200
I have been preaching, repeating myself, whinging, whining, and banging on about Forest School since 2019. This is literally my 200th blog post charting the development, trials, and successes we've had.
I try to acknowledge how all provision varies but everything in the blog is totally subjective, from our view point and experiences. It's all we know.
In 2018 Chartham Primary School could only fit half a class into the minibus, therefore 15 children went off to swimming and 15 stayed for Forest School. This meant only years 3 and 4 had access to either and on rotation for a six week set every few terms.
The Forest School Leader was also a TA. Resources were few, and while the FSL was enthusiastic and highly capable, there was not time for planning or maintenance or site development...
A situation that's familiar to too many!
In 2019 the school decided to invest time and energy into making Forest School something they did well. They committed to focusing on it and employing a full time FSL.
It started as it had always been while everyone got used to what was the then status quo.
Then change began.
Through 4 academic years and a pandemic Forest School took on many different forms, adapting quickly to lockdowns and staying open, supporting children's return to so-called normal life, and to the ever changing demands of curriculum, time constraints, parental expectations, and pupils needs.
As we end 2023 we are a staff of 3 FSLs, covering about 50% of teaching staff's PPA, and facilitating small group work and interventions for children who benefit from learning outdoors the most.
We have three distinct sites that offer differing experiences that all remain child led and true to the Forest School principles.
Across the year we offer sessions to local parents and toddlers and to the local Nursery, and we support Level 3 Forest School Training onsite twice a year.
We have four Forest School networks up and running, offering online advice & ideas while sharing views and info to help make everyone's role a little easier!
We have also started providing space for an annual conference that boosts CPD. Both these endeavours make our alumni active and supportive of each other.
We've come quite a long way in a relatively short space of time!
Of course we will never reach a point where we feel we have 'completed' anything. There is always more to learn, more to share, more to develop.
But weirdly none of it feels like an 'achievement'. Nothing was battled for, everything we've decided to explore has been done with the backing of the school. Some things have been tricky, others easier, but nobody needed convincing! Through becoming an Academy, changes in Senior Management, and training more Staff to be Forest School Leaders, the idea of Forest School being important at our school has prevailed. It has been time consuming, involved a lot of admin, opened up networking we never knew we needed, and taken up many enjoyable hours on social media, and it still feels like we are growing towards something, something that extends each time we get close to reaching it!
The children are the only reason we exist. Not only are we child led when it comes to planning and providing sessions, but their input into what we do next, what they like and dislike, what they'd like to do and see and explore always guides us. Their voice is always heard.
This can be formally, in a pile of post it notes they write and draw on, in a circle time at basecamp discussing their views, even in a podcast that they help to create to tell the world why they do or don't like Forest School!
It's also informal in daily requests for information, for help in finding solutions to whatever sticking point their plan has met, in their suggestions for games and activities, and also in unsolicited 'thank you's', positive comments on the sessions, and impulsive hugs.
As much as a Forest School within a school will struggle with little support from SLT, without the willing participation of the classes it would be impossible.
Of course, we all know that children love being outside, that outdoor learning seizes their attention, and the health and wellbeing benefits are huge. The numerous studies are a valuable vindication of what we do, but it's the anecdotal personal responses that give the greatest feedback to us, immediately and powerfully.
For us, Forest School has aided children's mental health, through lockdown, through class 'bubbles', through everything opening up, and through SATs pressure, life events, and even just having to sit still and listen for the bulk of the day!
The dirt and mud that builds their immune system, the fresh air that feeds their brain, the space to move that becomes an emotional outlet as well as the chance to develop physically, and the life skills that are honed...
While life may change, seasons may change, weather may change, and they themselves will change, Forest School is a constant!
So to celebrate wittering on for 200 blog posts I've listed 200 attributes, dispositions, attitudes, and behaviours I spotted children demonstrating and devolping in the last week:
- Imagination
- Vocabulary
- Speech
- Storytelling
- Communicating
- Conversation
- Description
- Explaining
- Planning
- Designing
- Trialing
- Troubleshooting
- Adapting
- Altering
- Discussing
- Teamwork
- Resillience
- Persistence
- Patience
- Cooperation
- Collaboration
- Estimating
- Measuring
- Judging
- Risk assessing
- Predicting
- Awareness
- Considering
- Devising
- Deciding
- Choosing
- Understanding
- Observing
- Noticing
- Fixing
- Asking
- Helping
- Supporting
- Encouraging
- Experimenting
- Exploring
- Discovering
- Investigating
- Deducing
- Concluding
- Testing
- Sharing
- Immersing
- Participating
- Trying
- Perfecting
- Learning
- Teaching
- Demonstrating
- Coordinating
- Coordination
- Fine motor skills
- Gross motor skills
- Dexterity
- Muscle development
- Exercising
- Day dreaming
- Swinging
- Balancing
- Running
- Walking
- Climbing
- Jumping
- Hopping
- Crawling
- Sliding
- Spinning
- Shouting
- Whispering
- Hiding
- Seeking
- Finding
- Rule making
- Socialising
- Caring
- Thinking
- Watching
- Wondering
- Wandering
- Connecting
- Connection
- Feeling
- Tactile
- Recognising
- Checking
- Referencing
- Acceleration
- Speed
- Angles
- Guesstimate
- Selecting
- Creating
- Making
- Producing
- Using
- Smiling
- Laughing
- Chatting
- Concentrating
- Focusing
- Fiddling
- Grabbing
- Gripping
- Twirling
- Throwing
- Catching
- Tying
- Clipping
- Wrapping
- Weaving
- Knotting
- Respecting
- Listening
- Confiding
- Solitude
- Resting
- Relaxing
- Calming
- Leading
- Following
- Gasping
- Excitement
- Amazement
- Fear
- Courage
- Bravery
- Comfort zone
- Stretching
- Attempting
- Achieving
- Waiting
- Representing
- Selecting
- Collecting
- Scrutinising
- Comparing
- Exhausting
- Tiring
- Energising
- Freeing
- Synchronising
- Cold
- Hot
- Warm
- Uncomfortable
- Wet
- Damp
- Icy
- Slipping
- Firming
- Confidence
- Awareness
- Pride
- Achievement
- Responsibility
- Impact
- Time
- Spatial Awareness
- Distance
- Effort
- Exertion
- Breathing
- Gravity
- Permanence
- Change
- Awe
- Ingenuity
- Introduction
- Knowledge
- Curiosity
- Development
- Friendship
- Self Respect
- Admiration
- Gratitude
- Commitment
- Continuity
- Rules
- Environment
- Nature
- Wildlife
- Growth
- Weather
- Seasons
- Comfort
- Relationships
- Ability
- Self esteem
- Freedom
- Interest
- Theorising
- Hoping
- Wishing
- Succeeding
- Humanity
Some of this was deeply understood, some will need more repetition, some is intrinsic, some facilitated.
They learned independently, from each other, and from modelling and questioning by adults.
Not every child experienced all 200 in a week, but they almost certainly will over seven years of Forest School.
Life lessons, traits, emotions, actions, and experiences they will all have the opportunity to seize, learn from, and develop over time.
That's why we value Forest School.
And will continue to do so!
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