Forest School

Forest school is all about the children having the freedom to be themselves; to be in charge of their learning, have fun, get dirty, laugh, take risks, make decisions, use tools, solve problems, achieve success and learn new skills that they will have for life.

At Brize Norton Forest School, we want to inspire and encourage our children to blossom into confident individuals. By taking them outside and giving them freedom in the natural environment, they are able to follow their own paths of learning.

The smallest of tasks at Forest School can provide a host of new skills; a simple task of building a den provides opportunities to work as a team, learn new skills, solve problems, lead, develop confidence, build on fine motor skills and communicate with one another.

Climbing a tree teaches a child to measure and take risks; it allows them to make discoveries about themselves, develop gross motor skills, uses their senses and gives them a feeling of achievement.

What is a leaf? Well, it can be anything...children are free to unleash their creativity. It can be a boat, a dress for a fairy, a roof of a house, a dinosaur scale, an animal's ear or a flying carpet for an ant; with imagination, the list is endless.

At Forest School, we are providing opportunities for the children to enhance their social, physical, intellectual, communication, emotional and spiritual development (SPICES).

Children in the Foundation Stage take part in Forest School for one afternoon per week, all year round, whatever the weather. What they learn depends on the season, the weather and whatever they want, but we use tools, build shelters, make fires and cook on them, explore the pond - and they develop their confidence, team work and understanding of the world around them.  

But we do not want only our youngest children to enjoy this opportunity! Children from Year 1 to Year 6 take part for half a term each during the year, also for half a day a week. What they learn and do will be different, but the ethos remains the same.

As we do go out all year round, the importance of the correct clothing is vital, especially in the colder months. As well as looking at our kit list, which can be found at the link below, do look at the outdoor clothing guide to ensure your child remains warm and comfortable for the duration of their time at Forest School. 

Our Forest School Teacher is Mrs Alex Rae