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Education 3-13
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Learning outdoors: the Forest School approach
Liz O'Brien a
a Forest Research, Surrey, UK
Online Publication Date: 01 February 2009
To cite this Article O'Brien, Liz(2009)'Learning outdoors: the Forest School approach',Education 3-13,37:1,45 — 60
To link to this Article: DOI: 10.1080/03004270802291798
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Learning outdoors: the Forest School approach
Liz O’Brien*
Forest Research, Surrey, UK
(Received August 2007; final version received May 2008)
This paper outlines the role that Forest School can play in children’s
development. With over 100 Forest Schools in England, 20 in Scotland and 20
in Wales, this concept is growing across Britain. Forest School involves children
having regular contact with woodland over an extended period of time; it allows
them to become familiar, and have contact, with the natural environment. The
recent Learning outside the classroom manifesto highlights the importance of
children and young people gaining experience of the world beyond the classroom.
Twenty-four children from seven schools in Oxfordshire, Shropshire and
Worcestershire were observed over an eight-month period as they attended
Forest School. Improvements in the children’s confidence, motivation and
concentration, language and communication and physical skills were recorded by
teachers and Forest School leaders. Changes took time to occur, highlighting the
need for repeated and regular contact with the natural environment, especially for
children who do not have access to nature as part of their everyday lives.
Keywords: Forest School; learning outdoors; child development
Introduction
This experience has been incredibly valuable to our children. We have been lucky
enough to have experienced a full year at Forest School and the benefits have been
striking. These children, now, are independent and confident. (Teacher, Shropshire)
A definition of Forest School has been developed by the Forest School network; it
states that it is an ‘inspirational process that offers children, young people and adults
regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self esteem through
hands on learning experiences in a woodland environment’ (Murray and O’Brien
2005; Forest Education Initiative 2007). There is currently concern that children are
not having as much contact with woodlands and greenspaces as their parents once
did, due to concerns about safety and the increasing range of indoor activities that
are available (O’Brien and Weldon 2007). There is also research that suggests that if
children do not visit woodlands and greenspaces when they are young, they will
become adults who do not use these spaces; and they will miss out on the physical
and emotional benefits of access to nature (Fjørtoft 2004; Ward Thompson et al.
2004).
A report for the National Foundation for Educational Research (Dillon et al.
2005) suggests that learning outdoors can have a range of impacts including
*Email: liz.obrien@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
Education 3–13
Vol. 37, No. 1, February 2009, 45–60
ISSN 0300-4279 print/ISSN 1475-7575 online
Ó2009 United Kingdom Government (Crown Copyright)
DOI: 10.1080/03004270802291798
http://www.informaworld.com
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cognitive impacts, affective, interpersonal/social and physical/behavioural impacts.
Learning outdoors in nature is a very different experience from being indoors in a
classroom environment. This paper highlights the importance of learning outdoors
and suggests that it can potentially be an important factor in life-long learning,
health and well-being and in ecologically sustainable societies (Sustainable
Development Commission 2007). Woodlands and greenspaces hold much potential
as an education resource and can benefit a wide range of children including those on
the autistic spectrum, those with emotional and behavioural difficulties and with
learning problems (Kahn 1999; Forestry Commision Scotland 2005; O’Brien 2005;
O’Brien and Murray 2006; Borradaile 2006).
The research project that is the subject of this paper was funded by the Forestry
Commission (FC) due to the growing number of Forest Schools in Britain and the
interest that was being shown in them by a variety of stakeholders. The FC
approached Forest Research and the New Economics Foundation to carry out an
evaluation of the impact of Forest School on the children who take part. The
research involved two phases, one in Wales and one in England. The research was
participatory and involved teachers, Forest School leaders and community members.
The importance of contact with nature for child development
There are growing concerns among a range of organisations within British and
American society about the lack of access to nature by children (Kahn and Kellert
2002; Bell, Ward Thompson, and Travlou 2004; Thomas and Thompson 2004; Louv
2005; DEMOS 2007). A key issue is that children are not able to access the outdoor
environment as freely as previous generations (Ward Thompson, Aspinall, and
Montarzino 2008). This is partly due to concerns about safety because of increased
traffic and worries about physical abuse and assault by strangers. This is coupled
with the increasing use of computers, games consoles and television that can deter
young people from going outdoors. There are health implications, as indoor
activities are often less active than those that take place out of doors in the natural
environment.
