Forest School

Welcome to St Matthew's Forest School

What is Forest School?

“Forest School is an inspirational process that offers ALL learners regular opportunities to achieve, develop confidence and self-esteem, through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment with trees. Forest School is a specialised learning approach that sits within and compliments the wider context of outdoor and woodland education.” Forest school has 6 key principles:-

1. Forest School is a long- term process with frequent and regular sessions rather than a one-off visit. Planning, adaption, observations and reviewing are integral elements of Forest School.

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

3. Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all those 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 Practitioners who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.

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

What we get up to in Forest School...

We build dens

We cook on the open fire 

We are creative with our natural environment 

We cook up lovely treats in the kitchen 

We use tools 

We do a lot of digging 

We have fun 

We love being out in the forest having fun outdoors. 

We've been using the hand saw to saw up branches. 

Enjoying toasting marshmallows on an open fire...........yum yum 

Arthur having fun in forest school.