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Forest School is a UK wide initiative which offers children and young people the opportunity develop their self esteem and skills through regular hands-on work in a woodland environment. Forest School is focused on developing children through encouragement and challenges.
 It provides a structured and tailored curriculum for learning in the woodland environment. The sessions are designed to engage children's interest and make the most of the learning opportunity through their different learning styles (some learn by seeing, some by hearing and some by doing).Epping Forest Centenary Trust has been running a pilot Forest School programme in Wanstead Park. The pilot project has involved two schools from Stratford; an early years group and a Key Stage two group. Both groups have taken part in six sessions and done a variety of activities including, discovery activities looking for animals, survival skills building shelters and craft activities using tools. One of the first noticeable benefits of Forest School is the effect of the alternative environment; taking children out of the confines of the classroom will often totally alter how they behave. On their first visit to Wanstead Park a group of eight boys from Colegrave Primary School were visibly surprised by the environment of the park, they were fascinated by the pond we walked past and had never seen real swans before -they were quite sure the swans were plastic and just for decoration. Over the following six fortnightly sessions we did a number of different activities such as using tools to make Kazoos from Sycamore wood, making charcoal pencils and shelter building. By week six the group were at home in the woodland environment and competent using a range of tools, their concentration was improved as was their confidence, an effect even noted back in school. We are planning to continue the Forest School programme in 2008 and hope to be able to help other schools and groups to develop Forest School in the Epping Forest area. Quotes about Forest School: "I just can't wait till we go next time and do more activities like these and I hope we have as much fun as we did before" Fazlur "The thing I like best about Forest School is that I get to do stuff I have never done in my life." Jason "Me and my friends had a very good day at Forest School, we are having a very fun time at Forest School, the hot chocolate was the best." Emilio |
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