The Woodland School is designed to enhance and complement our day to day curriculum in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). It offers all our children opportunities to develop confidence and self-esteem, and to experience a natural outdoor environment.
Our core objectives are to produce confident and capable children.
What to expect
At different times of the year, your child will be participating in a weekly planned session in the woodland area of the primary school field, situated across from the pre-school. They will be working in small groups of up to 8 children and will spend the whole of one session in the woodland site, whatever the weather! The sessions will be for 1 ½ hours in the morning and 1 hour in the afternoons. All children will be encouraged to participate and staff will fully support less confident children with these new sessions. There will be a minimum of 4 staff out on the field and Miss Hurst will be supervising all the activities.
The woodland school sessions will follow a routine that the children will soon become familiar with, including a group discussion, activity, mud kitchen and exploring in the woodland, snack and a final get together for reflection time before going back into pre-school.
The importance of outdoor play
Daily access to the outdoors when in an Early Years setting is a statutory requirement for all children. Outdoor learning/play is a critical component of good provision and must be encouraged. It is essential for the healthy development of all young children. Learning outside offers opportunities to build on and extend, skills taught and acquired inside. It also offers the chance to take on new challenges and risks and to investigate in a different way. The physical freedom of learning outside through climbing, exploring, running, jumping and balancing supports development of the young child’s body towards the finer movements that will be required for such skills as writing. Experiencing the weather, searching for insects, climbing a tree or working on a large scale is learning that can only happen outside.
Why do this …?
Originally a Scandinavian idea, woodland schools operate on the principle that children of all ages can benefit greatly from the hands-on learning opportunities inherently present in a woodland environment. In an age when many children have few opportunities to be outdoors, it offers them a way to learn and experience a broad curriculum in a woodland setting, with regular visits throughout the year.
Our Woodland School helps to develop:
• Confidence and self esteem;
• Communication and social skills;
• Physical skills;
• Greater understanding and awareness of the natural environment;
• Natural motivation and a positive attitude to learning;
• Creativity and imagination;
• Team skills;
• The ability to recognise and manage risk; and
• Healthier lifestyles.
What your child needs to wear
On the woodland days could you ensure that your child is wearing the appropriate clothing for that day’s weather. They will need to be wearing suitable footwear, for example waterproof boots or trainers (if not wet). It will be a good idea that they have a pair of waterproof trousers for these days, as we will be going out in all weathers. Please ensure that all clothing and footwear is clearly labelled with your child’s name.