The Butts Primary SchoolForest School
What is Forest School?
Forest School takes place outdoors in a natural environment and it is an holistic approach to education, which means it aims to develop all aspects of an individual such as self-esteem, confidence, creativity, imagination, resilience, teamwork and independence as well as developing physical skills, activity based learning and nature education. At Forest School the children are taught about how to care of themselves, each other and our planet. Sessions are child-led so the individual can choose which activities and games to take part in. It is a program that supports play, exploration and appropriate risk taking.
Why do we have Forest School?
We are providing Forest School sessions as part of the school curriculum as numerous scientific studies have proved that it has a positive impact on wellbeing, development and education. Spending time outdoors and being physically active clearly have health benefits but developing a strong connection to the natural world has been proven to be beneficial for both physical and mental health. This aspect is increasingly important due to the challenges young people face in our current world.
Who runs the Forest School Sessions?
Forest School at The Butts Primary School is run by fully qualified Level 3 Forest School Leader, Yvonne Robarts. Yvonne has a background in Environmental Science and has been working in schools in Hampshire since 2018. She is extremely passionate about the natural world and the importance of spending time outdoors. Yvonne is also a member of the Forest School Association, the professional body for Forest School in the UK.
The Forest School Leaders role is to provide activities and learning opportunities for the children, whilst ensuring that the principles of Forest School are adhered to.
The 6 principles of Forest School are;
PRINCIPLE 1
Forest School is a long-term process of frequent and regular sessions in a woodland or natural environment, rather than a one-off visit. Planning, adaptation, observations and reviewing are integral elements of Forest School.
PRINCIPLE 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.
PRINCIPLE 3
Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all those involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.
PRINCIPLE 4
Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.
PRINCIPLE 5
Forest School is run by qualified Forest School practitioners who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.
PRINCIPLE 6
Forest School uses a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for development and learning
Here is an outline of the different areas of development and how these are being encouraged/supported by the Forest School Leader;
Physical – Fine and Gross Motor Skills
Through den building, climbing, using ropes/rope swings and using tools such as hammers, palm drills, secateurs and fire steels they are developing their motor skills, increasing accuracy, control and strength.
Sensory
We use our senses e.g. listening to the birds and the noise of the wind in the trees. Touching mud, leaves, branches and bark. Looking for wildlife and looking at the changes in the plants around us. Using natural materials such as clay, sticks and string for crafts. Developing balance while climbing, swinging and using the hammocks.
Social
Playing team games to help to form friendships and aid communication skills. Playing/creating together and coming together at the end of each session to chat and reflect with a drink and a snack aids social development. Some sessions the group cook together on a campfire.
Self-Help
Independence – helping themselves to resources, overcoming problems (e.g. when den building) and rectifying their own mistakes when using tools. Support and advice is given and help where needed, whilst following the child’s interests and ideas.
Cognitive
In all their play, the children are planning, preparing, measuring, building, creating and resolving issues – these are early engineering skills at work.
Emotional
Taking turns, sharing equipment, and listening respectfully to each other all helps their emotional development. Also the activities help them to feel empowered and to have pride in their own abilities and achievements.
Spiritual
Being in nature, talking about it and teaching them about the plants and animals will help to instil a sense of awe and wonder in the world around us. Inspiring them and helping them to feel connected to nature.
Language
Chatting about the environment and the plant and animal species around them helps to build their vocabulary. They are also developing their language skills when they are working as a team and discussing what they are doing.
A note about safety and risk – Taking risks is so important for children as this is how they learn to be independent, how to make decisions for themselves, how to adapt and resolve problems and become resilient. These are skills that they will need to survive and thrive in today’s world. They are encouraged to be independent but are also taught about safety e.g. which tree is safe to climb or not, judging the level of risk for themselves, how to climb/swing within their own limits, fire safety.
