Outdoor Education Curriculum Aim

At Forest Park we are extremely fortunate to be able to offer our children a broad range of outdoor opportunities which allow them to develop new skills and also embed classroom learning in an outdoor natural setting. Outdoor learning experiences are often remembered for a lifetime. Integrating learning and outdoor experiences, whether through play in the immediate grounds or adventures further afield, provides relevance and depth to the curriculum in ways that are difficult to achieve indoors. Learning outdoors can be enjoyable, creative, challenging and adventurous and helps children and young people learn by experience and grow as confident and responsible citizens. One way in which we do this is through Forest School. Forest School is a unique method of outdoor learning. At Forest Park our aim is to encourage and inspire children through positive outdoor experiences. Children will have the opportunity to learn about the natural environment, how to handle risks and most importantly to use their own initiative to solve problems and co-operate with others. The children use full sized tools, play, learn boundaries of behaviour; both physical and social, establish and grow in confidence, self-esteem and become self-motivated. We have also carefully planned and selected curriculum outcomes for subjects such as Science and Geography to be completed in an outdoor environment. This is to ensure that children get real life experiences of topics such as plants, animals and their habitats and map work rather than learning about them solely in the classroom.