A Forest School creates a child-centred learning process, involving learner-inspired hands-on experience in the natural environment. Staying true to the original Scandinavian vision, Joanne Greenwood has been inspired to create one in a Southport’s Ainsdale national Nature Reserve – with an added bonus of Family bushcraft days and Forest Bathing.

In Scandinavian countries, children don’t start formal education until seven years old. Finland has the highest formal academic results in Europe with the highest levels of well-being, demonstrating that an early years foundation of Forest Schooling is a clear asset. 

“Nature-deficit disorder” is not a medical dysfunction, but it’s a useful term—a metaphor—to describe what many of us believe are the human costs of alienation from nature: diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses, a rising rate of myopia, child and adult obesity, Vitamin D deficiency, and other maladies.

Here in the UK children spend less and less time outdoors, in fact prisoners get more fresh air than children! And it’s taking a toll on their health and well-being. Research has shown that children do better physically and emotionally when they are in green spaces, benefiting from the positive feelings, stress reduction, and the attention restoration that nature engenders. Amongst those seen to benefit are participants who struggle in traditional classroom settings including children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

There isn’t currently a great deal of research into autism, ADHD and nature activities, but there is a growing body of evidence to prove a link in the general population between increased well-being, higher achievement, and access to nature. No one has brought attention to this issue more than Richard Louv, author of ‘Last child in the woods’ and ‘Vitamin N’. Louv also warns about the consequences for the environment if we don’t raise children who truly have a personal relationship with nature.

The idea of “Forest School” was first brought to the UK in 1993, by a group of early years practitioners from Bridgwater College who had visited Denmark on an exchange. During their visit, they felt inspired by the focus the Danish schools give to outdoor activities. On returning to the UK, they set up the first UK Forest School. However, the majority of schools now running have watered down the principles to align them with the national curriculum. Some ‘forest school’ businesses are using branded themes to entice customers. 

I had studied for a degree in Environmental Studies and Geography degree, followed by an Early Years PGCE, where we looked into the educational pioneers such as Maria Montessori, John Dewey, the McMillan Sisters, Reggio Emilia and the Scandinavian approach, however and that meant being true to the original vision. That vision is about connecting people of all ages with nature through a participant-led approach using the natural environment as the teacher.

In this, my role is as a facilitator to guide children’s development, helping them to strengthen their physical and mental well-being and building resilience, gaining confidence, developing true empathy and having self-worth. Children who take part in my forest school will have a childhood filled with excitement and curiosity. These experiences will live a lifetime, giving them the skills, confidence and growth mindset, so vital in today’s society, to become unique, positive, resilient, confident and self-assured, empathetic citizens with a great sense of self-worth. 

At Greenwood Forest School I follow the six key principles that are truly in line with the Forest Schooling philosophy:

  • regular, long-term use of a natural woodland environment – we have pinewoods and a vast sand dune system on the Sefton Coast
  • supporting the development of a relationship between the natural environment and the learners
  • promoting the holistic development of the learners, fostering resilience, independence, confidence and creativity
  • offering learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and themselves
  • facilitated by a qualified forest school practitioner who continually maintains and develops their professional practice
  • using a range of learner-centred approaches to create a community for development and learning

As a qualified Level 3 Forest School, I am focusing in particular on developing my home education and flexi-schooling sessions. I believe the traditional education system simply does not suit every child, regardless of special educational needs. I believe that flexi-schooling will become just as popular as home education in the near future due to freedom from the constraints of a rigid school timetable and the necessity to move on quickly in order to cover everything on the curriculum. 

“The best classroom and the richest cupboard is roofed only by the sky” 
Margaret McMillan 1925.

Children in my home education/ flexi-school group have freedom for in-depth and unadulterated play, which is how children learn best. I refer you to read work by Ferre Laevers and levels of involvement to develop the young brain.

They also have hands-on practical experiences with playing and exploring, active learning and time for critical thinking to develop problem solving skills. As children play together, they gain great peer support, which develops many key social skills and confidence. Nature is a great teacher allowing children to develop their empathy through environmental education, which I facilitate through a child friendly approach. Fire-lighting and tool use is a great determination and resilience builder too! 

The hammocks have multiple uses, as a great source of fun and play but also as a quiet space for reflection and self-regulation and a time to just ‘be’ and not ‘do’. The sessions also have a loose structure and routine, which helps children feel secure, and is particularly important to children with ASD. My aim would be to extend the length of these sessions, as the longer a child is absorbed in their own learning in a nature environment, the more they benefit. 

It’s not just kids who benefit from a deep connection with nature and spending quality time absorbed amongst the trees! As well as my home education group I run sessions called ‘Family time in nature’ which is open to the whole family, from babies to grandparents with a range of experiences on offer with bushcraft skills with tools, fire lighting, nature and wildlife identification, mindfulness and reflection with use of hammocks, which are also perfect for many things including self-regulation. 

I am also trying to establish ‘Forest Bathing’, which is a whole other article as a mindfulness practice! However, if you would like to know more about this and who I am and what I do then please visit my website www.greenwoodforestschool.com or my Facebook and Instagram page where you can book onto all my events and even experience a true forest school style team building session or party… but must admit we do end with a pinata (not very Scandinavian I know, but the children love it!!)

Joanne Greenwood Forest School Ltd @ Ainsdale National Nature Reserve, Southport, Merseyside.

Contacts

Email: greenwoodforestschool@hotmail.com

Website: www.greenwoodforestschool.com

Instagram: @greenwood_forest_school/

Refs

Dr Ferre Laevers – Research Centre for Experiential Education: 

https://www.marjon.ac.uk/professional-development-for-teachers/what-is-forest-school/