FOREST SCHOOL AT NORTHWAY

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

Forest School at Northway aims to provide time and space to build relationships with each other and the environment in order to create a “village of learning and living.” (Cree, Rob; 2021, p.11) This builds on our school motto: ‘nurturing today’s minds to face tomorrow’s challenges’. 

We strive for all of our children to leave us as rounded citizens who are independent learners and thinkers, equipped to face the challenges of the wider world. In order to achieve this, our Northway values underpin everything that we do. 

HONESTY, COURAGE, ASPIRATION, PERSEVERANCE & RESILIENCE

Our values compliment the key principles of Forest School:

1.     Forest School is a long-term process of regular sessions, rather than one-off or infrequent visits. The cycle of planning, observation, adaptation and review links each session.

2.     Forest School takes place in a natural or woodland environment to support the development of a lifelong relationship between the learner and the natural world.

3.     Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.

4.     Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.

5.     Forest School is run by qualified Forest School Leader.

6.     School practitioners, who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.

7.     Forest School uses a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for being, development and learning.

Children are chosen from different classes for a block of 2-hour, weekly sessions. During these sessions we aim to PLAY, build a COMMUNITY and learn from and alongside NATURE. Working with children from different class helps to build new relationships and shows children how communities can be built outside of their usual friendship groups.

The sessions are held within our school grounds in a small woodland. During the sessions, communities play and learn in a holistic and natural way allowing their innate interests to be explored.

Activities can include building, using ropes, crafting using tools, camp fires, role-play, nature identification and many more!

Please see our Instagram account for pictures from our sessions.