Forest School and Outdoor Learning

What is Forest School?

Forest School originated in Scandinavia and was brought to the UK in the early 1990s. Children are not taught, but are encouraged to find things out for themselves through play, for example games, stories, creative expression and sharing. Through play, the child develops their initiative and imagination (problem solving), learns resilience and resourcefulness (perseverance and determination), how to give and ask for help and support from peers (emotional intelligence and teamwork), and how to appropriately self-manage risk in an increasingly risky world.

Pupils at Redland School have small nurture groups of Forest School for a whole afternoon.

What is Outdoor Learning?

Outdoor Learning is a way of teaching that uses the school grounds and local green spaces to enhance teaching and learning right across the curriculum, and to deliver a wide range of associated benefits, including promoting children’s social and emotional skills and their engagement in learning. It also provides experiential opportunities allowing pupils to respond positively to opportunities, challenges and responsibilities, to manage risk and to cope with change.

These sessions focus on curriculum areas, building skills in resilience, problem solving and collaboration as well as involving children in learning bush craft and traditional woodland management techniques.

All pupils at Redland School have regular sessions outside in the school grounds and woodland.

How is Outdoor Learning taught at Redland School?

Here at Redland School, we are on a journey to give time and space for children to learn outside of the classroom. We will continue year on year to develop our outdoor learning provision as we invest in resources, time and energy into enabling this to be an integral part of all children’s learning at Redland School.

We believe that outdoor learning is important for all children to be able to experience here at Redland School as part of their education.

The primary aims of our outdoor learning curriculum will be:

To build self-esteem and confidence in children.
To build resilient, determined and independent learners.
To develop children’s personal, social and emotional development.
To develop children’s imagination and encourage creativity.
To encourage collaboration.
To develop and build the ideas of risk management and risk benefit.
To improve children’s life skills and experiences.
To enable children to gain a respect for the natural environment and wildlife.
To support wellbeing and nature connection

These aims will be covered through a variety of Forest School and outdoor learning teaching and strategies.

Children from Reception to Year 6 will receive 2 terms of timetabled Outdoor Learning sessions in the school woods and school grounds. Outdoor Learning also takes place when the opportunity arises through curriculum topics.