Every class at Moreland has a block of  Forest School, these are taught in half termly blocks but because each class revisits Forest School they are able to develop their Forest Skills throughout their time at Moreland. This is something that is very rare and we are pleased to offer our children this amazing experience which compliments what they are learning in the classroom. 

What is Forest School?

'Forest School is a child-centred inspirational learning process, that offers opportunities for holistic growth through regular sessions. It is a long-term program that supports play, exploration and supported risk taking. It develops confidence and self-esteem through learner inspired, hands-on experiences in a natural setting.'-Forest School Association

Watch this video for an introduction to Forest School.

https://forestschoolassociation.org/what-is-forest-school/

The benefits of Forest School:

Research has shown that children can benefit from Forest School sessions in a variety of ways:

Confidence

Social skills

Motivation

Communication

Physical skills

Knowledge and Understanding

New perspectives

Ripple effects 

(Murray and O'Brien, 2005, Jenner and Hughes, 2005) 

Forest School Staff at Moreland

We are fortunate to have a dedicated Forest School Team at Moreland, our Assistant head is Level 3 trained and I have completed my level 3 training. We also have a very experienced outdoor learning teacher and 5 members of support staff who are completing their level 1 course. This means that every class can have a block of Forest School sessions during the year and throughout their time at Moreland they will be able to develop their Forest School skills each year.

Examples of experiences offered:

Make - shelter building, rope and knot work, fire safety, lighting and cooking

Create- natural arts and crafts, drama and music 

Play- team games, Natures Kitchen, tracking games

People- mindfulness, teamwork, reflection

Forests- hazard awareness and risk management, improving forest area, biodiversity and identifying living things.