Forest School is an inspirational process, that offers ALL learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands- on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment with trees. The growing body of research points to numerous benefits to learner, educator, child and parent alike.
Forest School is the name of a specific ethos. Qualified practitioners carefully facilitate programmes which are uniquely tailored to the needs of the individuals within the group and have the fundamental aim of building participants’ self-esteem, confidence, independence and creativity. The name does not refer to an actual place; it refers to the philosophy.
The Impact of this is the knowledge the children have gained from the Forest School experience.
The impact can be seen through skills, art and craft activities, observations and knowledge of the fruit, plants trees in relation to the seasons and the skills involved in learning how to play Forest School games.
The principals of Forest School state that it is:
- a long-term process of regular sessions, rather than a one-off or infrequent visits; the cycle of planning, observation, adaptation and review links each session.
- taking place in a woodland or natural environment to support the development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world.
- using a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for being, development and learning.
- aiming to promote the holistic development of all those involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.
- offering learners, the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.
- run by qualified Forest School practitioners who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.
At Forest School all participants (children and adults) are viewed as:
- equal, unique and valuable
- competent to explore & discover
- entitled to experience appropriate risk and challenge
- entitled to choose, and to initiate and drive their own learning and development
- entitled to experience regular success
- entitled to develop positive relationships with themselves and other people
- entitled to develop a strong, positive relationship with their natural world
This ethos creates learning communities where deep-level learning and progression are the norm.
www.forestschoolassociation.org/full-principles-and-criteria-for-good-practice
Forest School Blog
Forest School Update 21st March
21/03/2024
Oak Class had a brilliant last session of Forest School last week. They managed to get in some pond dipping, read more
Forest School Update 15th March
15/03/2024
This week, we explored the story of 'The Gruffalo', hunting for characters, making roasted fox, owl ice-cream and scrambled snakes read more
Forest School Update 8th March
08/03/2024
Oak Class embraced the wet weather and enjoyed the puddles and streams of Hoad's Wood, taking turns to jump into read more
Forest School Update 9th February
09/02/2024
This week Sycamore and Oak Class had a fun filled Forest School together. They made dens, made yummy pizzas and read more
Forest School Update 12th January
12/01/2024
This week Sycamore Class had Forest School at the woods. They were looking at animal habitats and how the different read more
Forest School Update 24th November
24/11/2023
This week, Sycamore went to the woods and made dens (they also pretended to go into air raid shelters), climbed read more
Forest School Update 29th September
29/09/2023
Over the last couple of weeks Willow Class have been very busy. One of the highlights has been Forest School. read more
Forest School Update 30th June
30/06/2023
In the past two sessions of Forest School, Oak and Beech Class have been joining in together as part of read more
Forest School Update 19th May
19/05/2023
Willow Class had their last week of Forest School. They had a brilliant time at the woodland taking part in read more
Forest School Update 12th May
12/05/2023
This week Willow Class made yummy pizzas and cooked them on the fire in Forest School. They also made some read more
Forest School Update 5th May
05/05/2023
Last week Willow Class made some amazing Greek theatre masks using clay. They also sowed some more carrots, helped add read more
Forest School Update 28th April
28/04/2023
Willow Class have Forest School this term and had their first session this week. They cleared the pond from duck read more
Forest School Update 31st March
31/03/2023
This week Oak and Beech Class had a Forest School session together. They did lots of exploring, they planted radishes, read more
Beech Class Forest School
17/03/2023
Over the past two weeks Beech Class have enjoyed Forest School sessions. In the first session they explored the mud read more
Forest School Update 16th December
16/12/2022
Willow Class have had an amazing term of Forest School sessions. Last week they went on a field trip and read more
Forest School Update 25th November
25/11/2022
Last week, Willow Class took part in more first aid learning and completed their robots. They also did some art: read more
Forest School Update 18th November
18/11/2022
