Forest School is an ethos which encourages the development of children’s emotional and physical development through outdoor play, activities and exploration in a woodland environment. This approach to outdoor learning encourages children to become independent, use their imagination, take appropriate risks within boundaries and initiate learning for themselves.

Forest School is a holistic approach to learning, incorporating children’s individuality and develops their skills for lifelong learning. It can cover all six areas of learning, including the emotional and spiritual aspects of learning where self-esteem and self-confidence can grow and positive relationships with peers can be formed.

At Kentmere, we will be helping the children to connect with and learn through their local environment. The philosophy of Forest School is to encourage and inspire individuals of any age through positive experiences and participation in engaging and motivating achievable tasks. These tasks, amongst other things, will set out to develop:

Confidence
Independence
Self-esteem
Resilience
Problem Solving
Ability to establish boundaries for risk taking
Communication and language skills
Physical development

The Forest School curriculum at Kentmere is mapped out for Early Years and KS1 in a progressive and sequential manner, making cross-curricular links where appropriate.  The Forest school leader plans sessions to build on individual learner’s needs and interests, also planning activities to learn new skills and to build on them. Each session begins with the children assessing the current weather season to ensure they are wearing the appropriate clothing (e.g. waterproofs, trousers and wellington boots in wet weather) the children help to gather resources and carry them to the Forest school area. We meet at the fire circle and talk about our current feelings, any changes taking place and what they did and enjoyed doing during the previous session. We play a game which develops their listening skills, understanding of rules and boundaries and working in pairs or as part of a team. The forest school leader then explains the activity and models any skills to be learned, for example, how to tie knots, tool talk and how to use and store tools safely. The children are then given time able to explore the area to develop their own interests.
At the end of the sessions we meet at the circle to have a drink and a snack and to share our feelings at the end and sharing what they have been doing during the session. The children then help to pack way the equipment and materials they have been using and help to return the Forest school area to the state in which they found it.