Forest School

Our forest school is an educational approach that emphasizes outdoor learning in a natural environment, fostering children’s curiosity, independence, and creativity. The key principles of forest school include:

Our approach is centred around child-led learning, where activities allow children to explore their interests and develop at their own pace. Sessions are held in our ‘Big O’ area, providing a nature-based environment that helps children connect with the outdoors. Free play and hands-on exploration are key components, encouraging the development of problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking skills.

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Activities are designed to build resilience and confidence, with opportunities for risk-taking, such as climbing, building shelters, and using tools. This fosters a sense of self-assurance in children. Additionally, we support holistic development, nurturing physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth through experiential learning. Lastly, sustainability and respect for the environment are emphasized, teaching children to care for the world around them and cultivating empathy for nature.

Our Forest school is led by trained practitioners who create a safe and supportive environment for children to learn, take risks, and develop a love for nature. At our nursery, this approach likely aligns with our ethos of nurturing empathy and respect while supporting outdoor learning.

NHS guidelines suggest that children under the age of 5 need 3 hours of exercise per day and that it should be a mixture of bone strengthening, muscle building and cardiovascular.  The Forest School environment provide a range of opportunities for these needs.

At Oakland we have a garden called the Big O this is a place for the children to explore a woodland area. All children will have the chance to experience :

  • Exploring the woodland and making dens
  • Getting messy and creative in the ‘mud kitchen’
  • Planting
  • Learning about insects, animals, plants and trees through investigation
  • Working as a team and learning problem-solving skills through making dens and structures
  • Learning about boundaries and risk assessment