Forest school
We inspire our children to nurture their innate love of nature and the world around them, with a weekly dose of forest school immersion.
Phenology...
Through our varied phenology-based curriculum, we can demonstrate to our little ones the fascinating natural phenomena of the seasons. Our year-long curriculum captivates curious minds with a nature-based approach to learning and activities that spark new ideas in our pre-schoolers. The children can also explore the Waldorf-inspired ‘phenology wheel’ where they discover links to climate and plant life in a fun and engaging way.
Our philosophy is ‘there’s no such thing as bad weather, just unsuitable clothes’, meaning our children get to explore the outdoors, whatever the weather, and experience the changing of the seasons before their very eyes.
“The best classroom and the richest cupboard is roofed only by the sky.” –
Margaret McMillan
What is a forest school?
If you’re not familiar with the forest school ethos, here’s a bit more about it:
Forest school stands apart from other forms of outdoor education because practitioners adhere to six guiding principles which are agreed by the UK Forest School community:
1
Sessions are long term, regular and happen throughout the seasons, come rain or shine.
2
We are risk aware not risk averse. This means children are supported to take risks appropriate to the environment, which helps them build confidence.
3
Child development is a holistic process that takes place in nature, fostering resilience, independence and creativity.
4
Forest school takes place in a natural, outdoor environment.
5
Sessions are run by qualified Forest School practitioners who, like the children, seek continuous education to build on their knowledge in forestry and forest schooling.
6
It’s a learner-centred process with a focus on the activities rather than outcomes. This creates a community for development and learning.
At Woodland Wanderers, we have a partnership with our local scout park which means we can enjoy their private forest and woodlands during the day.
Our Grounds
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The grounds provide a fascinating playground for our little ones to explore, with ancient trees, campfire circles and wonderful woodland. They’ll discover endangered newt ponds, as well as a functional greenhouse and vegetable patch. In our experience, giving children the freedom and space to learn and grow outside is the most powerful way to help them become resilient, confident and happy members of society. And this is one of the main reasons we’ve chosen to split our time between indoor and outdoor learning.
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Our regular outdoor sessions mean the children aren’t just learning from the textbook – they’re seeing, hearing and feeling nature, in real life. It’s these experiences that create the most memorable lessons of all.
Safe space.​
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The forest is a safe space, open to explore and free of judgement. We believe that the forest environment encourages the spirit of adventure. Children thrive on the sense of exploration and this, in itself, fosters confidence and independence.
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We give children the opportunity to have fun with the natural materials we forage and we bring learning to life with activities such as counting sticks, examining leaves and climbing trees. We practise skills like tying knots, handling tools and building fires. And we’re yet to meet a kid that doesn’t love making dens. Or a grown up for that matter.
Why choose a forest school?
There are countless benefits of forest school. But to name a few:
Confidence
We give children the freedom, time and space to learn and demonstrate independence.
Intellectual development.
Knowledge is gained in context with situations as they arise, which creates a thirst for learning.
Communication and language development.
Working together encourages communication and develops skilful expression of thoughts and ideas, as well as the ability to listen to others. Reflection activities increase a child’s ability to understand and describe their internal state, wants and needs.
Emotional development.
Periods of reflection are key to all forest school sessions and help children to expand their emotional vocabulary and understand how they feel. This is known as emotional intelligence.
Social development.
Children gain an increased awareness of the consequences of their actions on peers through team activities, such as sharing tools and participating in play.
Knowledge and understanding.
The children develop an interest in the natural surroundings and respect for the environment.
Spiritual development.
We’re not necessarily talking about religious beliefs, but having a sense of belonging to the wider world. It’s about being part of something bigger than ourselves and making connections with nature.
Physical development.
Both fine motor and gross motor skills are developed in the outdoor environment, as well as stamina and resilience from positive experiences in ‘bad’ weather.
Motivation.
The woodlands tend to fascinate the children; they become keen to participate and develop the ability to concentrate over longer periods of time.
