skills are transferable across academic fields and daily life, and the core skills that children develop in their sessions are incredibly valuable in all areas of learning. The practical, hands-on activities, and the ethos behind the Forest School approach, facilitate an environment where children can practice assessing risks and honing socio-emotional skills such as teamwork and collaboration in ways that may be more challenging in a classroom environment.

Clothing for Forest Schools

For Forest Schools all children need:

· A pair of old trainers or wellies

· A pair of old trousers/tracksuit bottoms

· An old, long-sleeved top

· An old raincoat (where appropriate and weather dependent)

· Old, warm socks (where appropriate and weather dependent)

Hot Weather – Caps, Suncream and Water bottle

Cold Weather – Hats, Scarves and Gloves

Forest School takes place in the afternoon, therefore children will arrive at school in their normal school uniform and get changed at the end of lunch for Forest School. Forest School will take place in all weather conditions (unless deemed dangerous by the Forest School Lead and/or Headteacher) and so dressing appropriately for the weather is key.

What are some Forest School activity examples?

Children can work together on positive action for their local natural areas such as planting trees, litter picking and tackling climate change at a grassroots level. Examples of activities at Forest School might be:

· scavenger hunts

· shelter building

· campfire making/cooking

· woodwork

· nature art

· team building exercises

· identification activities, such as pond dipping, tree surveys and wildlife observations

· making crafts, tools and natural furniture

Forest School Benefits

Forest School can have many positive impacts on a child’s development and well-being. Studies show that many children now only spend a few hours a week playing outside. For many, it’s far less than the time they spend on their screens. This often translates to a lack of physical activity and exercise for children, as well as having an impact on children’s physical and mental health. Reduced fitness can affect children’s physical development and overall well-being into their adult lives. That’s why it’s more important than ever to combat an overly sedentary lifestyle while engaging children’s senses in the real world. Forest School benefits children and adults alike by uniting them in the natural world, and nurturing the development of skills and abilities that come from establishing a meaningful connection between us and our environment.

These are just some of the key Forest School benefits:

· Spending time in a local natural area helps us to feel connected to the landscape. Children can organically find out more about nature and geography in their own region, too.

· Forest Schools encourage curiosity and trying things out in contrast to more structured learning. Many see this as the perfect way to provide a balance to education in the 21st Century.

· It can help children to develop a connection with the natural world and the ecosystems we are part of. This can help children move through the world in a way that is considered respectful for their world, the things that live in it, and themselves.

· It’s effective for boosting children’s confidence, resilience, independence, and self-esteem through self-discovery.

· Forest School benefits lots of children who may find a classroom setting challenging to learn in, as it provides ample space for physical freedom, and the opportunity to use our ‘outdoor’ voices. This style of learning provides a safe, supportive environment that may be better suited to some children’s preferred learning styles.

· On top of that, there are also plenty of opportunities for physical development, from fine motor skills to gross motor skills, and lots of fun exercises too. This helps to develop an awareness of our bodies; our physical capabilities and limitations.

At what age do children attend Forest School?

Every child from reception to Year 6 will have access to Forest School sessions at Ysgol Bro Carmel, as part of our curriculum offer.