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.
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.