Forest Schools

The school offers a Forest School experience which will provide the opportunity for young children to play and learn outside in a safe but different classroom environment. Children will work in groups and individually to produce group projects such as wig-wams, dens, campfires as well as opportunities for making crafts including chalk drawings, bark rubbings and clay figures.

Aims

Aims of the partnership are to offer a Forest School experience which will provide the opportunity to play and learn outside in a safe but different environment. The school has created an opportunity for schools with limited access to outdoor spaces to develop skills and understanding of working with nature through a variety of creative activities. 

Forest School is a great opportunity to get children playing and learning outside and close to nature. 

Background

The initiative was started by a member of staff keen to develop the opportunity of utilising our extensive school grounds whilst providing a different kind of educational experience for young pupils. The initiative was started in September 2019.

Resources

Access to the school grounds in all weather, simple tools for making and locally gathered resources. We use the school facilities. Teaching and non-teaching staff from Westfield School are used.Outdoor space is essential, trees are helpful, sticks and branches essential, craft items such as string, paper, pens, crayons, clay etc. Vegetable peelers and tools are also useful. 

Impact

Assessment comes primarily from observation and making comparisons between week one and week six in terms in confidence, communication, responses knowledge and facts about nature, construction safety etc. The activities have led to a noticeable increase in well being through a sense of excitement and awe.

Pupil Involvement

The most we would take is 12 , Kenton Park generally brings between 8 and 10  (max 2 girls) and St Gabriel's bring 10. St Gabriel's have 7 boys and 3 girls. The children are aged 3 years.

Frequency

The activity is organiseds on a regular basis when there are takers. It will continue for the foreseeable future.