Forest School

At Coppetts Wood, we are lucky enough to be able to offer a Forest School provision, led by Helen Riezzo, Level 3 Forest School Leader.

This provision is usually offered as an intervention, for a period of six weeks. There are also opportunities for whole classes to share in the Forest School experience.

Our Forest School sessions embrace the six principles that make this outdoor learning experience an integral part of our children's natural world education.

Forest School sessions are a continuous journey, providing children with an embedded understanding of the natural world through regular and extended exposure to the outdoors.

We offer a secure, natural woodland space for all participants, fostering a connection with the environment. Through exploration and interaction with the outdoors, children develop a deep appreciation for the natural world.

Forest School provides holistic learning experiences, cultivating resilience, confidence, and independence. This approach sparks creativity and a lasting love for learning in the embrace of nature.

The Forest School ethos consists of following the 6 Forest School principles and applies to and throughout Early Years, KS1, ARP 1, KS2 and ARP 2.

These include:

Principle 1 - Forest School sessions being a long-term, regular process, rather than infrequent one-off visits, allowing the children to have an embedded understanding of the outdoor and natural world.
Principle 2 – To provide a natural woodland space for all participants/learners to develop a relationship with the natural world environment.
Principle 3 – Providing our children with opportunities to promote a holistic approach to learning, which will enrich the children with resilience, confidence, and independence and generate a love of creativity while in nature.
Principle 4 – Forest School and its environment will allow the children to take supported risks which are appropriate to their environment and themselves.
Principle 5 – Forest School sessions are facilitated by qualified Forest School practitioners.
Principle 6 – Our Forest School sessions are learner-led, which allows for observation and reflection by all facilitators, and creates a community of independent development for our children.