Intent

We began Forest Schools as a way to inspire our children with a love of nature and the outdoors. It is also a fantastic way to develop children's personal, social and emotional skills and their investigative skills. 

Implementation

Children on their third term with us (those with a green name card) currently take part in Forest Schools on a Wednesday. Amy B our Forest School Leader plans and delivers the sessions. 

Impact

Our children thrive in the outdoors. Children who are quieter in the nursery environment come into their own at Forest Schools, and this has had a huge impact on their learning and development as a whole, and specifically their personal, social and emotional development. 

Here's what our children have to say:

"I like to make (plant) flowers. You need to water them"

"I like it because it's muddy"

"I like the bye bye song"

"I build some sticks like a house for Amy and my friends"

More information about Forest Schools

Amy B is our Forest Schools leader. Currently our children with a Green name card (3rd Term in Nursery) take part in Forest Schools on a Wednesday. We are lucky to have a wonderful Forest Schools site with lots of trees, grass, a pond and also a hobbit house for when the weather is really bad. 

What is Forest Schools?

Forest Schools is an educational approach to outdoor learning and play which encourages and inspires children.

The forest based activities are interesting, achievable and lots of fun. They motivate children and help them to develop new skills which can be transferred into their everyday lives.

What are we learning?

The aims of the sessions are to raise the children’s awareness of the environment and how to care for it. In addition activities encourage their language skills, collaborative play and problem solving in a small group situation, whilst having lots of fun and learning new things about the forest.

More information on Forest Schools can be found here. 

Time outdoors benefits children by offering unique opportunities. Being outdoors offers children unique possibilities to see longer distances, observe the horizon, experience the natural world as they feel weather, hear sounds in nature or experience changes in natural light. There is also greater scope to manipulate loose parts and other versatile resources, and to engage in appropriately energetic, risky and adventurous play. Time outdoors benefits children’s health and wellbeing and all areas of development and learning. First-hand experience outdoors helps children to make sense of the world, and to learn to care for their environment.

(Birth to 5 Matters - 2021)