Forest School is an exciting approach to learning outside the classroom which many schools and early years settings have embraced. The sessions are not activity based but instead are led by the interests of the learners. Children, young people and families may enjoy such experiences as:

• building dens
• playing hide and seek
• telling stories
• cooking over small fires
• climbing trees
• hunting for minibeasts 
• making mud pies

Forest School builds on the natural instinct to learn that everybody is born with. It offers opportunities to make choices, initiate learning and take risks, and encourages positive attitudes and behaviour.

The concept was developed in Scandinavia, and operates on the principle that children of all ages benefit from the learning opportunities present in a woodland environment.

Forest School sessions are practical. They emphasise the development of self-esteem, communication and social skills, personal responsibility and citizenship. These skills feed back positively into other work in schools and settings. When embedded in the setting’s curriculum Forest School enriches and links to all areas of development and learning.

Where is Forest School?

Oxfordshire Forest School Service is based at Hill End Centre where there are four Forest School sites.

Over 70 schools and settings run their own regular Forest School sessions in areas of specially designated, mostly private, local woodland. We support settings, through training and advice, with developing Forest School sites in their own grounds.

What are the outcomes of Forest School for children and young people?

Many children and young people have few opportunities to be outdoors; Forest School offers them a challenging, enriching learning experience in a natural environment. Through regular weekly or fortnightly sessions in the same Forest School site with a qualified Forest School Leader, high adult: child ratios children and young people develop:

• personal confidence and self esteem
• communication and social skills
• the ability to assess and manage risk
• gross and fine motor skills
• a deeper understanding of their own natural and made environments
• enjoyment of the natural world alongside awareness of  wider environmental issues
• innate motivation to learn
• positive attitudes to learning and citizenship

Training for adults

Forest School training is suitable for individuals with experience in working with children or young people in the fields of education, community or environment including:

• teachers
• nursery nurses
• teaching assistants
• parent volunteers
• child minder
• group volunteer
• support workers
• youth workers
• community workers
• play workers
• carers

We offer three levels of Forest School training through West Midlands Open College Network and is a member of the National Training Network and Institute Outdoor Learning.

Introduction to Forest School OCN Level 1

Appropriate for individuals wanting to learn about Forest School, usually already volunteering at sessions, supporting a qualified Forest School Leader. We introduce participants to the benefits of learning in the outdoors and the ethos of Forest School.

Forest School Assistant OCN Level 2

Aimed at individuals wishing to support existing qualified Forest School Leaders in a Forest School setting and provides greater knowledge of the principles and practice of Forest School. This includes sessions on pedagogy and it’s application at Forest School including child development and learning in the outdoors, practical work in outdoor areas, sustainability and personal development and learning.

Forest School Leader OCN Level 3

This course enables practitioners to lead groups of children/young people at Forest School. Training includes sessions on pedagogy and holistic development, fire and tool use, assessing and managing risk, environmental impact assessment, woodland management, planning and running your own forest school sessions and sustainability.

CPD Courses

Exciting outdoor learning courses available at Hill End include:

• Outdoor First Aid
• Expedition Food Hygiene
• Practical Skills with Fire and Tools
• Safe Structures
• Story Making
• Grounds Development

We also provides team building and bespoke training days for settings. For further information contact us.

Training programme

We can offer a variety of Forest School programmes for settings, schools, childminders, children's centres and other groups:

• One year programme
• Six week programme
• Forest School fun day

A full programme can be found in our training programme (pdf format, 60 Kb)

Booking

Bookings can be made by contacting the Forest School