Forest School
We are very proud here at St. Anne's of our status as a 'Forest School'. We have an extensive woodland where children can explore and learn in an outdoor environment. We are very priveledged to have 3 teachers (Mrs Ferguson, Mrs Kelly and Ms Alcock) trained as forest school leaders. At the moment Reception and Year 1 enjoy weekly Forest School sessions.
What is Forest School?
Forest School is about playing and exploring in a forest environment. It utilises the natural resources found there to enhance learning, developing a deep appreciation and empathy for nature. Forest School practitioners are highly trained to deliver quality safe learning opportunities for adults and children.
The emphasis for learning is child centred and activities promote social and emotional development and well being. Practitioners skillfully identify individuals’ needs and preferred learning styles, planning activities that provide opportunities to enhance and develop their learning.
Forest School takes place over a long period of time ensuring that the practitioner and participants have built a strong and meaningful relationship with each other and the forest.
Intent:
Forest School believes in a child’s right to play and to have access to outdoor spaces. It promotes curiosity in the world around us; children are encouraged to foster their curiosity through exploration and investigation. Forest School serves to expand the children’s learning of the natural world, observing the local environment and beginning to understand how people can have an influence and impact on the world.
Our woodland area, provides an enabling environment which allows the children to develop their personal approach to risk taking in a control way. Personal, social, emotional and physical needs are promoted as the children explore their immediate environment in harmony with each other.
Through adult directed learning tasks, children will build upon previous learning to develop new knowledge, skills and understanding. Adult direction will also ensure safety rules are remembered and adhered to during every session.
Implementation:
Here at St Anne’s, we are lucky to have a beautiful woodland site on our grounds. This has been developed to allow children to explore a woodland setting as part of our daily OPAL play and as part of our weekly structured forest school sessions.
Whilst we facilitate focused teacher led activities designed to develop knowledge, skills and understanding; to ignite interest and to provide inspiration, our forest school sessions are designed to ensure that the children receive the freedom to choose and instigate their own learning. When the children go to forest school we let them EXPLORE, INVESTIGATE and LEARN from nature. Our progression map highlights areas of learning and the progressive development of knowledge, skills and understanding.
Reception and Year 1 children go to the site every week for their outdoor learning. Children from the rest of the school tie outdoor learning into their topics regularly.
Impact:
The children at St Anne’s have largely unrestricted access to the woodland area; engagement in self-assessed risky play, they develop personal, social and emotional skills which support their holistic development as well as their academic learning.
The children develop their understanding of the natural world, learning how to care for God’s great creation.
Children’s engagement in Forest School is recorded through photographs and observation; these are shared with parents through Development Map, website, Facebook and school newsletters. Discussions with children about their outdoor learning experiences at the end of each session and through pupil voice informs future planning and demonstrates the positive impact of the provision.
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