Previous research highlights that outdoor play may be particularly valuable for
children as it can integrate cognitive, emotional and social behaviours (Kahn and
Kellert 2002). Due to changes in contemporary life, such as concerns about the lack
of physical exercise, poor mental well-being and issues of climate change and
environmental degradation, it could be argued that there is a greater need for
children to have contact with nature, in order to interest them in the environment
(Department of Health 2005; Mental Health Foundation 2005; Anable, Lane, and
Kelay 2006; DEFRA 2007). Forest School can contribute to young people’s health
by providing an important space were children can be active on a regular basis
(Bingley and Milligan 2004; Fjørtoft 2004). Forest School embraces a broad concept:
it takes place in school hours, on a regular basis, and it is not only focused on
learning about nature but is linked to the national curriculum and foundation stage
objectives such as English, Maths and Science.
Potential for change: what is the role of outdoor learning?
After many years of reduced opportunities for taking children outside of the
classroom due to concerns about risk and liability, the government published the
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Learning outside the classroom manifesto in 2006 (Department for Education and
Skills (DfES)). The publication indicates government support for the value of
outdoor learning and how it can potentially enrich the curriculum. The manifesto
states ‘we believe that every young person should experience the world beyond the
classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their
age ability or circumstances’ (DfES, ii).
What happens at Forest School and how does learning take place?
Schools that participate usually send specific classes or children with special needs to
Forest School for a morning or afternoon session. These can take place every week
or fortnight in term time and can run from 2 to 12 months depending on the school.
At Forest School the children get involved in a range of activities; for example they
might use tools to create art works, or listen and respond to a range of stories in
order to improve language and communication skills (Davis and Waite 2005).
Learning about habitats, plants and animals as well as carrying out team work,
in which they can learn to take turns and share, are also part of Forest School
sessions.
Dillon et al. (2005) suggest, the experience and quality of learning outdoors can
have an effect on what is learnt. Kahn (1999, 50) highlights the importance of
constructivist education suggesting that children actively construct their ‘under-
standings through interaction with the physical and social world’. The Forest School
ethos might be said to involve this type of learning approach. Adams (2006, 247)
suggests, for a social constructivist pedagogy, the following principles:
.Focus on learning not performance.
.View learners as active co-constructors of meaning and knowledge.
.Establish a teacher pupil relationship built upon the idea of guidance and not
instruction.
.Engage learners in tasks seen as ends in themselves and having implicit worth.
.Promote assessment as an active process of uncovering and acknowledging
shared understanding.
This type of approach focuses on learning by doing, with teachers posing
questions to the children while they are engaged in carrying out activities in order to
promote child reasoning. A constructivist approach moves away from the more
traditional view of teaching in which teachers instruct children and then test them. A
constructivist approach would involve experimentation and problem solving, and the
children would actively make meaning when they engage with mistakes and
problems. ‘While knowledge entails fact and behaviour, it more fundamentally
entails understanding and children actively construct their understandings through
interaction with the physical and social world’ (Kahn 1999, 50). There are many
theories of learning and a social constructivist theory is put forward here as
particularly appropriate to the Forest School approach.
Methodology
The methodology for this research was developed in Phase 1 of this research in Wales
and was used in the case studies in Wales and England. The methodology involved a
Education 3–13 47
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three-stage process, involving practitioners (teachers and Forest School leaders) and
community members. It follows the sequence below:
(1) A workshop of practitioners is undertaken to discuss and establish the link
between Forest School activities and the impacts on the children who take
part. Short, medium and long term impacts are considered and explored and
from this a set of positive propositions are developed. The process of
discussion in this exercise is important for building a shared understanding of
how what is planned at Forest School will bring about changes in the
children (Appendix 1).
(2) Data collection is undertaken on site by the practitioners, who observe the
children and record their activities, through the use of self-appraisal
templates based on the propositions developed in the above workshop. The
templates can be used for a group or for an individual child. Questionnaires
can also used with teachers, parents and children to explore the impacts of
Forest School.
