Forest School will start:

10th January 2022

The day before (Thursday) your child will bring home some yellow waterproof trousers. In the morning of FS you will need to ensure your child has lots of layers (thin). They must have been to the toilet before arriving. They will need to meet Mrs Potter at the forest school gates (no parents please - stay on the path). Send your child with their water bottle. 

You will need to then place their bag with their uniform including black socks and school shoes in the outside area of Robins classroom under the cover. 

What is the point?

The Benefits

Research now backs up what forest school practitioners have known all along – that children and young people are stimulated by the outdoors and typically experience, over time, an increase in their self-belief, confidence, learning capacity, enthusiasm, communication and problem-solving skills and emotional well-being.

Be healthy

Physically healthy

Mentally and emotionally healthy

Healthy lifestyles

At Forest School children are physically active a lot of the time and their stamina improves as they go through their Forest School sessions. Their experience can also help to lead to the development of healthier lifestyles as children ask parents to take them on trips to woodlands and green spaces outside of school times. As the children gain confidence and improve their self-esteem this can impact on their emotional and mental well-being.

Stay safe

The ‘wild’, and yet controlled, safe environment of Forest School ensures that children taking part naturally learn to assess risk and are encouraged to make sensible and informed decisions about how to deal with unfamiliar and unpredictable situations (such as exploring or climbing trees, using tools to build shelters and dens). Much of the learning for a child comes as a result of the opportunities they have for testing their own abilities in a real life context.

Enjoy and achieve

Achieve stretching national educational standards at primary school

Achieve personal and social development and enjoy recreation

Forest School sets learning in a different context for children where they can undertake a range of practical activities and carry out small achievable tasks. At Forest School children can develop their team working skills and also learn to become more independent. Those who are unfamiliar with woodlands and green spaces can become confident in using them and this can form the basis of a life-long relationship with natural spaces.

Make a positive contribution

Develop self confidence and successfully deal with significant life changes and challenges

Developing enterprising behaviour

Forest School helps children to develop their confidence. As they become familiar with Forest School they can take their new-found confidence into school and into other areas of their lives. Forest School can be particularly effective for children who do not do well in the classroom environment. Children learn to solve problems and be creative and imaginative at Forest School thus showing enterprising behaviour.