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Forest School

Forest School - The Whiteoak Way

'The best classroom and richest classroom is roofed only by the sky.'

Margaret McM

At Whiteoak Academies, Forest School is seen as a vital part of every childs education. We believe every child should have access to learn in the outdoor environment and receive the benefits and experience the natural world has to offer.

Taking learning outside encourages children to become independent learners, to use their imagination, take appropriate risks within boundaries and initiate learning for themselves. Forest School aims to promote holistic development, encouraging resilence, confident learners, incorporating children’s individuality. These qualities hugely benefit the learning in the classroom and develops their skills for lifelong learning. 

Forest School at Whiteoak Academies explores the outdoors and the natural environment with practical, useful activities all year round. It develops peer learning with the adults providing support and enabling activities to take place. The child’s interest will be at the heart of any activity. 

We use the seasons and the Wheel of the Year, an annual cycle of seasonal festivals, made up of the year's main solar events (solstices and equinoxes) and the midpoints between them to plan our forest school activites. 

'Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better.'

Albert Einstein

Whiteoak Way Forest School Aims

In Whiteoak Way Academies we aim to promote the holistic development of children by developing a child's physical, emotional and social skills, to help them live with everday demands and challenges.  

We encourage resilience in all sessions, children who develop resilience are better able to face disappointment, learn from failure, cope with loss and adapt to change.

We promote confident, independent and creative learners, which allows children to connect with the world around them. 

Forest School Overview

The 6 Principles of Forest School

Please use the link below to read about the 6 principles of Forest School

6 principles of Forest School