Brudenell Primary School

What is Forest Schools?

Forest School is about taking a group of children into a woodland environment for a series of sessions which are planned and managed to facilitate the children exploring and engaging with their natural environment, in a way which facilitates raising well-being, self-awareness and self-esteem for all involved.

At Brudenell Primary School we have  several Forest School Practitioners, all holding level 3 qualifications. Each practitioner also holds a full First Aid Outdoors qualification. Our practitioners, and a supporting adult, will take a group of approximately 15 children out for a series of half day sessions, usually once a week for several consecutive weeks.

At Brudenell we endeavour to ensure all children in Reception, Year 1, Year 3 and Year 5 take part in a Forest School experience. Forest School sessions are carefully planned to maximise the potential benefits to the children’s social, emotional and learning skills. They will usually happen as a regular series of sessions, sessions are only adjusted if it is unsafe to go at the given time.

Forest School is a Scandanavian concept; in the 1980’s Forest Schools England was set up to establish and maintain the following principles.

1. Forest School is for all children and young people.
2. Forest School builds on a child’s innate motivation and positive attitude to learning, offering them the opportunities to take risks, make choices and initiate learning for themselves.
3. Forest School is organised and run by qualified Forest School leaders.
4. Forest School maximises the learning potential of local woodland through frequent and regular experiences throughout the year, not a one-off visit.
5. Forest School helps children to understand, appreciate and care for the natural environment.

What happens during a Forest Schools session

Sessions begin with games to reinforce boundaries & develop listening skills.

There will often be a new skill being taught for the children to  practise and later use.  Activities can include:

                       Making music & art

                        Minibeast hunting

                        Climbing trees

                        Building dens and shelters

                        Making rope swings / bridges / structures.

                        Using tools; whittlers, saws, knives

                        Lighting fires

Children will have opportunities to develop their own lines of enquiry and activity, often developing these over several weeks.

Practitioners will support children in reviewing the session, identifying activities, emotions, skills and attitudes.

At school there will be opportunities for children to build on the skills developed through Forest Schools; perseverance, determination, problem solving, team work, co-operation, resilience, failure & success. Forest Schools supports children in using and applying skills and knowledge from the classroom, geography ( mapping, location, direction) , science ( plants, animals, change, growth), maths ( measure, estimation, sequence), English ( communication, recording, research), for example

Supporting your child’s Forest School experience.

• Ensure children have the right clothes in school, this will mean a set of forest school clothes and their uniform . Waterproof outer clothes are provided but you may want to buy your child their own set. Your child will also need a pair of wellington boots and thick socks.
• We encourage families to visit the Forest Schools site outside school time. The children very quickly memorise the route to their particular site, but your child’s Forest School Practitioner will be happy to give you directions.
• Ask your child to share with you what they have been doing.

Brudenell Forest School Rules

Look after the Forest School.

Do not pick anything growing or living unless an adult says you can.

Challenge yourself, Stay safe, Have fun.