Forest School

We love our Forest School sessions at Park Spring!

Forest School sessions currently take place throughout the year in Nursery and Reception. Additionally, years 1, 3 and 5 take part in six week Forest School blocks on a Wednesday afternoon.

Our sessions take place in our lovely woodland area which we take great care of. We follow the Forest School rules of taking care of ourselves, taking care of other people and taking care of the world around us.

Throughout their time at Park Spring, the Forest School curriculum is planned to ensure that our pupils build up their skills in tool use, using fire, campfire cooking, tying knots, identifying plants and animals and woodland / pond management. We ultimately go with the children’s interests, helping to build their confidence and supporting their imaginations.

Forest School sessions are based on Six Principles. The six guiding principles of Forest School that were decided by the UK Forest School Community are listed below:

Principle 1: Forest School is a long-term process of frequent and regular sessions in a woodland or natural environment, rather than a one-off visit. Planning, adaptation, observations and reviewing are integral elements of Forest School.

Principle 2: Forest School takes place in a woodland or natural wooded environment to support the development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world.

Principle 3: Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all those involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.

Principle 4: Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.

Principle 5. Forest School is run by qualified Forest School practitioners who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.

Principle 6. Forest School uses a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for development and learning.

Curriculum Intent

Vision

Our Forest School environment at Park Spring is accessible for all pupils throughout their time at Park Spring and provides the opportunity for fun and adventurous play no matter what their previous experience of outdoor play may be. Children achieve together within these sessions as they are centred around their interests, are full of self-directed challenge and encompass many, many problem solving opportunities. The nature of our Forest School means that all pupils are inspired to be successful; we share our ideas and build on (and improve) these week on week within our woodland space. All children are supported with bringing their own individual ideas to fruition.

Delivering Grow, Know, Thrive

Throughout our Forest School curriculum at Park Spring, pupils grow holistically as individuals by engaging in exciting, fun, physical, hands-on outdoor experiences. These sessions help our young people to know more about the world around them by nurturing their interests in, and connections with, nature (and by developing specific Forest School based skills that can be taken into the real world). We know that our woodland area enables our children to thrive; it provides the space for them to take risks, develop social skills, and enable them to be environmentally aware through child-led exploration and adult role-modelling.

Values

Our three Forest School rules of ‘Looking after ourselves, looking after each other and looking after the world around us’ support our pupils in understanding the importance of being caring. We support children to be happy by giving them the freedom to use their imaginations. Forest School enables our children to be resilient and confident through managed risk-taking and through invaluable opportunities for collaboration.