Our Forest School
Forest School offers a stimulating, inspiring and holistic process that offers all participants the opportunity to learn, develop and achieve in a natural, outdoor setting. It is a specialised learning approach that sits within the boundaries of formal education, but through a range of activities and hands-on learning experiences, often provides an environment that is student-led with a strong focus on building confidence, resilience and self-esteem.
Total learner involvement is essential in Forest School; all individuals, styles, abilities and personalities are valued and encouraged through a series of short, achievable tasks. All students are encouraged to follow their own learning and development through a process of exploration and discovery; they are encouraged to take risks in a safe environment and to challenge themselves. In doing this, participants form strong and positive relationships with themselves and other people, as well as with their natural world.
A range of activities in turn encourage positive communication: speaking, listening and collaboration. Physical movement supports both fine and gross motor skill development, which can be further fine-tuned in areas such as campfire cooking and the use of tools. For some of our students, our sessions have a literacy focus in which a multi-sensory approach to reading and writing is taken.
The Institute of Education has recently researched the effects of Wildlife Trust activities on a child’s wellbeing and the ability to learn. The results concluded that the benefits of connecting to nature were not just emotional, but were found to positively affect the child’s education. In an outdoor environment brimming with exciting opportunities, the discreet teaching methods of literacy, numeracy and science are endless, as are the interesting and engaging ways to explore, discover and research.
The results concluded that the benefits of working outdoors and connecting with wildlife and nature were not just focused on well-being but were found to help support academic standards and achievement.
Students with autism or social-emotional barriers to learning benefit from our Forest School sessions as they have a fundamentally person-centred ethos. We provide the environment and space necessary for all of our young people to learn self-awareness and to recognise qualities and positive values within themselves and others. We assist in managing their emotions and help them to make responsible decisions. We also teach social awareness and model how to form and maintain positive relationships. We promote a culture of kindness and empathy for others in which we can learn from our mistakes.
Within a safe sensory environment each individual can be themselves, we can reduce the demands that a normal busy day would bring, ensuring that time can be taken to process and experience the senses that being in the forest evokes.
All of our staff here at Toucan are trained specifically to accommodate diverse and special needs learners. We thrive on the development of each student and work closely with the education authority to ensure we complement the student’s school or placement by recording and sharing relevant observation and information.
