“Look deep into nature & you will understand everything better”

- Albert Einstein.

Why is Yew Tree Primary School offering Forest School to your child?

Forest School at Yew Tree offers unique outdoor learning experiences. It has many benefits, from encouraging curiosity and nurturing a love of science to developing empathy for the environment and heightening classroom outcomes. Forest School not only provides opportunities for children to take their learning outdoors, but also develops many skills that are sometimes hard to teach in the classroom. Research has shown that regular, long-term access to Forest School builds independence and self-esteem in young children. Being outdoors has been proven to have a positive impact on physical and mental health and "playing out" helps children form friendships, develop communication skills, resolve conflict and build confidence. This has become increasingly important in recent years, particularly after the pandemic.

Building a connection to the natural world is vital for children to understand their impact on the environment. At Yew Tree, we are very fortunate to have access to a large outdoor area, which we use as part of Forest School sessions. Through Forest School, we aim to foster a love and respect for the natural world, inspiring children to value conservation, biodiversity and sustainability.

• It supports hands on active learning.
• It embeds academic learning across the curriculum.
• It helps to develop resilience, confident and independent children.
• It offers risk, challenge and problem solving oppurtunities.
• It promotes active, healthy lifestyles.
• It encourages children to look after themselves, each other and the world around them.
• It improves communication and social skills.
• It supports mental and spiritual health.

What do parents need to know about Forest School?

The Forest School mantra is "there is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing." Different weather conditions offer different learning experiences. Forest School goes ahead in most weather so please ensure your child is dressed appropriately. We recommend a minimum of: 

• Long sleeved top

• Full-length trousers 

• Wellies or walking boots (These will stay in school for the academic year)

• Extra pair of socks 

• Coat

• During the colder months, extra layers should be worn such as a fleece, leggings, hats, gloves etc. 

• During the summer, a sunhat and sunscreen should be applied. Long sleeves and full-length trousers are required to protect arms and legs.

Keeping children safe is of utmost importance and even the weather has been risk assessed! The weather forecast will be checked and a site assessment will be carried out before each session. Forest School will not go ahead if the weather poses a risk, such as high winds, extreme temperatures and lightening storms.

Please note:

- Nursery children will attend school in their forest school clothing and put on waterproofs.

- Reception children will come to school in their uniform, and bring their forest school clothes in a named bag to change into for their session.

All outdoor clothing worn, including coats and footwear, must be clearly labelled with your child’s name and class. Due to the nature of these sessions, clothing will get wet and muddy. Therefore, it is important that you provide old clothes that you do not mind getting dirty or stained. 

We highly recommend that your child also wears waterproof clothing such as overalls or separate waterproof coat and trousers. As a school, we have a class set of waterproof coats and trousers for every child within Nursery and Reception to wear and use for their session. Alternatively, you can provide your own waterproofs but this is not compulsory. 

What experiences will my child have?

There are many experiences your child will have through Forest School at Yew tree. These activities will not only allow your child to explore and learn about the natural environment, it will also help enhance and embed academic learning across the curriculum. 

Some activities may include:

• sensory walks
• minibeast hunts
• caring for the natural environment 
• natural art
• den building 
• identifying plants and trees

and much more...

Please take a look at our Forest School Curriculum Overview

Below is a link to the Forest School Policy & Risk Assessment. Please take a look