(3) A reflection workshop brings practitioners together to explore results from
Stage 2 and identify any unexpected impacts or key learning points that can
be incorporated into best practice. The reflection workshop is a useful way of
checking back over the work and identifying any unexpected consequences of
Forest School.
This methodological approach was tested in Wales (Murray 2003) in the two case
study areas outlined below and then used more extensively in the three English case
studies with children over an eight-month period in 2004/5. On site observations
using the self-appraisal template were carried out on 24 children aged from three to
nine in England, chosen to take part in the study (Murray 2003; Murray and O’Brien
2005). The teacher or Forest School leader made the observations, and after each
session would discuss with the other what had been achieved or any problems.
Appendix 2 provides an example of a lesson plan from a Shropshire case study site.
The primary focus of this paper is on the work in England; however, some details
about the case studies in Phase 1 in Wales are given to illustrate how Forest School
was used in those areas.
Templates completed by the practitioners were entered on to a Microsoft Excel
database so that each child’s record and comments made on that child over the eight-
month period could be viewed in one place. The database also included the lesson
plan for each session and the objectives of that session. These could then be viewed
for each child and progress or lack of progress could be explored over the weeks the
children attended Forest School. The data were carefully read on a number of
occasions by the researchers carrying out the analysis.
Limitations of the methodology
Those who observed the children over the eight-month period knew the children well
(they were either their schoolteacher or a Forest School leader who worked closely
with the children) and led or helped to lead the sessions. This could be viewed as a
limitation to the methodology as the practitioners may have been too close to the
children to be objective enough to observe changes. However, potentially this
closeness could have been an advantage, as the practitioners may have known the
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children well enough to observe subtle changes and to realise that they occurred
primarily when the child was at Forest School. A challenge of using this action
research methodology was the time needed to involve teachers, parents and others in
the local community to identify from their experiences the impacts of Forest School
on the children.
Forest School in the case study areas: Phase 1 Wales
Duffryn school near Newport in South Wales is a deprived area known for high
levels of child poverty. The school is located at the centre of a housing estate. The
Duffryn Community Link worked with the local community, FC and the school
to set up a Forest School in the local woodland. An area of the woodland was
fenced off and a Forest School set up for Duffryn Infant and Junior schools. This
has been successful and both teachers and community workers have undergone
Forest School training. The Forest School was positively mentioned in the
schools Estyn (Wales Inspector of Education and Training) report in 2003 (Kirkham
2005).
The area around Flint is a part of North Wales where heavy industry has
traditionally formed the background to the local economy. The scope for this work
was wider than at Duffryn. The Flintshire case study used Forest School with
selected groups of Year 6 (age 11) pupils as they made the moved from primary
school into secondary education. The children were identified by teachers at six
primary schools as needing extra support during the transition to secondary school
and they gained this through their Forest School activity.
Forest School in the case study areas: Phase 2 England
Each case study area in England has a slightly different approach to Forest School.
In Oxfordshire, a Forest School Co-ordinator works with local schools and
woodland owners to find suitable sites for developing Forest School. In
Worcestershire, the Bishops Wood Centre near Stourport is run by Worcestershire
County Council; this is where Forest School in the county is run. In Shropshire, the
County Council set up a permanent site near Shrewsbury, and FC and Shropshire
Wildlife Trust are both working there. In all of the case study areas teachers are
encouraged to take Forest School leader training so that the sessions can become a
regular part of the schools activities.
In discussions with the Forest School co-ordinators in each case study area seven
schools were chosen to take part in the study: two in Worcestershire, two in
Shropshire and three in Oxfordshire. From the classes that participated in Forest
School, 24 children were randomly chosen by staff to be studied over an eight-month
period. Parental permission was sought for this to take place. The children were
primarily aged 3.2 to 5.5 years of age, except for one group in Worcestershire
that was aged 5–9 years. The children’s names have been changed to preserve
anonymity.
