Woodlands Academy
London, UK
At Woodlands Academy we are fortunate to have extensive school grounds which includes large natural areas with trees, grass and shrubs. This is ideal for developing a Forest School site. We also have a large number of children from areas of high deprivation who do not have regular access to a garden or the natural environment and are unfamiliar with woodlands and green spaces. Forest School will help them gain confidence in using such spaces and this can form the basis of a lifelong relationship with the natural world. They will also develop team working skills and become more independent. The growing confidence will have a positive impact on their emotional and mental wellbeing by improving their self esteem. As they become familiar with Forest School, they will take their new-found confidence into school and into other areas of their lives. Forest School can be particularly effective for children who do not do well in the classroom environment. Children learn to solve problems and be creative and imaginative at Forest School thus showing enterprising behaviour. The ‘wild’, and yet controlled, safe environment of Forest School ensures that children taking part naturally learn to assess risk and are encouraged to make sensible and informed decisions about how to deal with unfamiliar and unpredictable situations (such as exploring or climbing trees, using tools to build shelters and dens). Much of the learning for a child comes as a result of the opportunities they have for testing their own abilities in a real life context. These are all important skills for life as well as for developing determination and resilience in their learning in class. Through taking part in regular Forest school sessions, our children will be stimulated by the outdoors and typically experience, over time, an increase in their self belief, confidence, learning capacity, enthusiasm, communication and problem-solving skills and emotional well-being. We would therefore welcome any contribution you are able to give towards the purchase of the equipment needed to enable us to deliver our Forrest School Programme.
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