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. It is a specialised learning approach that sits within and compliments the wider context of outdoor and woodland education.

At The Willows, we teach Forest School lessons so that all the children have a chance to develop a wide range of skills that they wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to do so inside the classroom. It also supports our children’s self-esteem and confidence and allows them the chance to achieve things they thought they might not have been able to previously.

We also use Forest School lessons as an opportunity to enhance other areas of the national curriculum and regularly carry out Science, Geography and Art related activities. Our teachers have the freedom to use our Forest School Area whenever they feel it is appropriate for their lessons.

We have developed our very own Forest School Area at the bottom of our field. We all love working in this area with our friends. Every class spends a whole morning in Forest School every 7 weeks with Mrs Hayes who is a qualified Forest School Leader. We learn how to work together to build dens, make a fire and toast marshmallows and many other bushcraft skills. We always have such great fun! We also use our Forest School Area for Outdoor Learning Days and to support other areas of the curriculum. Year 3 hold a ‘Stone Age Day’ there and Mrs Hayes helps us learn about the Anglo-Saxons there. Have a look at our photographs below.