Forest School at Park Hill

A Park Hill child will experience a curriculum that is creative, engaging and challenging. We want Park Hill learners to face challenge and learn the skills to become a resilient learner. Our curriculum is based on a sense of awe and wonder across all subjects, where experiences leave a lasting mark. A curriculum where children are curious, willing to make mistakes and demonstrate resilience.

We want Park Hill children to experience a curriculum that moves, inspires and motivates them to want to learn more. We want Park Hill children to be curious and make connections throughout their learning. In all subjects Park Hill’s curriculum encourages children to take risks, adapting to challenges with their learning. We encourage our children to see making errors as a positive part of their learning, pushing them to remain resilient to reach ambitious goals.

At Park Hill, Forest School sessions generally take place within the school grounds in an area of woodland, which has a lovely woodland walk and access to a vast amount of grassland. Forest School sessions are currently run by Mrs McKinnell and Miss Allsopp, who have completed the Level 3 Forest School Practitioner course. Mrs McKinnell also has previous experience as a Cub Leader for the Scout Association.

Forest School Ethos

Forest School is a child-centred, inspirational learning process that offers opportunity for holistic growth. It believes in children’s right to play, access the outdoors (in particular, a woodland environment), assess risk and explore the natural world, and to build a resilience that will enable continued and creative engagement with their peers and their own potential. 

Forest School supports play, exploration and supported risk taking. It develops confidence and self-esteem through child-led, hands-on experiences in a natural setting.

The concept of Forest School originated in Scandinavia and was originally aimed at pre-school children. They found that children who attended a Forest School setting had better social and communication skills, better team working skills, greater self-esteem and showed more confidence in their own abilities in comparison to children who had not attended a Forest School setting. This approach has now been extended to include all ages, up to young adults and demonstrates all of the benefits as listed above.

Forest School Opportunities 

• Provide flexibility and freedom for child-initiated, experimental learning, which increases motivation and concentration. 
• Encourage risk taking whilst developing physical skills, coordination and resilience.
• Develop a sense of trust and achievement, self-esteem, and confidence.
• Encourage problem solving and creative skills.
• Develop children’s personal, social and communication skills.
• Develop practical skills, including the use of tools to create, build or manage.
• Improve concentration skills.
• Be considerate of our Forest School environment and how we can preserve the area for years to come.

The ethos of Forest Schools and the opportunities it provides fit well with the aims of
Park Hill Primary School as outlined in the school’s vision and values, which are available online at "Vision and Values"

What do the children do?

Children taking part in Forest School sessions are given an opportunity to participate in activities in a natural setting on a weekly basis over a half term/term. The setting provides a safe environment for them to learn and explore.  Whilst the sessions provide opportunities to learn and understand more about the natural world, they also provide opportunities to develop their PSED, communication and teamwork skills. There is also scientific evidence that Forest School improves general wellbeing and mental health. 

There are opportunities to learn practical skills that there is often little opportunity to learn in formal school settings or even in the home these days. For tasks such as shelter building, tool use, fire lighting or cooking there might be an element of managed risk. However, by giving children these opportunities they ultimately become better equipped to manage risk and as a result have the opportunity to grow their self-confidence. 

Opportunities for reflection and to share experiences are provided and these help with the social and emotional development of participants. Group size plays an important role in this area, smaller groups allow time and attention to build on specific skills and development. 

The Forest School leader should be seen as a facilitator. Although activities are well planned, they are predominantly child led. There should be flexibility in the planning to allow children to pursue their interests, and make their own choices.  Activities for Forest Schools are diverse and numerous but it should be reminded that we are trying to create independent learners who are inspired to try out their own ideas, explore their own interests and to attempt new tasks. 

The following will give some indication of the type of activities that might be undertaken:

• Den and shelter building

• Foraging  

• Fire lighting

• Tool use

• Wildlife and Habitat investigation

• Playing team and group games

• Tracking and Trail skills  

• Cooking on an open fire

• Rope and string work

• Woodland and traditional crafts

• Obstacle courses