Forest School

Welcome to Forest School!

Our Forest School Team:

Mrs B Murray (Designated Forest School Leader)

Mrs S Roach (Level 3 trained Forest School Leader)

Mrs H Barber (Forest School volunteer with many years experience)

At Seaton Academy we offer a broad and balanced curriculum to develop the whole child, from Nursery to Year 2. Forest School sessions offer an enhanced range of experiences designed to develop the whole child; physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially, spiritually and morally. We aim to challenge and support the children to try out their ideas, work together with their peers to solve problems and conquer challenges. The sessions involve practical hands-on activities along with opportunities for creative expression and mindfulness. By the time our children move on to the Junior school, we hope that they will be independent and confident learners with a strong sense of self-confidence, a good knowledge of their own abilities and the motivation to explore new ways of learning.

Forest School strongly encourages participant–led learning, so as the weeks progress, learners are given more freedom and responsibility to explore their interests and therefore initiate and direct their own learning. Developing the children's intrinsic motivations are at the heart of all we do, and through our sessions we provide every child with the opportunity to try new things and succeed in new and exciting ways. All of our planning is informed by the needs and interests of the group we are working with, and no two sessions are ever the same. As leaders, we provide a range of resources, ideas and starting points; it is up to the children where we end up! The children learn to weigh-up risks against any beneficial outcomes and are encouraged to make those decisions themselves (wherever possible). Learning to manage and mitigate risks are essential skills and ones that we develop thoroughly through the Forest School approach.

Forest School is suited to all ages and abilities. It is designed to enhance the learning experience of all children and support their learning journey by allowing opportunities to enhance skills that are hard to develop within a traditional classroom setting. Choice is at the forefront of what we do and by focusing on developing these invaluable skills the children are able to take charge of their own journey and development. Completing small achievable tasks helps to boost confidence and self-esteem and give children the chance to discover their own strengths. Wherever possible we enhance the curriculum that the children are focusing on in their classrooms. Forest School gives us a setting to move practical tasks out of the classroom and provides opportunities for children to test the theories and designs they explore and create in the classroom.

Forest School Planning

Updated: 08/05/2024 112 KB

See how we use Forest School to enhance the children's learning outside the classroom.

For children at school, attitudes to learning are improved as they find that learning can be fun and enjoyable. This new positive outlook is then transferred to the classroom where they are found to be more motivated and able to concentrate better.

Forest School can also: