Forest School
At St. Clare's Catholic Primary School, every child has the opportunity to enjoy and engage in Forest School sessions all year round within our fantastic grounds. All our sessions are led by a qualified Level 3 Forest School Leader. The primary goal of our Forest School sessions is to develop communication, independence, determination, collaboration, curiousity, confidence, and creativity in all the children at St. Clare's.
What is Forest School?
Forest School is an educational approach that focuses on outdoor learning in a natural environment, typically a forest or woodland setting. The concept originated in Scandinavia and has gained popularity in various parts of the world. There are 6 main principles of Forest School;
- Long-term and regular sessions outdoors
- Takes place in a woodland or natural environment to support and develop the relationship between the learner and the natural world
- Promote the holistic development of everyone involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.
- Allow learners to take appropriate and supported risks
- Sessions are led by a qualified practitioner
- A learner-centred approach is used to create a community for learning and developing. Play and choice are an integral part of the Forest School learning process.
What to wear?
As our Forest School sessions are held outside throughout the year, it is important that your child is suitably dressed for the weather. As well as being suitably dressed, it is important that your child has a change of shoes, socks, trousers and top. This is to ensure that they can be comfortable after our Forest School sessions as it is highly likely they will be getting wet and muddy, partiularly in the Autumn and Winter seasons. Please see the image below for a guide to suitable clothing.
