All children at St Michael’s School have the opportunity to experience our very own Forest School on a regular basis.
What is Forest School?
To find our Forest School setting you need to enter through the willow archway, pass the bell tent into a world of imagination, creativity and risk taking.
Children can be found exploring through self-led play, storytelling, role playing and discovering their natural world. They safely learn practical skills using a range of tools and delight in mastering these skills week on week. Swings are made, bug houses explored, dens designed, hot chocolate and popcorn cooked on the open fire. Taking turns, co-operation, sitting and listening are all skills you will witness if you join us in the woods.
In Forest School we place the emphasis on the journey rather than the outcome, providing emotional time and physical space for child-led learning to come alive.
Forest School offers children regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a natural environment. Children are encouraged to:
- Explore and discover at their own pace
- Experience appropriate risk and challenge
- Initiate and drive their own learning
- Experience regular success
- Develop positive relationships with themselves, others and their natural environment
- Learn practical skills using a range of tools, in a safe environment
- Develop a positive mental attitude, self-motivation and independence
Children enjoy activities ranging from sawing and drilling, lighting fires, making hot chocolate, cooking popcorn, shelter building, designing and making bug hotels, building dens and swings. These magical opportunities are supported by a fully qualified and skilled Forest School leader.
Forest School runs all year — whatever the weather!
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Would you like to train as a Forest School Leader?
St Michael’s School have witnessed first-hand the benefits to the children who take part in regular visits to Forest School.
Building on this success we are now able to offer training at our school setting to adults who would like to train as Level 3 Forest School Leaders. This training will take place in our own Forest School at St Michael’s. Find out about our courses here.
For information including entry level qualifications, please click on the link to Cambium Sustainable.
Who leads Forest School sessions?
All sessions are led by a Level 3 qualified and skilled Forest School leader. In addition, we are supported by many parent volunteers who generously give their time to support Forest School sessions.
We are also lucky enough to be working in collaboration with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust who visit a small group of Year 6 children each week to deliver Forest School sessions, and have recently been awarded the Bronze Award on the Woodland Trust’s Green Tree Schools Award Woodland Trust.
