Forest school provides opportunities to explore using all the senses

Forest School helps to build confidence, emotional and social skills, self-esteem and resilience. It provides children with the opportunity to learn about their environment and develop a connection with their natural surroundings.

We want every child at South Camberley to experience Forest school over the course of a year.

The idea of outdoor learning began in Scandinavia in the 1950s. Due to its positive impact on children’s development it was introduced into the UK in the 70s.

Child initiated learning is the main Forest School ethos and provides children with the opportunity to explore using all their senses; it uses all areas of development and all learning styles. It empowers learning through the child’s own desire to play, natural inquisitiveness, enthusiasm and their need to explore.

The programme is designed so that children have more freedom to make choices and take appropriate risks through learning to develop a trust and knowledge of their own skills and in people.

The sessions are carefully planned and risk assessed so that children can experience learning through their own choices, supported by the adults to help them manage the risks.

The Forest School site is at the back of the fields at James Road and in our garden area at the juniors.

The sessions can include: Forest arts and crafts, team building activities, den building, nest building, exploring wildlife and habitats, the weather and how it changes.