BB7Y LENS November 2020 Vol 7: Issue No. Fourteen Excellence Through Partnership
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Outside from inside! Forest school returns
WE’RE BACK There’s a growing trend in primary schools for getting children into the world outside, come rain or shine, to get hands-on with the natural environment. It’s known as the Forest School movement, and while it may seem a new trend in education, it’s steeped in history. The foundations of Forest School were laid in the early 1900s, with the creation of young people’s groups like the Scouts and Woodcraft Folk, which focused on youth camps and outdoor skills. In the UK, the Forest School movement began to emerge in the UK in the early 1990s, but it’s only in the past decade that it has really gathered force. So what does it involve, and how do children benefit? ‘Forest School is essentially outdoor, nature-based learning that focuses on the holistic development of the child,’ says Jane Worroll, an ex-countryside ranger and co-author of Play the Forest School Way. Despite the name, Forest School can take place in any natural outdoor environment, which may be on school premises or in the local area. Forest School helps children develop many skills that are hard to teach in the classroom. ‘It’s very physical so it encourages children to be active, with lots of activities to develop both fine and gross motor skills,’ Jane says. Children learn to assess, appreciate and take risks, making sensible, informed decisions about how to tackle the activities and experiences they encounter. ‘They’re learning to be self-sufficient and take care of themselves, which boosts their confidence and self-esteem,’ Jane explains. ‘Through trial and error they learn to deal with failure and develop the resilience to keep trying: a vital skill in the classroom as well as outside.’ Abbey has re-started its YR Forest School experience after the new-build finished and we are very excited that it’s back. Mr Pogson and the EYFS crew are delighted, so are the children!
Thanks to ‘The School Run’ for some of the text.
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