Unit 4 1.1 Summarise the history of Forest Schools locally, in the UK and internationally.
- Naomi Harvey
- Jul 24, 2024
- 5 min read
The concept of Forest Schools can actually be traced all the way back to the 1800’s when Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, a Swiss educational reformer founded several educational institutions in Switzerland, with his motto being ‘Learning by head, hand and heart’
His educational methods were child-centred and based on individual differences, sense perception and the pupils' self-activity which is the basis of Forest School.
Leading on from Pestalozzi, there were a few philosophers and educators in Europe and the UK who continued the method of child led activities and laying foundations for what is now known as Forest School.
In the early 1900’s Susan Isaac, who was a great advocate for Jean Piaget theory on the development of young children, believed that play was the child’s work and promoted nurseries and independence and learning through play. This led to Maria Montessori, the founder of the Montessori method. Maria observed when teaching in a classroom consisting of a blackboard, small chairs and grouped tables for the children, the behaviours being shown were deep attention and concentration, multiple repetitions of activity and a need to order in the environment. After replacing the furniture with child sized tables and chair light enough for them to move and child sized materials on low and accessible shelves she discovered the children started to work independently and could reach new levels of autonomy and become self motivated to challenge themselves and a new level of understanding. Montessori’s ethos is to acknowledge all children as individuals and treating them as such would create better learning and fulfil the potential of each child.
Maria then continued to adapt her theory and introduced the option of allowing children to have free choice of materials, toys, activities and to allow them free movement and uninterrupted work. She began to see independence as the aim of education and the role of a teacher more as an observer.
From there the theory of ‘play is work’ continued to grow, adapt and spread throughout the countries, with Italy adopting the Montessori approach. In 1908 Margaret and Rachel Mcmillan opened the UK’s first open ‘open air nursery’ in London serving the deprived surrounding community. The Mcmillan sisters hoped by modelling good practice, both educationally and hygienically it would make a difference in the lives of families struck by poverty, their motto being ‘educate every child as if he were your own’.
After opening their open air nursery and managing to cater for 500 children the concept of outdoor learning was being accepted, with evidence of imaginative play, movement and first hand experience becoming of vital importance to a child's development.
In 1924 Youth camp Woodcraft Folk opened in South London and allowed young people to engage with the outdoors and learn how to enjoy being within the environment and what we can learn. Jumping to the 1940's more and more outdoor education centres started opening and becoming popular.
Between 1950’s - 1980’s Child-centred learning became more prevalent in the day to day education system, although no formal curriculum had been introduced as yet.
In 1993 the concept of Forest School was brought to England from Denmark to Bridgewater College when a group of nursery nurses visited Denmark and were inspired by the Danish approach to outdoor learning, and decided to implement similar approaches at home.
Since then the UK has adapted the Scandinavian model to suit it's need, over the past 30 years it has increased in popularity with many schools having some form of outdoor learning or forest school being offered within the curriculum. Educators and institutions have recognised the benefits of Forest Schools, including improved social skills, self esteem and physical health among the children.
Looking at the benefits and history of forest school, I can only see this technique growing and being implemented more within the general school day, making sure that all educational sites are able to offer the children the opportunity to explore their surroundings with teachers carrying the correct knowledge.
Within our area, there are a few Forest Schools that are open to the education sector but also privatisation and run holiday clubs and special events.
One Forest School in our area only caters to the under 5’s and uses the Montessori method. They run certain sessions such as Forest School Stay and Play where children can have the opportunity to build dens, identify nature, take part in scavenger hunts and also prepare their own snack collecting food from the schools fruit and vegetable patch.
Another local Forest School offers Pre school children activities, school outings, after school clubs, birthday parties and also corporate events for team building! They are part of the Forest School Association and believe in the ethos that forest school is child led and although they allow guidance and let the children know what is on offer, the children ultimately decide what activity they wish to carry out.
The Forest School Association outlines six principles of what Forest School should be:
Principle 1: Forest School is a long-term process of frequent and regular sessions in a woodland or natural environment, rather than a one-off visit. Planning, adaptation, observations, and reviewing are integral elements of Forest School.
Principle 2: Forest School takes place in a woodland or natural wooded environment to support the development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world.
Principle 3: Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all those involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent, and creative learners.
Principle 4: Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.
Principle 5. Forest School is run by qualified Forest School practitioners who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.
Principle 6. Forest School uses a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for development and learning.’ (Forest School Association, 2022).
There are quite a few Forest School centres around Dorset and Somerset, majority of them only being open during school holidays, and being a part of the Forest School Association and following the guidance.
One setting quoted their ethos to be:
Every child is unique. That’s why we customise every one of our plans to fit your needs exactly. We’ll sit down with you, listen to your requests and prepare a customised path for your child.
I think this is important and exactly what Forest School is all about and when running sessions you have to be aware of the learners you will be hosting and adapt your teachings to their needs.
After some research I have discovered that just in Dorset, Forest Schools have thrived and grown hugely, from speaking to Dorset Forest School who train Forest School leaders they have said there has been a huge demand since Covid-19 for Forest School Leaders and believe the lockdown made people aware of how important it is to be within the environment and the benefits of the outdoors for children and adults.
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