Forest School at Goodrich CE Primary School

Here at Goodrich we focus on providing a safe outdoor learning environment where all children are freely allowed to discover, play, problem solve, explore and take suitable risks whilst learning.  Providing children with boundless opportunities to improve their social, physical, independent and teamwork skills - which enables every child to increase their confidence and self-esteem. Responsible and managed challenges and risk-taking are encouraged; this ensures the children develop trusting relationships with their peers.  We encourage every child to listen to each other, discuss and contribute to any ideas that each and every child may have. 

Where does Forest School take place?

Forest school takes place within the school grounds in a designated wooded area.  Forest School is organised and run by 3 qualified Forest School leaders.

What is Forest School?

 “Forest School is an inspirational process that offers all children and young people opportunities to achieve, develop independence, confidence and self-esteem, through hands-on and physical learning experiences in a woodland environment.”

Forest School aims to encourage and promote an understanding and caring ethos towards the natural world:

• • Care for oneself
  • Care for other people
  • Care for the environment

Quotes taken from - www.forestschoolassociation.org

Activities

Some of the activities that we do are

• Flora and fauna identification
• Mini-beast hunt and identification
• Observing changes throughout the seasons
• Mud painting and modelling
• Making mud pies
• Den and shelter building
• Knots

• Scavenger hunts
• Team games
• Fire use to include cooking

• Gutting and cooking fish, soup, bread, toasting marshmallows and making hot chocolate.
• Tool use (under supervision)