Why Outdoors - Our Ethos
Why Outdoors - Our Ethos
Children are encouraged to express and experience a healthy range of emotions, take appropriate risks and build resilienece which we believe gives our children a healthy, positive outlook as they move on through their life journey. We look at the creating and don't focus on the end product. Our children are encouraged to take control of their own learning; we dare to venture into the world of the unplanned. It is often the unplanned activities that take us on our greatest learning journeys.
Our staff are there to encourage, develop and observe children's learning, as well as being a positive role model and most importantly ...play!!The Woodlanders experience both an indoors and outdoors learning experience as we have access to our own workshop with log burner for those very cold winter days. The outdoors is the main focus of our experience as it is here that children can explore the dynamics and opportunities of the world around us, they experience first hand the cycles of nature e.g butterflies and frog cycle. The outdoors provides a stimulating endless learning process!.
We believe that giving children access to an outdoor classroom we are providing them with a never ending adventure. We are free to explore, create, learn, develop and decide!
The skills that will be gained from the learning opportunities are:Social development-We learn to have a positive outlook towards others and daily challenges and we also learn through team work to be kind and compassionate. Our motto for this is “teamwork makes the dream work”Physical development-Through activities such as den making, threading, climbing etc we are developing both our gross and fine motor skills, as well as cognitive development. We build confidence in this area by challenging ourselves through risky play e.g. tree climbing, use of tools etc.Emotional development-We encourage compassion and mindfulness throughout our day, our motto for this is “if you can be anything in this world-be kind”Communication and language development-We learn how important communication is both verbal and non-verbal, through team work and individual choice.
Forest School Rules
The Forest School sessions are run separately to the Outdoor Nursery, the children will have access to tools and fire lighting equipment so it essential that certain rules are in place for their safety. Having these rules in place make it a safe environment for everybody, it also gives children a sense of importance by being in control of the boundaries and behaviour expectations.
The rules are:
We do not put anything in our mouths unless Amy says so!
No throwing or kicking unless it is part of a game.
If out of the classroom, we stay within the safe space set by Amy.
Kneel down when exploring near the pond.
We don’t swing anything above our heads (this includes sticks, ropes etc).
Always ask a teacher before touching tools.
Follow the tool talk.
Remember kind hands-kind hands help each other and don’t hurt anyone or anything in our Forest School (this is a brilliant saying we use often as children may be initially startled by a spider etc, we try to reinforce that we must all care for our environment and all living things).
The most important rule of all is…explore, enjoy and have as much fun as you can!
Amy Charles Forest School Leader Level 3
Forest School First Aid
adventure@woodlandsforestschool.com
Read more about Forest Schools and their benefits to children https://www.forestschoolassociation.org/what-is-forest-school/
01332 346878
Regulatory authority
Ofsted
Feel free to get in touch with us. We will be happy to answer any questions.
Contact
Where to find us:
194 Duffield Road,
Derby
DE22 1BJ
01332 346878
adventure@woodlandsforestschool.com
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