Results
Eight themes emerged from the analysis of the observational data collected by
practitioners in the English case studies using the self-appraisal templates. Six were
Education 3–13 49
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based on the propositions that practitioners developed in the workshops. These were
that Forest School:
.Increases self esteem and self confidence.
.Improves social skills.
.Contributes to development of language and communication skills.
.Improves motivation and encourages concentration.
.Contributes to children’s knowledge and understanding.
.Improves physical motor skills.
Two other themes emerged from analysis of the data and included:
.New perspectives – gained by the practitioners on seeing the children in a
different environment.
.Ripple effects beyond Forest School – the children took their experiences home
and told family and friends.
Three themes (social skills, motivation and concentration and new perspectives)
are outlined in this paper. The other themes have been written about elsewhere
(O’Brien and Murray 2007). Many of the improvements that were observed in the
children took weeks to occur. However, once the children became familiar and
confident with the woodland environment they became more independent and
enthused by their activities.
Social skills theme
Much of the work and activity that takes places at Forest School involves working
with others. Overall development in social skills was characterised by an improved
awareness in the children of the impact of their actions on others; for example,
holding a branch so that it does not fly into the face of the child behind. An ability to
work with others to complete tasks was also needed to create dens, and collect leaves
and twigs in the wood (Box 1). The children showed the ability to share tools and
materials with others.
Box 1. Summary of social skills development at Forest School.
Forest School is a place where . . .
.Children are encouraged to be part of a team in the pursuit of tasks that need more
than one pair of hands.
.Materials and tools are shared among the group and the children take turns to use
them.
.Children are given the freedom to play independently from adult intervention and are
guided by the rules of games that encourage teamwork.
Changes that can occur include . . .
.Children becoming more accustomed to working independently from adults.
.Children gaining an increased awareness of other people’s personal space and are able
to form new friendships as they identify abilities that are valued by their peers.
.Children learning what can be achieved by working together.
This is often manifested by . . .
.Children negotiating with each other to achieve team tasks.
.Children relating positively to members of their peer group.
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Many of the tasks that are undertaken at Forest School require some form of team
working and this is set up to encourage the children to work together and interact
with each other. They may, for example, need to make a shelter or den in the wood.
Evidence from the data at the three case study sites showed that time spent at Forest
School allowed children, who were not initially confident, to work and play with
others. This allowed the teachers to identify skills they were not always aware the
children had. For example, Leanne (Oxfordshire, aged 4.5) was not, in an assessment
of her regular behaviour by her teacher, a naturally collaborative worker. However,
her Forest School activities provided her with, and encouraged, opportunities to help
others by handing out waterproof trousers or cups at snack time. She was also noted
to independently help another child who was struggling with a rucksack. After time
spent at Forest School she learnt to wait her turn when it came to tree climbing,
realising that others should sometimes go first. Serena was a physically confident child
but she was unwilling to engage with others. However, after a couple of weeks at
Forest School she tried to move a log by herself and realised that she needed help; she
then asked for this from another child (Oxfordshire, aged 4.5).
Activities and experiences that are repeated, such as tree climbing and story time
around the fire, are key factors of Forest School practice. Lisa (Shropshire, aged 5.5)
was quiet and unwilling to work co-operatively at first. As she increased in
confidence over the weeks, and became more familiar with the woodland
environment, she started to talk more about the things around her, and this
contrasted with her quieter behaviour in the school classroom. Talking more gave
her an ability to work with others and eventually led her to take on more of a
leadership role amongst her peers. Anthony (Shropshire, age 5.5) was wary of
interacting with others and seemed to have low self-confidence though he was quite
good at communicating. At first his communication was dominated by telling his
partner what to do, but as the weeks progressed he started to co-operate more with
his partner so that they began working together. According to a member of staff:
the children are happy, calm and helpful to each other. They have bonded as a group
better than any group of children I have worked with in 23 years. (Shropshire staff
member, Lognor School)
Motivation and concentration theme
Forest School allows for exploratory learning and play activities to take place, it is
also somewhere where the children focus on specific tasks over a period of time.
