EXCITING NEWS!!! WE ARE OPENING A NEW FOREST SCHOOL SITE AT WADDOW HALL, CLITHEROE OPENING FOR PRESCHOOL+ AND PARENT AND CHILD SESSIONS FROM SEPTEMBER 2022!!!! CONTACT US NOW TO REGISER YOUR INTEREST AND RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION
So what is Forest School?
The seed of Forest School was originally sown in the USA and Scandinavia however a team of students from Bridgewater College in Dorset brought the idea to the UK in 1995 after a trip to Denmark to observe Forest School for themselves. This seed of an idea has now flourished here in the UK and is proving to be a beneficial educational asset to many nurseries and schools. By definition, Forest School is 'an inspirational process that offers children, young people and adults regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning opportunities in a woodland environment' (Forest Education Initiative). In a nutshell, Forest School offers our children the opportunity and freedom to explore, to investigate, to play, to learn, to thrive.
It is this 'playing' element that is the most important element of Forest School. As a qualified primary teacher, I appreciate the learning opportunities across the curricular offered by this playing. Think about the maths knowledge to build a den - the length of the branches needed, the angles to put those branches, how many branches are needed? Or the literary opportunities finding a hole in a tree - wonder who lives in there? What do they look like? Could they be the magical forest fairies? Or the science of making a mud pie - which material is best, what consistency works well, what is mud anyway? The learning opportunities are endless.
But not only that, the boost to a child's confidence and self esteem as they make a den or a leaf crown or a bridge for the forest fairies to cross the stream, that they are really proud of is so invaluable. The interaction and teamwork that develops between children as they encounter these experiences - even just a helping hand over the stepping stones - are fundamental foundations for building life skills. Plus there's the benefit of simply being outdoors in the fresh air being physically active. All these factors, and more, make Forest School such a great experience for our children.
Founded in 2015, Great and Small Forest Education now has two registered childcare settings, both located in Clayton le Moors and both following the forest school ethos - Our Ofsted rated OUTSTANDING Great and Small Forest School located in woodland adjacent to Cottams Farm and Great and Small Kindergarten located on Rishton Road (more details about Great and Small Kindergarten can be found on the next tab)
Great and Small Forest School, Clayton le Moors offers the following sessions:
Monday 9.00am - 3.00pm Preschool sessions for children aged three upwards. Funded and non funded places available.
Tuesday 9.00am - 3.00pm Preschool sessions for children aged three upwards. Funded and non funded places available.
Wednesday 9.00am - 3.00pm Preschool sessions for children aged three upwards. Funded and non funded places available.
Thursday 10.00am to 12 noon - Home educated family group (montly, please ask for dates)
Friday 10.00am to 111.30am - Parent and child sessions (of walking age upwards as the woodland is not buggy friendly)
Great and Small, Clitheroe:
We will open 49 weeks a year running preschool+ sessions on Mondays to Thursdays 8.00am to 4.00pm. On Fridays we will run a parent and child session in the morning and a preschool 'Saplings' session in the afternoon. Please contact us to register your interest and to receive further information available soon.
Please email [email protected] for further information or to register your interest for your little adventurer
So what is Forest School?
The seed of Forest School was originally sown in the USA and Scandinavia however a team of students from Bridgewater College in Dorset brought the idea to the UK in 1995 after a trip to Denmark to observe Forest School for themselves. This seed of an idea has now flourished here in the UK and is proving to be a beneficial educational asset to many nurseries and schools. By definition, Forest School is 'an inspirational process that offers children, young people and adults regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning opportunities in a woodland environment' (Forest Education Initiative). In a nutshell, Forest School offers our children the opportunity and freedom to explore, to investigate, to play, to learn, to thrive.
It is this 'playing' element that is the most important element of Forest School. As a qualified primary teacher, I appreciate the learning opportunities across the curricular offered by this playing. Think about the maths knowledge to build a den - the length of the branches needed, the angles to put those branches, how many branches are needed? Or the literary opportunities finding a hole in a tree - wonder who lives in there? What do they look like? Could they be the magical forest fairies? Or the science of making a mud pie - which material is best, what consistency works well, what is mud anyway? The learning opportunities are endless.
But not only that, the boost to a child's confidence and self esteem as they make a den or a leaf crown or a bridge for the forest fairies to cross the stream, that they are really proud of is so invaluable. The interaction and teamwork that develops between children as they encounter these experiences - even just a helping hand over the stepping stones - are fundamental foundations for building life skills. Plus there's the benefit of simply being outdoors in the fresh air being physically active. All these factors, and more, make Forest School such a great experience for our children.
Founded in 2015, Great and Small Forest Education now has two registered childcare settings, both located in Clayton le Moors and both following the forest school ethos - Our Ofsted rated OUTSTANDING Great and Small Forest School located in woodland adjacent to Cottams Farm and Great and Small Kindergarten located on Rishton Road (more details about Great and Small Kindergarten can be found on the next tab)
Great and Small Forest School, Clayton le Moors offers the following sessions:
Monday 9.00am - 3.00pm Preschool sessions for children aged three upwards. Funded and non funded places available.
Tuesday 9.00am - 3.00pm Preschool sessions for children aged three upwards. Funded and non funded places available.
Wednesday 9.00am - 3.00pm Preschool sessions for children aged three upwards. Funded and non funded places available.
Thursday 10.00am to 12 noon - Home educated family group (montly, please ask for dates)
Friday 10.00am to 111.30am - Parent and child sessions (of walking age upwards as the woodland is not buggy friendly)
Great and Small, Clitheroe:
We will open 49 weeks a year running preschool+ sessions on Mondays to Thursdays 8.00am to 4.00pm. On Fridays we will run a parent and child session in the morning and a preschool 'Saplings' session in the afternoon. Please contact us to register your interest and to receive further information available soon.
Please email [email protected] for further information or to register your interest for your little adventurer