All our Prep pupils enjoy our wonderful Forest School adventures curriculum. The extensive school grounds provide the ideal location to go out and explore, have fun and learn. Sometimes the activities take place further afield, giving pupils the opportunity to explore different environments such as Quex Park Forest School or Betteshanger Country Park.
Learning opportunities are provided through practical sessions in an outdoor environment. Forest School develops their innovation, problem solving, risk taking, creativity and teamwork skills. Pupils have shown an increased resilience and growth mindset against new challenges and made powerful cross-curricular links.
There are different themes each term which include scavenger hunts, team challenges, crafts, weaving, environmental art, creating animal homes and bug hotels, den building, erecting tents, mud kitchens, using forest school tools and of course roasting marshmallows on our campfire.
The benefits to our pupils are that they:
- adopt a positive attitude to challenge and adventure
- gain personal confidence and self-esteem through taking on challenges and achieving success
- develop their self-awareness and social skills and develop their appreciation of the contributions and achievements of themselves and others
- develop and extend their key skills of communication, problem-solving, creativity, critical thinking, leadership and co-operation
- enhance their overall well-being by gaining personal confidence and develop character and resilience through taking on challenges and achieving success
- understand the importance of conservation and sustainable development
- acquire and develop a range of skills in outdoor activities, fieldwork, exploration, journeys and expeditions
- demonstrate increased initiative and innovation, enthusiasm, curiosity, self-reliance, responsibility, perseverance, tenacity and commitment
- learn to appreciate the benefits of physical activity and the lifelong value of participation in healthy leisure activities and reflection
- display an increased motivation and appetite for self-directed learning that will contribute to raised levels of attainment in other aspects of their development, as well as becoming concerned, responsible and fulfilled citizens