According to Bredekamp et al. (1992, 3) ‘Activities that are based on children’s interests
provide a motivation for learning. This fosters a love of learning, curiosity, attention
and self-direction’. As outlined in the introduction, outdoor environments can
fascinate children, and allowing them to explore the natural environment can link
into their innate curiosity. A number of the practitioners outlined how some of the
children became increasingly inspired through interacting with the woodland envi-
ronment. This is because the children see new things and have different experiences,
which they may not have had in the past. This can be the case, particularly, for children
from more deprived areas who often have little access to, and contact with, nature.
Sessions that include child-led learning can also increase motivation as the
practitioners can see what interests the children, and they can then allow the children
to work or solve problems related to those interests. Curiosity also drives
exploration, which can lead the children to discover new things for themselves.
The children are inspired to ask questions and develop curiosity about the unfamiliar
Education 3–13 51
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things that they find in the wood; and the practitioners encourage active inquiries.
The children learn about risk and to take risks that challenge them but do not lead to
harm such as tree climbing. In this way they are encouraged to take responsibility for
their own actions. In terms of motivation and concentration there are a number of
features and benefits that can lead to changes in behaviour (Box 2). Grahn (1996)
found that children who attended day care centres with natural spaces within them in
Sweden had greater attentional capacity than those in other day care centres. This
was due to the natural spaces engaging the children’s interests.
Initially, Justin (Oxfordshire, aged 4.5) was noted for not being particularly
creative in his play but in time at Forest School he started to use his imagination
much more; on one occasion he cooked, what he called, a ‘wolf pie’. This sort of
imaginative play is an important aspect of the Forest School experience. There were
several examples described by practitioners of the imaginary games invented by the
children. For example, they dig for gold or find hidden treasure and search for
dragons. This illustrates the free atmosphere that is part of the Forest School
approach. Children can be creative in many settings, and research has shown that
woodlands and nature spaces provide a valuable and wide range of opportunities for
children to use their imagination (Bingley and Milligan 2004; O’Brien 2004; Waite,
Davies, and Brown 2006). Serena (Shropshire, age 4.5) in one trip on the minibus
talked about the colours of flowers they drove past. This was considered unusual
behaviour for her, and the practitioner noted that she was very engaged and was
‘looking out for things’.
The following quote is from a questionnaire completed by Chloe’s (Oxfordshire,
age 4.5) parent; here she outlines what for her are key aspects of Forest School:
It’s a marvellous opportunity for children to learn to be comfortable in and curious
about an environment that might seem alien or threatening to children not familiar with
woodland. Since most British children don’t have woodland or natural habitats for
wildlife in their daily experience, Forest School helps them expand their sense of what is
possible and natural. It encourages the development of curiosity, patience and
observational skills, since the patterns and forms in a forest are not immediately
obvious, but take some seeking out.
Box 2. Summary of motivation and concentration development at Forest School.
Forest School is a place where . . .
.Subjects on the school curriculum are set in a context that is distinct from the indoor
classroom environment.
.Child led and initiated learning is encouraged allowing for imaginative, and
exploratory activities to take place.
.The focus is on how the whole child can benefit from their Forest School experience.
Changes that can occur include . . .
.Children become eager to participate, and are inspired to explore and learn in a
sometimes unfamiliar woodland environment.
.Children initiate their own learning and play activities.
.The children focus and concentrate for longer periods of time on tasks and issues that
are of interest to them.
This is often manifested by . . .
.Children keen to come back to Forest School.
.Children who are excited about setting off to Forest School and actively look forward
to it.
.Children who talk about Forest School back in the classroom and with parents and
relatives.
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Curiosity and interest in the woodland setting also leads the children to ask
questions. Leanne (Oxfordshire, aged 4.5) was particularly fascinated by a stuffed
hedgehog that was introduced into one of the Forest School sessions. Leanne asked
‘Is it dead or real? Will it move? Is it a boy or girl?’ Jeremy (Oxfordshire, age 4.5)
became very interested in the roots of a fallen tree; he went on to describe how the
bark of the tree was like a cover.
