Forest Schools

The forest school ethos was brought into the UK in the 1990’s. The forest schools were brought into the UK as an approach to children’s development and learning, this became a complement towards the Foundation Phase pedagogy. (Government, 2009) I agree with the Welsh Assembly Government as I think that the forest schools are now an important part of the Foundation Phase but also very successful. Many Schools have now developed their own forest school or areas. People who lead the forest schools must be led by forest school leaders, you can be trained in many places for forest schools. During the forest school, which children usually attend at least once a week children are encouraged to have hands on experience and explore and push themselves into challenges. Forest schools are great in my opinion as think that the Foundation Phase can be to structured in order for some children to learn. Forest school gives the individual child the option to choose how they play and learn through their own imagination and creativity. Children learn so much throughout forest schools including risk taking, team building, and become independent, which I don’t think that children are given enough of in schools. Forest schools to children are fun and to the children seem like they are playing and not learning when actually they learning a lot through cross-curriculum as they take on their child initiated learning. Forest schools give children the independence and responsibility that is hard to gain in the classroom. The biggest thing that I think that children get from forest schools is freedom. They are also a great way to build children’s confidence and for children with behaviour difficulties to let off steam and children with short attention spans to keep active and learning. As I have stated above I have found and article to back up my points on the benefits and what children gain from forest schools. (www.worcesterhire.co.uk/forestschools) states that children gain personal and social development, as well as the amount of confidence that children gain from learning and playing within the forest along with the confidence the children gained came confidence and self-esteem that children built through team building. Children gained a great sense of independence while being involved within forest schools and this shows within the results of this article. It shows that forest schools can enrich and take part in the quality of the child’s overall educational experience. The article mentions about all the 7 Areas of Learning which I mentioned in previous posts. I think that forest school is important in children’s lives and can be followed throughout their education as not only does forest schools run in the early years and primary, forest school goes on to secondary provision and also special educational needs and community groups can gain and benefit from forest schools.