At Castle Primary School, we believe that a holistic education is vital. Forest School is an important part of the children’s education and crucial to our taught curriculum offer, as well as the enrichment opportunities we offer our pupils.
By providing rich and well planned outdoor learning experiences, we aim to develop children’s self-esteem, independence, emotional well-being, communication and problem solving skills. Our ultimate goal is to empower the children to make informed choices about their lifestyle and positive attitudes towards nature and the world in which we live. Our three learning intentions (independent, resilient and empathetic children) underpin the teaching and learning experiences. A ‘hands-on’ approach is key to ensuring children learn the skills and knowledge taught and crucially, that the learning ‘sticks’.
A clear ‘skills and knowledge progression’ ensures a systematic teaching and learning sequence that builds on children’s prior attainment. We enhance the Forest School provision for children by ensuring we use highly-trained Forest School providers, provide access to the local woodland area and utilise opportunities for outdoor learning by accessing the local country park, Ham Hill.
During a typical Forest School session, we ensure groups are kept to a minimum size and rotate around two or three activities to reduce group numbers and enhance the teaching and learning from the skilled Forest School leaders. We use high quality equipment that is fit for purpose and ensure a valuable hands-on learning experience for all involved. Children are given plenty of opportunities to take calculated risks to aid resilience, work independently and in collaboration with others to achieve high expectations which requires great determination. They learn to problem solve in teams thus enhancing their empathy with others. Our biennial ‘rural visit’ to Pinkery provides an enhancement for the children to apply some of their outdoor learning skills and knowledge during their stay. Children’s achievements are celebrated at the end of each session and selected children receive a Forest School certificate each week in the celebration assembly. The school environment provides space to share the children’s successes and outcomes in the form of a display.
At the end of each half term, the Forest School skills and content progression is reviewed and leaders highlight the relevant statements based on what was taught and learned. Children who have excelled or who have struggled to achieve certain objectives are identified so staff are aware how to support these children during the next phase of learning.
Forest School is taught to the children as a basis for their growth and development to become holistic individuals. The children of Castle Primary School are increasingly resilient, independent learners who are developing huge amounts of empathy. The skills and content progressions recognise the children’s achievements and these attributes are evident throughout the school. The willingness and confidence of the children to not only engage but to challenge themselves in their learning is testament to their independence and determination. They are children who do not shy away from a challenge and welcome activities which further them as learners.
From an early age, children of Castle Primary School are encouraged to explore the outdoors and we have spent considerable time enhancing the outdoor learning environment for children in EYFS. They develop an early understanding of the outdoors through a child-centred approach which supports their physical development and their understanding of the world.
