Forest School

“The best classroom and the richest cupboard is roofed only by the sky” Margaret McMillan (1925)

Forest School is a long term outdoor programme of activities delivered by trained practitioners within a natural environment, whatever the weather! Our programme will be tailored to meet the needs of the children as they grow in confidence, skills and understanding. The ethos of Forest School allows learners the time and space to develop skills, interests and understanding through practical, hands-on experiences.

At George Eliot we run Forest School on a weekly basis, taking children to the Forest School site located at Robinsfield Infant School. All children in Reception get an opportunity to spend 5 consecutive weeks taking part in Forest School sessions over the school year. We also aim to build on the National Curriculum by providing Forest School experiences for children across the Federation from Years 1 to 6. Due to Covid19 our Forest School programme has not been able to go ahead in its usual format. Many of the key concepts and activities of Forest School have taken place on the school site within the school grounds. 

Children should bring wellington boots, thick socks (as wellies are not that warm), a spare set of clothes such as a long-sleeved top, trousers, a warm layer (eg a jumper/fleece top) and a hat/gloves for the winter months – or a sunhat and sun cream for the warmer weather. They should also have a spare set of socks as their feet always seem to get muddy – even with wellington boots! We supply a waterproof jacket and dungarees.