Forest Schools
At Kingstone and Thruxton Primary school we are proud to offer our children a fantastic Forest School experience, within our own school grounds. We understand the huge benefits of Forest School and have developed a superb area, within the school grounds, in which to deliver a high quality programme, of Forest School activities. Mrs Gemmell has completed a Level Three Forest School practitioner’s course and is able to provide Forest School to all children in school, and Miss Nicholas will soon have her qualification too!
“Forest School is an inspirational process, which offers ALL learners regular opportunities to achieve, develop confidence and self-esteem, through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment with trees. Forest School is a specialised learning approach that sits within and compliments the wider context of outdoor and woodland education.”
In addition to the definition above there are 6 key principles to ‘Forest School’ practice:
- Forest School is a long- term process with frequent and regular sessions rather than a one-off visit. Planning, adaption, observations and reviewing are integral elements of Forest School.
- Forest School takes place in a woodland or natural wooded environment to support the development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world.
- Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all those involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners
- Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves
- Forest School is run by qualified Forest School Practitioners who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.
- Forest School uses a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for development and learning
