Forest School
At Rodings we are firmly committed to the principles of Forest Schools, which forms an important part of our Early Years and Key Stage 1 experience. Forest School is a type of outdoor education in which our children learn personal, social and technical skills through regular visits to Lords Woods. It offers children many opportunities to achieve and develop confidence through hands-on learning in a woodland environment.
Forest School uses the woods as a means to build independence, teamwork, problem-solving skills and self-esteem. Forest School compliments learning in the classroom and the woodland environment is used to support all areas of learning, including mathematics and literacy.
Forest School
follows a set of principles that guide each session:
- Forest School is a long-term process of regular sessions, rather than one-off or infrequent visits; the cycle of planning, observation, adaptation and review links each session.
- Forest School takes place in a woodland or natural environment to support the development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world.
- Forest School uses a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for being, development and learning.
- 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
