Forest School

Taking the adventure beyond the classroom

At Amington Heath Primary School and Nursery, Learning is our Adventure – and some of our most memorable learning happens outdoors.

Forest School gives children opportunities to explore, investigate, create, collaborate and challenge themselves in the natural world. It provides experiences that cannot always be recreated inside a classroom and gives children the space to develop independence, confidence, curiosity and resilience.

Children learn through doing. They make decisions, solve problems, test ideas, work with others, take appropriate risks and discover what they are capable of.

Forest School is an important part of the wider Amington Heath experience and complements our Adventure Curriculum, enrichment offer and whole-school commitment to developing the whole child.

Learning Through Experience

Forest School is about much more than simply taking lessons outside.

Children learn through direct experience of the natural environment. Activities develop in response to children’s interests, needs, the seasons and the opportunities presented by the environment around them.

Depending on the age of the children and the activity, experiences may include:

• exploring and investigating the natural world
• den building and construction
• problem-solving and team challenges
• creative activities using natural materials
• developing practical outdoor skills
• observing plants, wildlife and seasonal change
• learning to use appropriate tools safely
• developing independence through increasingly challenging activities

Children are encouraged to be curious, ask questions, make choices and learn from what happens rather than simply being given the answer.

Challenge, Risk and Resilience

Appropriate challenge is an important part of Forest School.

Children are supported to recognise risk, think about possible outcomes and make increasingly sensible decisions for themselves. Rather than removing every possible challenge, adults help children develop the judgement and confidence needed to manage situations safely.

When an idea does not work first time, children are encouraged to think again, adapt their approach and persevere.

These experiences help children develop resilience, confidence, self-belief and independence – characteristics that transfer directly into learning and wider life.

Forest School and our RESPECT Characteristics

Forest School provides rich, authentic opportunities for children to develop our RESPECT characteristics.

• Resilience – persevering when something is difficult and trying a different approach
• Excellence – taking pride in ideas, skills and achievements
• Self-awareness – recognising strengths, feelings, confidence and personal limits
• Positivity – approaching challenge with curiosity and optimism
• Empathy – caring for other people, living things and the environment
• Communication – explaining ideas, listening, negotiating and asking questions
• Teamwork – collaborating, sharing responsibility and solving problems together

These characteristics develop naturally because children encounter genuine situations in which they need to use them.

Oracy in the Outdoors

Oracy is a golden thread throughout our curriculum, including Forest School.

Outdoor experiences give children authentic reasons to communicate. They explain ideas, negotiate roles, solve problems together, ask questions, describe what they notice and use new vocabulary connected to the natural world.

Children learn to listen carefully to others, contribute to group decisions and adapt their communication depending on the situation.

For some children, the freedom and practical nature of the outdoor environment can provide particularly powerful opportunities to develop confidence in speaking and communicating.

Connecting with the Natural World

Regular experiences outdoors help children develop a meaningful relationship with the environment around them.

Children observe seasonal change, encounter plants and wildlife, develop curiosity about the natural world and begin to understand their responsibility towards it.

This supports learning across areas such as science and geography, but it also develops something broader: an appreciation of the environment and a sense of responsibility for caring for it.

These experiences connect closely with our wider work around sustainability and help children understand that their choices can make a difference.

Forest School and the Adventure Curriculum

Forest School sits naturally alongside our Adventure Curriculum.

Where meaningful links exist, outdoor experiences can reinforce and deepen curriculum learning. Children might investigate something they have been learning about, apply knowledge practically or use the outdoor environment as inspiration for speaking, writing, science, art or wider enquiry.

We do not force curriculum links where they do not add value. Forest School also has important value in its own right, developing independence, creativity, problem-solving and the confidence to explore.

It is another way in which children at Amington Heath are able to learn through experience rather than simply learning about experience.

Part of Our Wider Enrichment Offer

Forest School forms part of the rich range of experiences available to children at Amington Heath.

Alongside OPAL, enrichment, outdoor learning, visits, visitors, Careers and Aspirations and wider adventurous opportunities, it helps us broaden children’s horizons and give them experiences beyond those they may otherwise encounter.

These opportunities help children discover interests and strengths, build cultural capital and develop confidence in unfamiliar situations.

Forest School for Every Child

We want all children to be able to experience and enjoy Forest School.

Activities, resources and adult support are adapted where appropriate so that children with different strengths, needs and levels of confidence can participate successfully while continuing to experience appropriate challenge.

For some children, including pupils with SEND, the outdoor environment can provide particularly valuable opportunities for movement, sensory exploration, communication, regulation and confidence.

Our aim is not to create a separate experience for children who need additional support, but to remove barriers so that they can participate fully alongside their peers.

Growing Through the Adventure

Forest School helps children develop skills and characteristics that extend far beyond the outdoor session itself.

We want children to become increasingly willing to try something unfamiliar, confident enough to make decisions, resilient enough to cope when something goes wrong and thoughtful enough to work successfully with others.

These are skills children carry back into the classroom, into friendships and eventually into life beyond Amington Heath.

The mud washes off. The confidence, independence and memories remain.

Getting Ready for Forest School

Forest School takes place outdoors throughout the year, so children need clothing suitable for the weather and activities.

Children should have their arms and legs covered and will need suitable waterproof clothing, including waterproof trousers, and wellington boots when appropriate.

Families will be given information about what children need for their Forest School sessions.

Find Out More

If you would like more information about Forest School at Amington Heath, please speak to your child’s class teacher or contact the school office.

Telephone: 01827 337465
Email: office@amingtonheath.staffs.sch.uk