What do we do at Forest School?

Each session is different and will build on previous sessions and learning. Forest school normally runs weekly, for a minimum of six sessions.

Participants learn at their own pace and can choose their own activities and whether to join in and participate with others or to play and experience the outdoors alone.

From these activities, participants will gain transferable skills and develop self-reliance, confidence and resilience.

 

There are always a whole range of exciting and fun activities including bush-craft and outdoor skills; e.g. fire lighting and cooking, using tools to make things, den building, games and team building exercises, quiet meditative moments, learning about and exploring the natural world and free time for participants to relax and enjoy the huge benefits of these experiences.

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Sessions can also be more academic if desired and can include structured or unstructured lessons in for example; Science, Maths, English, Local History and so forth.

 

We also have an exciting programme of events coming up this season, including a bat talk and walk, led by the local Devon Wildlife Trust Warden and a talk about fungus by a local enthusiast. Watch this space and follow our Facebook page for more details of dates and events.

 

Sometimes there will be an opportunity for participants to become more engaged with and learn about the woodland, through occasional involvement with basic woodland management tasks.

 

 

 

 

 

The History of Forest School

 

The idea of Forest School as a style of learning originated in Denmark. It is called “Fruiluftsliv” which is a Norwegian word. Directly translated, this means: “Free air life”, it refers to the feeling of relaxation and completeness and being at one with nature that one feels when interacting with nature.

Forest school as a concept was first brought to the UK in 1993 by a group of nursery nurses from Bridgewater college.  After visiting a Danish school to study their philosophy of education and life outdoors and having seen how well it worked for Danish children who spent a good part of their day playing and working outside. They set up a forest school style nursery at Bridgewater college, the first of its kind in the UK.

 

What is Forest School all about?

 

We describe Forest School as “Providing a range of woodland and outdoor fun, educational and empowering activities for groups of people, particularly children, helping them to improve their lives and see the world in a different way”. We might build dens, use tools and knives to make things, learn to light fires, learn about the environment, plants and wildlife and how to identify them, play games, develop physical skills through climbing trees and balancing, make swings, use ropes, paddle in a stream or go pond dipping. Participants are free to choose their activities and grow at their own pace.

In a nutshell, Forest School was defined in 2002 by the Forest School Conference as:

 

“An inspirational process that offers children, young people and adults regular opportunities to achieve, develop confidence and self-esteem through hands on learning experiences in a local woodland environment.”

 

The conference went on to explain in more detail:

Forest school is normally a long-term process of regular sessions, so that experiences and learning can be built on.

It takes place in woodland or other natural environment to support the development of participants relationship with the natural world

Forest school is learner centred and uses a range of processes to create a community for being, development and learning.

It aims to promote the holistic development of all those involved; fostering resilient, confident and independent learners

Offers all learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.

Forest school is run by qualified Forest School practitioners who continually maintain and develop their professional practice.