What is Forest School?
 

At its heart, Forest School is an inspiring educational process that offers all learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment.

Unlike a one-off trip, Forest School is a long-term journey. It shifts the "classroom" outdoors, allowing children to explore the natural world on their own terms. Through child-led play and supported risk-taking—such as building shelters, identifying wildlife, or learning to use tools safely—pupils develop more than just ecological knowledge. They build resilience, creativity, and emotional intelligence.

Our Commitment: The 6 Principles

As a school, we are proud to follow the Forest School Association (FSA) ethos. Our sessions are strictly designed around these six core principles to ensure a high-quality experience for every child:

1. A Long-term Process: We facilitate regular sessions over a period of time, allowing for a cycle of planning, observation, and review. Our children attend Forest School every week, every season.
2. Natural Environment: We use our Forest School site, which is set in a natural environment to support the development of a lifelong relationship between the learner and the natural world.
3. Holistic Development: We aim to foster the resilient, confident, independent, and creative learner, all delivered through child-led learning.
4. Opportunity for Risk: We offer our children the opportunity to take risks appropriate to themselves and their environment.
5. Qualified Practitioners: Our sessions are run by a qualified Forest School practitioner who continuously maintains and develops their professional practice.
6. Learner-Centred: We create a responsive learning community that focuses on the individual needs and interests of our students.

By stepping outside, our students don’t just learn about nature; they learn within it, growing into capable, confident, and environmentally conscious individuals.

Forest School timetable: