Forest School is a child-centred inspirational learning process that offers opportunities for holistic growth through regular sessions. It is a long-term program that supports play, exploration and supported risk taking. It develops confidence and self-esteem through learner inspired, hands-on experiences in a natural setting.
At Elmhurst, we are blessed with an extensive outdoor learning environment, upon which to base numerous learning opportunities. Children in all year groups participate in Forest School as part of our curriculum, supporting crucial elements of our Curriculum For Life (PSHE & RSE) programme.
Our Forest School programme helps and facilitates more than knowledge-gathering; it helps learners develop socially, emotionally, spiritually, physically and intellectually. It creates a safe, non-judgemental nurturing environment for learners to try stuff out and take risks. Forest School at Elmhurst inspires a deep and meaningful connection to the world and an understanding of how a learner fits within it.
Our approach to risk means that learners constantly expand on their abilities by solving real-world issues, building self-belief and resilience. We believe that risk is more than just potential for physical harm, but a more holistic thing, there are risks in everything we do, and we grow by overcoming them. Forest School therefore, helps pupils at Elmhurst to become healthy, resilient, creative and independent learners.
