Outdoor Learning and Forest School
Click here for our Forest School Curriculum
Over each academic year, all children across school take part in at least one Outdoor Experience Day with a Forest School leader. During these days children have the opportunity to engage with the world around them, learn new facts and ways to explore and develop skills outside of the classroom.
Getting muddy is an understatement, but every child has the opportunity and usually the experience ends with a smile on their face. It is refreshing for children to be given challenges that they have to overcome themselves. Their ability to work in a team, build resilience and independence are really enhanced in a short period of time as a result of their participation in the Outdoor Experience Days.
Back at Broadfield, our Forest School Leaders are busy at work with Forest School Interventions and Outdoor Learning sessions. The groups cover so many things; from den building to using tools, team games to problem-solving and maintenance. These are skills for life that the children are developing and it is a pleasure to see how they tackle them.
Classes around school have been interacting with the Forest school area to enhance their learning using the outdoors and have helped the staff to develop the Forest School further.
So far our Forest School includes:
A fire circle with canopy for the wet days
A pond with a dipping platform
A wild garden and variety of tree species
A bug hotel and further habitats being developed to enhance the experience of the children interacting with their natural surroundings
A mud kitchen
A den building area
An outdoor relaxation garden
A greenhouse and planting areas
A newly designed and installed Night Line
A newly planted native hedgerow
A quiet area for reflecting in natures beauty
The aims of the Forest School and Outdoor learning curriculum is to entice children and encourage them to explore, learn and manage risks in a safe and supportive natural environment. It is a unique opportunity for children to develop their teamwork skills, improve confidence and initiate their own learning outside of a classroom. Our vision is for a growing movement of children that are passionate about Forest School and outdoor learning and the benefits is has on them as people.
Here are some photos of what we have done so far...
