Forest schools aren’t actual physical schools. Instead, they refer to regular outdoor sessions, mostly at nursery or primary school level, in natural environments to enable children to develop confidence through hands-on learning.
At some forest schools, which mainly take place in woodland, children spend the whole day outside. But ‘forest school’ usually refers to weekly lessons as part of a normal school curriculum or as an after-school club.
Originating from Scandinavia, the concept of ‘friluftsliv’ (free open-air life in Danish) was initially developed with under-7s. The benefits of their self-esteem, motivation and learning was soon recognised and it developed in the UK in the 1990s into what we know now as forest school. Forest schools have been shown to:
Highly trained staff who can oversee potentially hazardous activities such as fire making and tree climbing. Children are encouraged to work out problems for themselves and take the lead, whether through identifying safe trees to climb or discovering and mapping ant nests. They go out whatever the weather, snow, hail or sunshine.
Forest school participants range from nursery children, primary, secondary or special schools, pupil referral units to home schooling.
Schools can use sessions as part of their curriculum and, for example, link lessons on Romans to making bows and arrows out of wood. Science might involve filtering sediments with tree taps, or making elderflower cordial, identifying bugs using a magnifying glass. Sessions can inspire essays and art, involve traditional crafts such as weaving nettle cordage, balancing on a tree-to-tree tightrope or mindfulness in a hammock looking at the sky. There are also great opportunities for teambuilding – making and testing shelters, for example - and self-esteem workshops. And there’s time for plenty of fun, digging in the mud, building dams, running through fallen leaves.
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Further reading:
Overview: Steiner Waldorf aims to provide an unhurried and creative learning environment in harmony with different phases of a child’s development. Background: In 1919, Austrian philosopher and scientist, Rudolf Steiner, whose ideas founded the basis of Anthroposophy, began a school in Stuttgart for children of the workers at the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory. This inspired a worldwide movement of schools.
Creativity and exploration – this ethos puts children firmly at the centre of society. Philosophy: Based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play. Background: Pioneered by Maria Montessori, Italy’s first female doctor in 1907 to educate the poor in Italy. To the uninitiated, Montessori methods may seem like a free-for-all. Homework, testing and exams are seldom found. Montessori found that children learn best by doing ‘The essence of independence is to be able to do something for one’s self. A child works in order to grow, and is working to create the adult, the person that is to be.’…
Online schooling is an alternative to more traditional schooling, whereby children or young people learn either entirely or primarily online. Online schools and colleges have become particularly popular since COVID.