Forest School

Forest school at Nyewood CE Junior school

Forest School is a unique way of building independence and self-esteem in young children, exposing them to the natural world at a time where it is vital for children to understand their impact on the environment.  It is a child-centred programme that provides the opportunity for the children to use their personal learning style to complete various activities.

Forest School is a chance for the children at NJS to have new, creative experiences in the outdoor environment in a safe way.  Children will have opportunities to learn about the natural environment, how to handle risks and most importantly to use their own initiative to solve problems, negotiate with others and work as a team.

Our Forest school sessions are delivered by Chris Orchard, an experienced Forest school leader and through purposeful and careful planning of Forest School sessions, we strive to increase self-confidence, improve children’s concentration, attendance, behaviour and academic achievement. 

We aim to foster a love and respect for wildlife and the environment through stimulating natural learning experiences, inspiring children to value biodiversity and develop a strong understanding of how to promote environmental sustainability. The Forest School space is utilised all year round, with sessions adapted to compliment the ever-changing weather, resources and challenges of the natural world through the seasons.

Our Forest School promotes well-being, empathy and spirituality, ensuring everyone feels valued and that individuality is celebrated. Forest School provision will not only compliment and extend the curriculum, but also enable children to flourish and become successful lifelong learners who can make positive choices about their futures.

Forest School learning experiences create opportunities for cross-curricular links to Science, Maths, English, History, Geography, PE, PSHE and Art.

Activities at Forest School

Below are some of the activities your child may enjoy at Forest School:

• Shelter building
• Mud kitchen
• Making potions
• Digging
• Bug hotels / habitats
• Bug hunting
• Knots
• Tree swing
• Imaginary play 
• Seasonal crafts using natural materials
• Tool safety talk and tool use such as secateurs, hammers, bow saw, hand drills etc 
• Tree and Leaf Identification
• Sing songs 
• Play team games