Forest Schools

The following film gives an insight to Forest Schools, explaining the importance of outdoor learning for children in the Early Years.  There are many reasons why Surrey Council, as well as other areas throughout the world, believe that outdoor learning has such a huge importance to the development of young children.  It is suggested that Forest Schools provide pupils with a variety of life skills that they would not gain through a structured lesson in a classroom.  You will see in the short clip how children are given responsibilities beyond their years, for example using work tools like knives to whittle and hack saws to cut branches.  Tools that ordinarily, we may view as too dangerous for children of such a tender age; the difference is, these children are being taught the hazards of the tools whilst simultaneously learning how to safely use them within the environment and gaining life skills in the process; building fires, whittling, making camp etc.  These skills can be linked to the national curriculum where appropriate.  The teacher may ask the children what is need to fire to make the fire that they are building; heat, oxygen and fuel.



 

 

 

This style of learning encourages pupils to think for themselves, explore what is around them and use their initiative rather than being influenced in what they should learn.  The teachers and Forest School Leaders are there to support, encourage and supervise what the children are doing as well as demonstrating safe use of the tools and environment. 

 

 

If they are conducted in the correct manner there is definitely a place in Early Years education for Forest Schools, perhaps beyond.  In my opinion, the way Stroud School conduct their outdoor learning goes against the main principle of Forest School; the pupils are not using their initiatives, on the contrary, they are guided towards the way they should play.  This is evident in this video clip; they instruct the children to start a band using the natural materials around them. The main reason for removing children from a classroom is to enable them to structure their own learning, not to be set a lesson plan as they would in a conventional learning environment.  For Forest Schools to make an impact in the child's curriculum they must be encouraged to think for themselves and learn from their surroundings with minimal input from the teacher.