Forest School is a child-centred inspirational learning process, that offers opportunities for holistic growth through regular sessions.  It is a long-term programme that supports play, exploration and supported risk taking.  It develops confidence and self-esteem through learner inspired, hands on experiences in a woodland environment.

Forest School has a developmental ethos shared by thousands of trained practitioners around the world, who are constantly developing their learning styles and skills to support new and imaginative learners. Its roots reach back to the open-air culture, seen as a way of life in Scandinavia where Forest School began. It arrived in the UK in 1993 and has grown from strength to strength since then.  The process helps and facilitates more than knowledge-gathering, it helps learners develop socially, emotionally, spiritually, physically and intellectually. It creates a safe, non-judgemental nurturing environment for learners to try stuff out and take risks. Forest School inspires a deep and meaningful connection to the world and an understanding of how a learner fits within it.

Our main Forest School focus at Summerseat is based upon the physical and emotional wellbeing of each child within our school community. Yet, to also give our children the opportunities to grow in confidence, resilience, self- esteem and motivation whilst developing an understanding of the natural world.  Overall, helping them to raise their academic achievements.  

A Forest School encourages children to:

• develop personal and social skills
• work through practical problems and challenges
• use tools to create, build or manage
• take supported risks
• discover how they learn best
• pursue knowledge that interests them
• learn how to manage failures
• build confidence in decision making and evaluating risk
• develop practical skills
• understand the benefits of a balanced and healthy lifestyle
• explore connections between humans, wildlife and the earth
• regularly experience achievement and success
• reflect on learning and experiences
• develop their language and communication skills
• become more motivated
• improve their concentration skills
• improve their communication
• explore the world through their senses.