Willow Class built robots, using wood and various tools, e.g. drills, screws, hammers, etc. They also decorate jam jars with read more
Forest School Update 11th November
11/11/2022
Willow Class started their term sessions of Forest School lessons last week. They looked at different patterns found in nature read more
Forest School Update 14th October
14/10/2022
This week Sycamore Class had a craft afternoon in the hall for Forest School. They made a wide range of read more
Forest School Update 7th October
07/10/2022
Last week Sycamore Class did some sorting of the flower beds and replanted some potted plants. They also did some read more
Forest School Update 30th September
30/09/2022
This week, Sycamore went to the woodlands and made art of natural materials (like David Goldsworthy). They made dogs out read more
Forest School Update 23rd September
23/09/2022
Sycamore Class fit in a lot at Forest School! Including: pond dipping, building dens, playing in the mud kitchen, bug read more
Forest School Update 16th September
16/09/2022
This term it’s Sycamore’s turn to have Forest School sessions. This week they got the opportunity to: work with the read more
Forest School Update 20th July
20/07/2022
Last week Oak and Beech had a fantastic Forest School lesson at the woodland. They did exploratory play, made stick read more
Forest School Update 1st July
01/07/2022
Oak and Beech continued to have Forest School together this week. The session was focussed on the senses. The main read more
Forest School Update 17th June
17/06/2022
Oak and Beech Class are having Forest School sessions together this term. This week they spent half the time outside read more
Forest School Update 20th May
20/05/2022
Last week, Willow Class had their last Forest School session for the term. They did various activities in the lovely read more
Forest School Update 13th May
13/05/2022
Willow Class took a lovely walk to the woods this week. They went through the woods following the footpath and read more
Forest School Update 29th April
29/04/2022
What an action-packed Forest School Willow Class had this week! Some children helped Lucas’ mum to plant the potatoes and read more
Forest School Update 22nd April
22/04/2022
Willow Class started their Forest School sessions for Term 5 last week and they had a brilliant time in the read more
Forest School Update 25th March
25/03/2022
This week’s Forest School was a relaxing session in the sun! Oak and Sycamore Class took part in lots of read more
Forest School Update 18th March
18/03/2022
Sycamore Class did survival/assault courses where they had to climb over pallets, use balancing rope and crawl through tyres. They read more
Forest School Update 11th March
11/03/2022
Oak and Sycamore are having a combined Forest School this term. What a lovely day for a forest school session read more
Forest School Update 4th February
04/02/2022
This week, Sycamore Class were super busy! They toasted bread on the fire and made toffee apples (they peeled the read more
Forest School Update 28th January
28/01/2022
Last week, we started clearing the pond, as the plants are too much for the area. The children pulled the read more
Forest School Update 24th January
24/01/2022
Sycamore Class went to the woods this week in Forest School. They went exploring in groups, looking for evidence of read more
Forest School Update 14th January
14/01/2022
Sycamore Class had their first Forest School session of the term. They did several activities including: fire lighting, making pizzas read more
Forest School Update 26th November
26/11/2021
Beech Class have been reading Hike by Pete Oswald and so they decided to take a hike to the woodland read more
Forest School Update 19th November
19/11/2021
This week Beech Class got Christmas-creative in Forest School! They had a whole carousel of crafting activities to take part read more
Forest School Update 12th November
12/11/2021
This week Beech Class did some fire lighting (using cotton wool and flints), making dens, investigating different habitats for woodlice read more
Forest School Update 5th November
05/11/2021
Beech Class are having Forest School sessions this term and this week they did some den making (tepees), used rope read more
Forest School Update 22nd October
22/10/2021
For Willow’s last week of Forest School, they were given the challenge of making a den/shelter in order to help read more
Forest School Update 15th October
15/10/2021
This week in Forest School Willow Class made autumn landscapes, using leaf printing. They made Christmas crafts (decorated jam jars), read more
Forest School Update 8th October
08/10/2021
This week’s Forest School consisted of free exploration where: we built dens, using willow to weave in and out on read more
School Pond
07/10/2021
Chiddingly school pond has been developed over the last two years to provide a large natural habitat where children can read more
Forest School Update 1st October
01/10/2021
This week, Willow Class made weapons that they designed in class that Stone Age people would have used. They made read more
Forest School Update 24th September
24/09/2021