New perspectives theme
During the Forest School process the practitioners can gain a new perspective on the
children they teach as they observe them in the woodland environment. Through this
the relationship between practitioners and children can change and develop over
time. Through active observations practitioners can identify the individual learning
styles of the children, for example, are they kinaesthetic learners who learn more
when carrying out practical activities? Do the children learn by spatially exploring
the environment around them, or are they inspired by touching, feeling and seeing
visually what is around them? Box 3 summarises how new perspectives can develop
at Forest School.
The practitioners can gain additional insights into the children by seeing them
behave and interact in a very different way in the woodland. This new perspective
can enable practitioners to identify aims for future improvement for a specific child.
If the practitioner finds that the children are using more descriptive language because
there are inspired by the woodland setting the practitioner can encourage
continuation of this in the classroom by setting up a discussion about the children’s
experiences. Forest School can also be a location where the existing strengths of
individuals can provide a basis for developing new skills. One of the teachers
described their experience:
I feel very honoured to have shared the Forest School experience with the children. To
have the opportunity to spend one year at Cantlop Wood is, like the children, something
I will never forget. Together we have learnt and developed so much, which will make us
all appreciate what is on our doorstep. (Shropshire, Condover School)
Box 3. Summary of new perspectives developed through Forest School activities.
Forest School is a place where . . .
.Adults and pupils interact in a different setting from the school classroom.
.Adults and pupils have to cope with a range of weather conditions together such as
sun, rain or snow.
Changes that can occur include . . .
.Pupils and practitioners gain a better understanding of each other in the different
setting.
.There is sometimes a difference between the children’s behaviour in the classroom and
at Forest School.
This is often manifested by . . .
.Children who show behaviour that has not been seen by the practitioners before.
.Parents who notice changes in the children’s vocabulary or in their interest in the
natural environment.
.Practitioners who notice that the children are calmer in the classroom after being at
Forest School.
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Jeremy’s (Oxfordshire, aged 4.5) mother noticed changes in his vocabulary as he
became able to name a number of plants that he had found at Forest School.
Parent’s also described how their children had become more confident in woodlands,
and on family walks felt able to go off the main footpaths and into the trees. Wayne’s
(Oxfordshire, age 4.5) parents had attended a Forest School open day and suggested
that this was a good way for parents to get an understanding of what happened at
Forest School. Lisa’s (Shropshire, age 5.5) parent stated that she enjoys her Forest
School day most out of all her school activities. Lisa describes to her parent
everything she does at Forest School; even though she does not normally tell her
much about her other school activities.
Discussion and conclusion
This paper outlines a participatory research process to exploring the impact of
Forest School on some children who attend. According to Kawagley and Barnhardt
(1998 cited in Arnold et al. 2007, 482) ‘participatory research, which aims to involve
local people in the research process to focus research efforts on locally relevant issues,
has the potential to shift knowledge creation from a one way extraction to a two way
co-learning model’. Through this research the knowledge and experience of teachers,
parents and Forest School leaders was seen as important in understanding the
potential impacts of Forest School on children.
The Learning outside the classroom manifesto outlines why outdoor learning is an
important part of a child’s development. Forest School is an example of learning
outside the classroom and importantly it takes place on a regular basis and over an
extended period of time; that allows children to become familiar with a woodland
environment. Forest School allows for constructivist learning to take place in which
the children construct understanding and meaning through the activities they
undertake on their own and with others. Training is available for teachers to become
Forest School leaders. Potentially Forest School could become embedded in the
routine of many schools allowing a range of children to benefit. What is learnt at
Forest School needs to be integrated with work within the school, for example
getting the children to reflect on their experiences at Forest School and how it relates
to their other schoolwork (Table 1).
This emphasises to the children that learning can take place in many settings,
not just in school, and that the things that they learn at Forest School can be
useful in a classroom context as well. Research has highlighted that children’s
senses are stimulated by nature and that the experiences form children’s
relationship with natural areas in a way that is often remembered into adult life
(Kaplan and Kaplan 1989). However, this research has only observed a small
number of children. The work did not include observations of the children in the
classroom environment and the research did not carry on once the children had
stopped attending Forest School, to see whether the children remembered the
impacts and their experiences in the long term. Further longitudinal research is
crucial to evaluate the impacts on children and discover whether they last. The
evaluation focused on the positive aspects of Forest School as highlighted by the
propositions developed in the workshops.
