Forest School
All of the children at Portfield have the opportunity to participate in Forest School sessions every other week. The sessions are run by Mr Potts in our dedicated outdoor learning zone, on our school grounds. Mr Potts has completed a Level 3 Forest School course and will continue to be assessed by Sussex Wildlife Trust, an accredited Forest School provider, to ensure that all sessions are carried out safely and with the right ethos.
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 is a specialised learning approach that compliments and supports our personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) curriculum.
Forest School aims to improve and develop an individual’s:
- Independence
- Confidence
- Communication skills
- Self-esteem
Originally developed in Denmark, children attending Forest Schools were found to have developed string social skills, the ability to work as a team and generally had high esteem and confidence in their own abilities. These attributes proved to be an effective foundation that raised their academic achievements, making Forest School an excellent way to support learning in the classroom.
What happens during Forest School sessions?
During Forest School sessions, children are encouraged to work with others to carry out activities such as shelter building, bug hunting, knot tying, role play, exploration and practical tasks. Some Forest School activities involve lighting small fires for cooking and the use of tools such as knives and potato peelers to make objects out of natural resources. However, the children only use these tools once they have learn how to behave safely in the Forest School environment and clearly understand the risks of using them.