Willow Class walked around the wood to see what Stone Age people might have foraged and they took part in read more
Forest School Update 17th September
17/09/2021
This week, Willow Class had a fun-filled, explorative Forest School session! The whole session was free play and they also read more
Forest School Update 16th July
16/07/2021
Beech Class had a thoroughly enjoyable Forest School session this week. They did so many free play activities, there are read more
Forest School Update 9th July
09/07/2021
This week, Oak and Beech Class created Olympic Stadiums in Forest School! They also did some pond dipping (Sophie found read more
Forest School Update 2nd July
02/07/2021
This week in Forest School, the children went pond dipping and found newts and dragonfly larvae. They also found a read more
Forest School Update 25th June
25/06/2021
Oak and Beech had a fun-filled Forest School session this week in the beautiful sunshine! They did lots of activities, read more
Forest School Update 18th June
18/06/2021
Oak and Beech had a wonderful time in Forest School this week. They spent time in the garden planting sweetcorn read more
Forest School Update 21st May
21/05/2021
Forest School this week was so much fun! The children did some more pond dipping and found lots more newts! read more
Forest School Update 14th May
14/05/2021
This week Willow had a turn at Forest School and what a fantastic afternoon it was! Despite the rain in read more
Forest School Update 7th May
07/05/2021
This week Sycamore concentrated on map reading. They were all given a map to follow and each time they reached read more
Forest School Update 30th April
30/04/2021
Sycamore had a great time at Forest School this week. They built dens with sheets and played with the new read more
Forest School Update 1st April
01/04/2021
In Forest School this week the children did all things Easter! The children did an Easter egg hunt and then read more
Forest School Update 26th March
26/03/2021
In Forest School this week the children experimented with water bottles! They cut them in half and put a dish read more
Forest School Update 19th March
19/03/2021
Forest School was so much fun this week! Oak and Beech Class did some pond dipping to try and find read more
Forest School Update 12th March
12/03/2021
Oak and Beech were very excited about their Forest School session this week. The started off their session becoming the read more
Forest School Update 11th December
11/12/2020
This was the last forest school of the term before Christmas. Willow enjoyed the treasure hunt around the fields! They read more
Forest School Update 4th December
04/12/2020
Today in forest school we did arts and crafts in the hall as it was dreadful weather! We got a read more
Forest School Update 27th November
27/11/2020
This week in Forest School Willow started to get the paths ready for the huge pile of woodchip which was read more
Forest School Update 20th November
20/11/2020
This week Willow absolutely loved Forest School! The children went down to the woods and did some free explor-ing. They read more
Forest School Update 13th November
13/11/2020
This week Willow thoroughly enjoyed Forest School! We were on the school site today enjoying a huge variety of activities! read more
Forest School Update 23rd October
23/10/2020
This week the children were really lucky and treated to a treasure hunt! Clues had to be followed which ultimately read more
Forest School Update 16th October
16/10/2020
The weather was much better this week which we were really pleased about! In this weeks forest school we focused read more
Forest School Update 9th October
09/10/2020
In Thursdays session we did lots of craft making; leaf printing in clay, turned them into a bowl shape for read more
Forest School Update 2nd October
02/10/2020
This week we were lucky with the weather and Sycamore had a great day exploring. Some made dens using ropes, read more
Forest School Update 18th September
18/09/2020
Sycamore enjoyed their first Forest School of the year yesterday and were improving the grounds of the school: digging, cutting, read more
Forest School Update 13th March
13/03/2020
This week in Forest School, the woodland was very wet and windy so unfortunately Sycamore Class could not venture over read more
Forest School Update 6th March
06/03/2020
This term, Sycamore Class will be doing Forest School and it was their first session on Wednesday. They have been read more
Forest School Update 14th February
14/02/2020
Beech Class painted their clay dinosaurs this week, before going out to the fire to toast marshmallows and drink tea read more
Forest School Update 7th February
07/02/2020
This week in Forest School, Beech Class made pancakes on the fire! They also made dinosaurs out of clay, did read more
Forest School Update 31st January
31/01/2020
Beech Class were extremely busy in Forest School this week! They made ‘dinosaur lands’ with mud for the swamps, twigs read more
Forest School Update 24th January
24/01/2020
This Wednesday, Beech Class had a lovely wet and muddy trip down to the woods for Forest School. They pretended read more