Increased interest from government and non-governmental and other organisa-
tions has highlighted the demand for research on the educational use of natural and
greenspaces. Outdoor learning is a compliment, and can be an important
54 L. O’Brien
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supplement, to classroom learning. A key aim of Forest School is to inspire life long
learning through contact with natural settings. Forest School has much potential and
the increase in the number of Forest Schools in recent years outlines that
appreciation is growing.
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Teenagers and urban fringe woodland in Central Scotland. Urban Forestry and Urban
Greening 2: 87–100.
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wellbeing in young adults and the long term effects of childhood play experience. Report to
the Forestry Commission.
Borradaile, L. 2006. Forest School Scotland: An evaluation. Report to Forestry Commission
Scotland and the Forest Education Initiative.
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about early childhood education, http://www.ecdpak.com/Gilgit-Conference/articles/day2/
Research%20About%20Early%20Childhood%20Education.pdf.
Davis, B., and S. Waite. 2005. Forest Schools: An evaluation of the opportunities and challenges
in Early Years. University of Plymouth report.
Table 1. Learning, growth and evaluation opportunities.
1. Learning opportunities: 2. Growth opportunities:
3. Formative evaluation
opportunities:
&Elements of the curriculum
can be presented in a
practical way, providing
action-learning opportunities
that suit children with
different learning styles
&There is potential for
embedding and
transferring practical
learning and
experience from the
Forest School setting
back to the classroom
and into home life.
&Forest School
provides teachers and
practitioners with a
formal yet
‘non-classroom-
orientated’ arena for
the assessment of a
child’s abilities and
progress towards
academic and other
developmental
objectives
&It provides opportunities
for the practical
application of lessons
taught in the
classroom
&Where a concept is
hard to grasp
in theory in the
classroom, it can
be made explicit in
practice in Forest School
thus encouraging
the confidence to
learn more
&Where class teachers
take part in Forest
School they build up
a richer resource of
experience and
example to draw on
to help
demonstrate theory
back in the classroom.
Education 3–13 55
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southeast England. Farnham: Forest Research.
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participatory evaluation of Forest School in England and Wales. Farnham: Forest Research.
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studies in Britain. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 6: 249–65.
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affecting the use of greenspace and woodlands for children and young people. Countryside
Recreation Journal 15: 6–9.
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London: Green Alliance and Demos report.
Ward Thompson, C., P. Aspinall, S. Bell, C. Findlay, J. Wherrett, and P. Travlou. 2004. Open
space and social inclusion: Local woodland use in central Scotland. Report to the Forestry
Commission, Edinburgh.
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visits to green places and the significance of childhood experience. Environment and
Behaviour 40: 111–43.
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University of Plymouth report to Devon Zero 14 Plus.
56 L. O’Brien
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Appendix 1. Short, medium and long term expected outcomes from the Worcestershire and Oxfordshire Workshops
Short term outcomes Medium term outcomes Longer-term outcomes
Worcestershire Pilot Group
(Early years and older
pupils from a cross-county
Speech and Language unit)
&Increased use of language
(with more
opportunities for natural
use of language)
&Children have increased
confidence in
themselves (their abilities)
&Improvements to physical
stamina
&Children becoming more
self reliant/independent
&Children develop a bonding
relationship with
peers and with staff
&Children appear more
relaxed in the Forest
School learning
environment without
perceived pressure
&Forest School routines
embedded
&Visible improvements to
children’s:
memory;physical
development; health;
use of language (speech and
language group)
&Children’s creativity
developed
&Awareness of themselves
and others’ personal space
&Children feel special
(leading to raising
self-esteem)
&Children transferring
fine and gross motor skills
to life outside Forest
School
&Increased fine and gross
motor control
&Parents take more interest
in Forest School due to
children’s enthusiasm
&Improved use of language
means children become
more confident to
communicate with peers,
teachers and parents
(continued)
Education 3–13 57
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Appendix 1. (Continued).
