Forest School
At Abbey Woods we use our outdoor space to contribute to the development of independent, confident, responsible learners by providing children with experiences according to the Forest School ethos.
Forest School is a holistic approach to learning, responding to children’s individuality and nurturing skills for lifelong learning. Outdoor learning fosters children’s independence and interdependence, resilience, appropriate risk taking and self-motivated learning. It explores the natural environment with practical, useful activities all year round, with knowledgeable, well-trained practitioners facilitating and supporting learning.
Forest School is a fun place to be, where activities include: playing hide and seek, whittling wood, map reading, transitional art, creating a fire pit, storytelling, den building, bird feeders and many more. The generous staff/child ratio enables children to take supported risks and to be resilient. These are skills they can take back to their learning in the classroom.
The use of the outdoor setting, the various real tools and the natural resources bring learning to life, creating an understanding of the balance of nature and the finite resources around us. Working as a team to solve problems fosters communication and negotiation skills and through taking informed, self-calculated risks and choices, children learn to ensure their own and others’ safety, developing sympathy and empathy towards the group around them.