Forest School and Outdoor Learning

At Broadwater Down, we are big fans of outdoor learning. We have an extensive outdoor environment which includes a playing field, allotments and our very own woodland.  We use this to enthuse our pupils and bring the curriculum to life for example to inspire great poetry, find habitats in science or to imagine life in the Stone Age, making shelters and fire.

The woodland and our outdoor learning environment also provide a supportive setting for nurture based activities, as well as a range of sporting activities.

What is Forest School?     

‘Forest School is an inspirational process that offers ALL learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment with trees’.

(Forest School Association)

Over the course of an academic year, every pupil at Broadwater Down is given the opportunity to engage in a series of Forest School sessions taught by a specialist Forest Schools Practitioner, right here in our very own woodland site. The programme not only teaches pupils specific woodland skills like fire-lighting, use of tools and bivouac-building, but also provides the children with opportunities to develop life skills such as good communication, collaboration, resilience and risk management.

At Broadwater Down Primary School, through our Forest School sessions, we hope to encourage independent, enthusiastic and creative learners who develop holistically through a well-planned and interesting child-centred approach.

We can promise: Engagement, Collaboration, Motivation, Perseverance, Wonder, Time to Explore, Safe opportunities to take Risks and more besides!

Forest School Principles:

In developing our approach to Forest School at Broadwater Down we have adopted the ethos and principles of the Forest School Association. The Forest School ethos has 6 principles, which were agreed by the UK Forest School Community in 2011.

1. Forest School is a long term process of frequent and regular sessions and aims for children to visit in blocks of six to eight weeks each time. Planning, adaptation, observations and reviewing are all integral parts of the Forest School
2. It takes place in a woodland or natural wooded environment – in our case our purpose developed facilities on site.
3. We aim to promote the holistic development of all children involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.
4. We will offer learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and themselves.
5. It will be managed by an experienced and qualified Forest School Practitioner.
6. We will use a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for development and learning that is responsive to needs and interests of the learners.