We are incredibly lucky to have our own Forest School Site at Manor Farm Junior School.

There are so many positive benefits to outdoor learning – having fun whilst learning, in particular!

Forest school is outdoor, nature-based learning that supports play, exploration and supported risk taking. Observation, rather than direction, is key and children learn to care for the natural environment through their activities. Forest school is a regular, long-term process, rather than a one-off learning opportunity. It helps children develop many skills that are more challenging to teach in the classroom and ties in with many areas of the National Curriculum (e.g., studying mini beasts and plant life relates to the science curriculum).

The aim is for children to connect to nature in their own way. This can be difficult to maintain amidst other curriculum and assessment pressures, thus Forest School ‘protects’ a time which is truly play based and child led.

Some benefits of Forest School are:

• Building confidence and independence
• Feeling empathy for others and nature
• Physical fitness
• Physical health benefits
• Improved mental health
• Learning by experience
• Exposure to manageable risk
• Better sleep and mood

Further information about Forest School can be found on this website: