Morley Forest School
Welcome to our Forest School page. Here we hope to introduce you to what Forest School is all about and what your child’s Forest School journey will be like at Morley Memorial Primary School.
What is happening at Forest School this term?
This term Year 4 continue to explore nature at Forest School, learning about food chains and identifying some that we can observe in our local area. We will be developing our tool skills, making more complex items and learning how to light and maintain our own fires.
Forest School curriculum descriptor Year 4 Summer 2024
Early Years will be encouraged to be independent and develop their ideas at Forest School. We will be cooking on the fire and building shelters on rainy days. We will be exploring how animals and plants grow and find shapes in nature as well as having time and space to investigate, be curious, play and collaborate.
Our Friday afternoon Forest School group welcomes some new members this term and we start with exploring spring flowers.
What is Forest School?
- Spending time outside every week in nature.
- Allowing the children to lead the way.
- Developing the whole child, it supports their physical, social, emotional, spiritual and intellectual development.
- Building a community.
- Giving children opportunities to take risks that are appropriate to them.
Forest School is an approach to learning that puts the child at the centre of their own learning and at the heart of their local natural environment. It involves regular sessions outside. These are held across the road behind our MUGA in our Meadow and Nature Garden where children explore, connect with nature, develop bushcraft skills, get creative, climb, come together to share thoughts and stories, and most importantly play. Forest School is child-led: adults provide ideas, resources and support but the children can choose what they want to do and develop their own ideas and interests.
Why do we believe that Forest School is important?
Forest School:
- Promotes good mental health and wellbeing.
- Builds resilience and self confidence.
- Teaches practical skills.
- Gets children collaborating and problem solving.
- Improves physical strength and muscle control.
- Gives a sense of community spirit.
- Forges a connection to nature.
The 6 Forest School principles
Morley Forest School follows the 6 Forest School principles that were agreed as best practice by the Forest School Association in 2011.
What will my child be doing at Forest School?
Each session begins with a welcome circle around Queen Tree and some time for a discussion about a feature of nature or for a story. Then during the sessions children can participate in a range of activities like building dens and shelters, climbing on rope bridges and ladders, creating natural art, making fairy houses and minibeast homes, learning about our local plants and animals, lighting fires and cooking on them, sawing and drilling wood to make a variety of things from natural materials, wood whittling, outdoor games and songs, story telling, role play and much more!
At Morley Memorial Forest School forms part of our universal offer that all children experience as they progress through the school. All children will attend our Forest School during EYFS, year 2, year 4 and year 6.
Forest School Nurture and Wellbeing
Forest School can provide extra help to our learners who need the benefit of some wellbeing support, some opportunities to learn in different ways, or some help with socialising with others and communicating. Forest School allows these children to be outside, learn successfully through child led play, make a connection with the natural world, socialise with peers and share experiences with others. In addition to our year group sessions, Morley Forest School also runs weekly sessions for small groups of children who we feel would benefit in one of these ways.