Forest School Update 11th October
11/10/2019
This week, Willow Class made their very own bows and arrows, like they might have done in the Tudor times! read more
Forest School Update 4th October
04/10/2019
This week, Willow Class used their cooking skills in Forest School. They made bread from scratch and cooked it on read more
Forest School Update 18th October
01/10/2019
This week, Willow Class did various team building games and exercises in the woodland. The first game they played, they read more
Forest School Update 27th September
29/09/2019
Willow Class braved the wet weather this week and took a trip to the woods for Forest School. They played read more
Forest School Update 20th September
20/09/2019
This week, Willow Class had their first Forest School session of the term. They spent the first part of it read more
Forest School Update 21st June
21/06/2019
It was the last session of Forest School this week and Year R and 1 had a brilliant time! They read more
Forest School Update 14th June
14/06/2019
This week in Forest School, Reception and Year 1 had a ‘messy’ session outside! They took part in different sensory read more
Forest School Update 7th June
07/06/2019
On Wednesday, Reception and Year 1 had a Forest School session together to get to know each other better and read more
Forest School Update 22nd May
22/05/2019
Oak Class went on a scavenger hunt, finding lots of different things in the woods from their list e.g. pine read more
Forest School Update 17th May
17/05/2019
This Wednesday, Oak Class did so many different activities! They were shown how to light the fire using flints and read more
Forest School Update 8th May
08/05/2019
On Wednesday 8th May, Oak Class had Forest School inside, to start with, because the weather was very wet! They read more
Forest School Update 3rd May
03/05/2019
On Wednesday 1st May, Oak Class had their first Forest School session! They had such a brilliant time exploring and read more
Forest School Update 5th April
05/04/2019
In Forest School this week, Willow Class made sculptures, using materials in the woodland. Verity made a 3D picture of read more
Forest School Update 29th March
29/03/2019
This week, Willow Class were using their Detective Find-It learning powers effectively in Forest School. They started the session off read more
Forest School Update 22nd March
22/03/2019
Willow Class took part in another fantastic Forest School session this week. They learnt how to build and light a read more
Willow Class Forest School
15/03/2019
Willow Class had their second Forest School session of the term this week. Unfortunately, the strong wind outside meant they read more
Willow Class Forest School
08/03/2019
Willow Class had their first Forest School session of the term. They went to the woodland and discussed comparisons between read more
Owl Visits Sycamore
15/02/2019
On Wednesday, Sycamore class had their last Forest School session of the term. They had some exciting visitors in this read more
Structure in the Forest
30/01/2019
On Wednesday 30th January, Sycamore Class had the challenge to make a structure in the forest: a den, bed, chair, bridge read more
Sycamore Forest School
23/01/2019
On Wednesday 23rd January, Sycamore Class had another excellent Forest School afternoon. They did a wide variety of activities of read more
Sycamore Forest School
16/01/2019
On Wednesday 16th January, Sycamore class had their first Forest School session of the term. They spent the afternoon exploring read more
Building a Fire
05/12/2018
On Wednesday 5th December, Beech class had Forest School outside as the rain managed to hold off. They worked really read more
Forest School Indoors!
28/11/2018
On Wednesday 28th November, Beech Class had Forest School indoors due to the weather conditions. They had a great time read more
Dens, Bug Hunting & Twig Art
24/11/2018
This week, Beech class made dens for animals and walked ‘pet logs’ to make trails in the leaves. Some children read more
Mud Pie Faces
20/11/2018
In Forest School this week, Beech class were making mud pie faces on the trees. They played various games and read more
In the Orchard and Around the Pond
11/05/2018
Beech class were lucky enough to spend a beautiful sunny day up in the orchard and around the pond on read more
Pond Dipping & Making Dens
29/04/2018
On Wednesday, Beech class had their second Forest School session of the year. It was beautifully sunny but there was read more
Create Something & Guess
21/04/2018
Beech Class had a fantastic time in their first Forest School session this week! We began by playing some games, read more
Bows & Arrows Update
21/04/2018
Sycamore had their final Forest School session on Wednesday 28th March and, although the weather was not its best, had read more
Bows & Arrows
24/03/2018
This week, Sycamore went into the forest to continue their project of making bows and arrows. We discussed that, if read more
Water & Food at Forest School
16/03/2018
On Wednesday afternoon, Sycamore went out for Forest School and this week their focus was a mix between water and read more
Making Fire!
