What is 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. Its roots reach back to early years pioneers in outdoor learning and across the sea to Scandinavia.

(Forest School Association)

To find out about Forest School at St. Leonard's please look at Class 2's class page.

Forest School (Intent, Implementation and Impact)

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. At St. Leonard’s Lower School, Forest Schools provides a nurturing space that supports our children’s wellbeing by providing and implementing positive, outdoor, child centred experiences in a natural setting.

Children participating in Forest Schools have a half-day session weekly. Our provision is in a secure, small woodland and fielded area at the back of the school and on some occasions at Rushmere Country Park. These two hours provide children with the time to experience their environment and be fully emerged within their learning. A level three trained Forest School provider leads Forest School sessions and children’s skills are developed as they progress through the year. Children develop practical skills such as knot tying, fire lighting and the safe, responsible use of tools.

At Forest School, children run, make a noise, get their hands dirty and learn in a natural space by taking part in seasonal activities that may involve an element of managed risk; by succeeding here, they develop the self-esteem that will support them throughout their lives. Children are active, take ownership of their learning and develop their confidence through a variety of independent tasks they take ownership of. Children develop knowledge of sustainability and respect for their learning environment and the outdoors as a whole. Children develop their teamwork skills and increase their capability to work together to solve problems in a variety of ways, taking into account one another’s ideas. Positive relationships are built through these sessions and children are both enabled and empowered to achieve their holistic potential.