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, with a high adult to child ratio.

At Forest School, children run, make 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.

Within the South Hams Federation, our intent is to provide a nurturing space that supports our children’s well-being by providing and implementing positive, child-led experiences in a natural setting, the impact of which will help foster traits such as resilience, confidence and independence and develop motivation, co-operation, decision-making and social skills.

Intent

• To build self-esteem and confidence in children.
• To build resilient, determined and independent learners
• To develop children’s personal, social and emotional development.
• To develop and encourage creativity
• To encourage collaboration.
• To develop and build the ideas of risk management and risk benefit
• To improve children’s life skills and experiences
• To enable children to gain respect for the natural environment and wildlife.
• To let children be children

These aims will be covered through half-term Forest Schools sessions and will support the children in their learning in a positive, creative and inspiring manner that will allow them to transfer their skills and knowledge from the woods into the classroom and life outside of school.

Implementation

• Reception children have weekly Forest School sessions.
• Years 1-6 have a half-terms worth of sessions at Forest School each year. In total, children get 2 years of Forest School sessions, experiencing all the seasons.
• Children have access to a progressive Forest School Curriculum, planned and delivered by trained teachers and Forest School practitioners.
• Children access the Forest School curriculum through holistic learning. Forest School is child led, and the children are able to access areas of the curriculum that inspire and excite them.
• The child-led nature of the curriculum and focus on social development engages children in a manner that is additional to the learning that happens in the classroom.

• Children are encouraged to risk assess both their environment and activities by making personal choices.
• Children make choices and select suitable clothing to ensure Forest School can occur in all weathers.

Impact

• Respect for the environment and others helps relationships build in a more relaxed atmosphere, so enabling and empowering all students to have the opportunity to achieve their complete and full potential.
• Children are happier and more confident to approach challenge.
• Children choose to play outside more often and are healthier both physically and mentally as a result.
• Children develop into advocates for environmental issues.  They are more knowledgeable and enthusiastic about nature.