Forest School

Forest School

At William Edwards we believe in the importance of learning outside of the classroom. We are fortunate to have the facilities on our school site to have been able to set up a Forest School provision for some of our KS3 learners. Small groups of pupils work together with a qualified Forest School instructor and our Youth Worker, once a week for half a term.

During the sessions learners are encouraged to explore the natural environment through a range of activities, such as: den building, fire making, cooking, craft, safe use of tools, team building and pond dipping.

The Forest School approach has been widely researched and has been found to help pupils to develop in a variety of ways:

Confidence: pupils have the freedom, time and space to learn and demonstrate independence.

Social skills: pupils gain an increased awareness of the consequences of their actions on peers through team activities such as sharing tools and participating in activities.

Communication: language development is prompted by the pupil’s sensory experiences.

Motivation: pupils develop a keenness to participate and the ability to concentrate over longer periods of time.

Physical skills: these improvements are characterised by the development of physical stamina and gross and fine motor skills.

Knowledge and understanding: the pupils develop an interest in the natural surroundings and respect for the environment.