09/03/2018
Sycamore had their second Forest School session of the term this week and their focus was fire! This is linked read more
Survival in the Forest
24/02/2018
On Wednesday, Sycamore kick-started their topic on 'Survival!' (and a term of Forest School) with a trip to the forest. read more
Promise of Snow
09/02/2018
Willow Class had a very chilly, final Forest School session this week. Despite the promise of snow in the morning, read more
Willow Forest School Update
19/01/2018
On Wednesday, Willow class were lucky enough to spend a beautiful afternoon in the forest! Thanks to Miss Pitt and read more
Willow Forest School
12/01/2018
On Wednesday afternoon, Willow Class had their first Forest School session of the term. It was a beautiful afternoon and, read more
Rangoli Patterns
11/11/2017
Willow class made rangoli patterns, inspired by their topic of 'Festivals of Light'. They also took inspiration from Andy Goldsworthy's read more
Chocolate Orange Cakes on the Fire
21/10/2017
This week, Sycamore had their final Forest School session for the term. We have been learning about rationing and found read more
Capture the Flag
06/10/2017
This week, Sycamore took their learning from their trip to Newhaven Fort into the Forest! They split into groups of read more
Slacklining & Conker Fights
29/09/2017
For Forest School this week, Sycamore had a fantastic time in the woods. They were keen to have another go read more
Sycamore’s First Session
15/09/2017
This week, Sycamore went for their first Forest School session of the year. They came really well prepared for the read more
Children Living in the Stone Age
16/06/2017
Beech Class begun their sessions of Forest School this week and it was the perfect afternoon to be outside! The read more
Wonderfully Warm Wednesday
19/05/2017
Oak Class had a wonderfully warm Forest School session on Wednesday! Miss Hare had bought some new plants for the read more
In the Orchard & Around the Fire Circle
14/05/2017
This week, Oak class spent a beautiful, sunny afternoon up in our orchard and around the fire circle. The children read more
Improvements Around the Pond
06/05/2017
Oak Class had Forest School this week and enjoyed being the first class to test out the improvements around the read more
Oak Class & Year 5
28/04/2017
Oak Class were joined by their special friends and the Year 5s this week for their Forest School session! They read more
Slacklining Over the River
17/03/2017
This week, Sycamore spent a sunny afternoon in the Forest choosing their favourite activities. Mr Hinder and Mr Barnett kindly read more
Dream Catchers & Boomsticks
10/03/2017
This week, Sycamore were able to spend the whole afternoon in the Forest as the weather was much better! The read more
Rain and Gloomy Weather
03/03/2017
Sycamore went out for Forest School this week, despite the rain and gloomy weather! We went into the forest to read more
Cross the River
10/02/2017
Willow Class had their final session of Forest School for this term on Wednesday. As a warm up game, they read more
Woodland Craft for Christmas decorations
31/01/2017
In Forest School, all year groups have explored the different parts of our woodland and how they have changed through read more
Big Shells
27/01/2017
This week, Willow Class made fire! Mr Ottaway kindly brought in some big shells and the children took it in read more
Vertebrates and Invertebrates
20/01/2017
This week, Willow Class had a science-based Forest School session and they learnt more about vertebrates and invertebrates! Before going read more
Fantastic Dens
13/01/2017
Willow class came back to forest school this week and had a great afternoon in some sunshine! Mr Ottoway kindly read more
Leaf Factory
16/12/2016
Beech Class had their final forest school session this week. They chose to recreate some of the amazing homes for read more
Stick Village
09/12/2016
Beech Class had a fantastic time at Forest School session this week. We went into the forest and were all read more
-4 degrees
02/12/2016
Beech Class had their first Forest School session for the year on Thursday and it was a cold one! The read more
Autumnal Art
25/11/2016
Oak class had their final Forest School session this week and they had great fun choosing their learning in the read more
Autumn Walk
18/11/2016
On Wednesday 9th November, Oak class had their first ever Forest School session! The children were so excited to get read more
Traps to Capture and Soak the Gruncher
14/10/2016
This week, Willow class had their final Forest School session of the term. We finished reading 'The Minpins' which included read more
Pond Dipping
07/10/2016
On Wednesday, Sycamore Class went pond dipping for the first time this term! Mr Ottoway kindly brought in a wildlife read more
The Minpins
30/09/2016
Willow Class enjoyed an afternoon in the forest on Wednesday. For Forest School sessions, we have been using a story read more
Sycamore Photo Frames
23/09/2016
Sycamore Class went into the Forest this week and made their own photo frames! They had to work together to read more