Forest School

At Lady Royd Primary, we believe that an ‘outdoor’ approach to play and learning can have a huge impact on the development of children. Research shows that children who have frequent access to opportunities for play in nature are more balanced, less stressed, are better at concentrating and have fewer days off sick. 

At Forest School, children are provided with the opportunity to learn about the natural environment, how to handle risks, use their own initiative to solve problems and co-operate with others. 

Learning at Forest School is very ‘child led’, meaning that sessions are planned to meet the needs and interests of the children in that group, as well as take account of the seasons and weather - therefore, no two Forest School programmes are the same! 

Benefits of Forest School

Forest schools have been shown to:

• Increase self-esteem and self-confidence
• Improve co-operation, communication skills and awareness of others
• Increase motivation, self-discovery and positive attitude towards learning
• Encourage ownership and pride in the local environment
• Encourage a better understanding of the outdoors
• Increase the skills and knowledge. 

New Experiences

Not only that, it can also provide children with the experiences to learn, apply and transfer skills into everyday life for example; 

• Communication during fire safety
• Problem solving during den building
• Team work during bug hunts
• Independence during free play
• Respect for peers, wildlife and the environment in every session.

More information

Forest School Association - www.forestschoolassociation.org