Outdoor Learning

Forest School enables our children from Preschool to Year 2 to learn in a practical way whilst engaging with the natural world. Forest School helps our children develop independence and an ability to tackle physical problem solving challenges whilst keeping themselves safe. This hands on learning fosters engagement and social skills as well as developing self-esteem. We believe spending time outdoors helps to foster well being.

We have our own Forest School base, which includes a story circle of tree stumps around a fire pit. Here the children enjoy learning about the natural world and listening to stories. We also visit the farm next door to explore the streams and fields. During Forest School, children begin to discover our native plants, trees and birds; they soon learn to recognise and name them.

We use a cross curricular approach to our learning during Forest School, so children might explore activities from the Maths, Art or Science curriculum for example. Forest School provides a great opportunity for applying our skills and classroom learning in a practical setting. Here are some examples:

Preschool	Children explore activities linked to stories such as Stickman or We’re Going On A Bear hunt Observe ducks and ducklings on the pond
Reception	Play team building games to develop social skills Make natural pictures with stick frames
Year 1	Learn to recognise and name flowers in Spring and trees in Summer Learn to tie knots
Year 2	Measure the circumference of tree trunks as part of a Maths investigation Den building