What is Forest School?
Principles of Forest School
- FS is a long-term process of regular sessions, rather than a one-off or infrequent visits; the cycle of planning, observation, adaptation and review links each session.
- FS takes place in a woodland or natural environment to support the development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world.
- FS uses a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for being, development and learning.
- FS aims to promote the holistic development of all those involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.
- FS offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.
- FS is run by qualified Forest School practitioners who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.
A History of Forest School in Surrey
Since Bridgewater College brought back the ideas behind Forest School in 1993 and an accredited course was developed, the practise has spread across Britain.
It particularly appealed to the Early Years sector, and a number of nurseries in Surrey (notably Bus Stops and Friends Nursery) begin to develop Forest School programmes in the early 2000s. Initially they sought training outside of Surrey due to the lack of a local training provider. From 2012 Surrey Wildlife Trust began to offer the courses and formed a partnership with the Surrey County Council Early Years Service to promote the ethos as one way of delivering outdoor play. With Surrey being the most wooded region in the country with a significant urban development, the numbers of early years practitioners delivering Forest School grow exponentially. A number of Special Schools and Independent Schools also began to provide Forest Schools and in more recent years there has been an increased in Primary and Secondary Schools. There now at least four local training providers including Greenbow, Timber Wolf and Bus Stops.
Initially FS practitioners were networked through the Surrey & Sussex F.E.I. cluster group. However with the rapid growth of trained Forest School leaders in Surrey, it was decided to form a county based network. Surrey Wildlife Trust organised the first Surrey network meeting in 2014 and from that the first ever local branch nationally of the Forest School Association (FSA) was established – Surrey FSA. A management committee was created and currently consists of representatives from Willow’s Forest School, Peter Pan Nursery, Wild-Learning, Friend’s Forest Nursery, Bus Stops Preschool, Surrey Wildlife Trust, St Dominic’s School, Earthlings Forest School and wherever the new Ann is from!! As well as promoting and supporting quality Forest School practice, Surrey FSA holds two ‘gatherings’ each year and has a facebook page with over two hundred and sixty followers. It is estimated that there is over three hundred trained practitioners delivering Forest Schools in Surrey.
It particularly appealed to the Early Years sector, and a number of nurseries in Surrey (notably Bus Stops and Friends Nursery) begin to develop Forest School programmes in the early 2000s. Initially they sought training outside of Surrey due to the lack of a local training provider. From 2012 Surrey Wildlife Trust began to offer the courses and formed a partnership with the Surrey County Council Early Years Service to promote the ethos as one way of delivering outdoor play. With Surrey being the most wooded region in the country with a significant urban development, the numbers of early years practitioners delivering Forest School grow exponentially. A number of Special Schools and Independent Schools also began to provide Forest Schools and in more recent years there has been an increased in Primary and Secondary Schools. There now at least four local training providers including Greenbow, Timber Wolf and Bus Stops.
Initially FS practitioners were networked through the Surrey & Sussex F.E.I. cluster group. However with the rapid growth of trained Forest School leaders in Surrey, it was decided to form a county based network. Surrey Wildlife Trust organised the first Surrey network meeting in 2014 and from that the first ever local branch nationally of the Forest School Association (FSA) was established – Surrey FSA. A management committee was created and currently consists of representatives from Willow’s Forest School, Peter Pan Nursery, Wild-Learning, Friend’s Forest Nursery, Bus Stops Preschool, Surrey Wildlife Trust, St Dominic’s School, Earthlings Forest School and wherever the new Ann is from!! As well as promoting and supporting quality Forest School practice, Surrey FSA holds two ‘gatherings’ each year and has a facebook page with over two hundred and sixty followers. It is estimated that there is over three hundred trained practitioners delivering Forest Schools in Surrey.