Short term outcomes Medium term outcomes Longer-term outcomes
&Children’s increased ability
to plan and review (e.g.
choose resources for tasks)
&Parents take their children
out into the ‘outdoors’
more (parents have a
different perception of the
outdoors – e.g. the
perceived risks)
&Improved self-esteem (as a
result of feeling listened to
and valued)
&Transferring skills (e.g.
modelling the good
practice of carrying sticks)
&Comparable difference
between children’s
behaviour in normal
setting (indoors/classroom)
and in Forest School
&Children have adapted well
to their new outdoor
environment
&Children want to learn &Practitioners gain a better
understanding of the
children (e.g. their
individual learning styles)
&Children are more assertive
in a non-aggressive way
&Children want to come back
to Forest School
Oxfordshire Pilot Group
(Early years groups)
&Children are more steady
on their feet and don’t
fall over as often
&Improved and increase use
of motor skills
&Improved academic
attainment and
achievement, especially for
children who find the
classroom a difficult place
to learn
&Children are keen and
excited about setting
off for Forest School
&Children working
independently from adults
(continued)
58 L. O’Brien
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Appendix 1. (Continued).
Short term outcomes Medium term outcomes Longer-term outcomes
&Children talk freely about
Forest School
back in the classroom
&Children initiate their own
learning/play activities
&Children get ready to for
Forest School more
quickly (as opposed to
reluctantly)
&Children work
co-operatively – they are
able to negotiate with
others to achieve group
tasks
&Children begin to take
more responsibility
for their own activities/
play/learning (because they
are allowed to)
&Children demonstrate an
increased knowledge of
the environment, beginning
to recognise tree species
and a few mini-beasts
&Children begin to be less
dependent on Adult
company and support –
they can work away from
adults, less holding
hands; will hide
independently during ‘1,2,3
Where are you?’
&Children demonstrate
respect and care for living
things and the environment
&Children able to make
decisions themselves about
what to wear to suit the
weather
&Children aware of seasonal
change
&Children revisit, extend
and develop previous
weeks’ activities
&Children able to focus/
concentrate for longer
Education 3–13 59
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Appendix 2. Shropshire lesson plan
11/11/2004
Setting Cantlop Woods/Longnor School. Children aged approximately 5.5
years
Accompanying Adults FS Leader: HH;Lead Practitioner: J T; 2 x Support Assistants;
4 Surestart Observers
Aims Familiarise the children with the woodland site; its boundaries; what
to do if separated; health and safety near the fire area; exploring
the wood habitat.
Explore shelter/den construction methods and create some simple
dens.
Intended learning Personal, Social, Emotional Development: Be confident to try new
activities; understand what is right and wrong and why; consider
the consequences of their actions for themselves.
Communication, Language, Listening: Sustain attentive listening;
extend their vocabulary, and explore the meanings and sounds of
new words. Express and communicate their ideas.
Maths Development: Use language to compare quantities and to
describe shape and size.
Knowledge & Understanding of world: Investigate objects and
materials by using all of their senses as appropriate.
Creative Development: Respond to a story and variety of shelter types
to create their own using simple materials.
Physical Development: Move with confidence and imagination.
Planned Ativities Whole group: Distribute name necklaces to children. Share memories
of last week. Discuss this week’s programme.
Child Initiated: Allow free time exploration. Suggest collecting sticks
for shelters.
Whole group: Hear the story of ‘The House at Pooh Corner’. Make
an Eeyore-type shelter together. See a demonstration of other
shelter types, including health and safety of loppers and mallets.
Small groups: Make own shelters. (Loppers to be used 1:1 with HH.)
Whole group: Regroup at fire area and reiterate safety rules. Snack
time.
Whole group: Where are you? Allow small groups to ‘get lost’ with an
adult (if possible in their shelter to enable children to see each
other’s) for the rest of the group to find.
Whole group: Review time – in fire area, encourage children to
demonstrate safety rules as they gather. Use the puppet to ask the
adults and children ‘What did you like about the wood today?’
Sing the FS song. Gather in name necklaces at exit gate.
Back at setting: Develop mini shelters in the school grounds. Read
the story of ‘The House at Pooh Corner’. Make a classroom
shelter for Eeyore. Write a Forest School Diary or letter home.
60 L. O’Brien
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