Forest School

At Hawthorn we have a strong belief in learning from the outside environment to help with concentration and personal development. We are lucky to have plenty of space in our grounds and have created a Forest School programme for all children in our school. We know that it will improve our children’s self-esteem, confidence and well-being.

Forest school is based on exploring and experiencing the wonders of the natural world through practical activities. It allows the children in our school an opportunity and environment to explore and investigate the natural world around them.   As the children begin to feel comfortable in the woods, the sessions become increasingly child-led building their self-esteem and independence. Children are given encouragement to direct their own learning in an informal setting that is developed around their interests.

Our Forest School is very new and we are in the first stages of setting it up, creating footpaths, seating areas, groups of logs and branches to encourage bugs and mini beasts. We have mature trees, grassy areas and hedgerows to entice birds, insects and reptiles.

At Forest School we are all

  • equal, unique and valuable
  • competent to explore & discover
  • entitled to experience appropriate risk and challenge
  • entitled to choose, and to initiate and drive their own learning and development
  • entitled to experience regular success
  • entitled to develop positive relationships with themselves and other people
  • entitled to develop a strong, positive relationship with their natural world