Forest School 

At Cullingworth Primary School we run a Forest Schools from our own school grounds.

A Forest School allows children to become comfortable with an outdoor approach to education and play in familiar surroundings.  A fully trained Forest School practitioner, runs the forest school  with groups of children throughout school. The children have the opportunity to engage with hands-on learning in a wild natural environment.

A Forest school also promotes and encourages many different important aspects of healthy child development including;

SPICES

S - Social - working together, turn taking, decision making, negotiation, decision making, supporting others, empathy, and developing a sense of community.

P - Physical - games, play, movement, gross and fine motor  skills, using different muscle groups, carrying, lifting, building.

I - Intellectual - review and reflection, problem solving, create games, play, story telling, design and building things, creativity, imagination and thinking skills.

C - Communication - conversation, social skills, empathy, team work, listening, leadership skills.

E - Emotional - self regulation, self awareness, self motivation, feeling good about oneself.

S - Spiritual - Awe and wonder of nature, wow moments, success, small achievable tasks, life and death, believes, philosophy, understanding of the world around us.

Children in Year 3 and Year 4 follow specific learning objectives over the course of the 6 week programme to build up a range of experiences and achievements.  We use the wild passport to record this. Children can choose which objectives they want to 'tick off' and it gives them ownership of their learning. 

www.wildpassport.co.uk provides more information on our skills based approach. 

See what we have been up to with Lizzie from Bee Outdoors!

Comments from parents;

 "My child has enjoyed it”

 “My child has thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Forest Schools Project and it is very disappointing that it has to come to an end. I think it is a wonderful activity to have at school and it brings some fun into learning”.

 “My child has thoroughly enjoyed the activities. Thank you”.

Comments from children;

 “My favourite activity was cooking the marshmallows and starburst and playing fun games” Year 5 pupil

 “My favourite activity was building mud huts. I liked the gardening” Year 2 pupil

 “My favourite activity was making the Christmas trees” Year 2 pupil

 “My favourite activity was playing the games like hide and seek, tig and drinking hot chocolate” Year 5 pupil

 “My favourite activity was the camp fire because I got to taste different things and it was a survival fire” Year 4 pupil

 “My favourite activity was making the wreaths” Year 1 pupil

 “Forest schools would be better if we spent a lot more time with Mrs Tidswell” Year 3 pupil

 “My favourite activity was playing outside” Year 1 pupil

 “My favourite activity was building a tent and roasting marshmallows on the fire” Year 3 pupil.

 “Everything was really good” Year 1 pupil

        Eco School