Emily Turner visited two schools that are making outside learning a part of daily life. 

West London primary St James has embraced the ‘Forest School’ concept. I joined a Reception group on their first Forest School class in Holland Park. It was a gloomy January day and the kids were looking at the ominous grey skies as they snaked their way up through Holland Park. They were accompanied by two teachers with bulging backpacks. We walked through a wooden gate and stopped to look at the birds on the pond. One of the teachers locked the gate and we moved on to the wooded area at the back of the park. It is one of those gloriously unstructured bits of woodland that you cannot quite believe is within a central London park. The teachers explained to the children that there was a perimeter beyond which they could not go and this was marked out by tape but within this area they were free to roam.

They excitedly ran into the woods and made a circle in a clearing. Jan, who started the Forest School at St James, talked through its structure with the children. They would be in the wood for one afternoon a week, on alternate weeks throughout their Reception year. Some basic ground rules were laid out: no eating anything they found, no touching sharp objects, how to hold sticks safely, and then they were off – looking at different types of bark, balancing on logs, examining cobwebs. Jan explained to me that while there is an element of structure to each session, teaching the children to ‘play’ independently is central to the concept. Activities are broken up with time in the circle, to discuss what they have looked at and to share in the hot chocolate and biscuits that filled one of the rucksacks. The children re-grouped back in the clearing and Jan handed out their ‘necklaces’. Each child received a rustic wooden disc threaded onto a leather thong with their name on one side and a picture of a woodland creature on the other which they proudly put on. Other London schools take note, this was early years learning at its best.

My next stop was the out of town option, Norman Court. If you are having doubts about whether you should be bringing up your children in London, visiting a school like this, a co-ed prep school outside Andover, will do nothing to put your mind at ease. Set in acres of glorious Wiltshire parkland, yet resolutely easy going and unstuffy, it is just the sort of place my daughter would love.

Norman Court is an enthusiastic Forest School and as I scrambled through the woods, conveniently situated close to the main school building, Kate Dixon who was showing me round, told me that lots of the children’s lessons can be held outside. Norman Court is also a pilot school for the A.C.E. programme which takes a number of the forest school concepts and integrates them into the daily life of the Key Stage 2 pupils. Teamwork, self confidence, self esteem and more are all boosted by a structured programme of outdoor activities and challenges. I walked past ponies, a donkey and some goats before bumping into a team of smiling (and very muddy) girls who were on the way back from feeding the pigs. Idyllic.

St James’ Junior School, Earsby St, W14 Tel: 020 7348 1777 www.stjamesschools.co.uk. Norman Court, West Tytherley, Nr Salisbury, Wilts Tel: 01980 862345 www.normancourt.co.uk

Outdoor Learning - Suzie Skipper has the lowdown.

The Forest Schools concept was established in Denmark in the 1980s. A 13-month study in Sweden showed that children attending Forest Schools were happier, had fewer sick days, better concentration, coordination and social skills than children in urban kindergartens. In the mid 1990s the Forest Schools concept arrived in the UK and has become one of the Forest Education Initiatives www.foresteducation.org. There are about 40 FEI cluster groups in England and up to 100 Forest Schools in London. For more information on Forest Schools in London see www.urbanforestschool.co.uk

Schools can either use an external Forest Schools practitioner or train up their own staff. Sarah Blackwell, Director of Archimedes Training www.archimedes-training.co.uk, one of the largest training providers, says London has lots of areas of woodland and green spaces many of which are suitable for Forest Schools.

Forest Schools operate almost all year round come rain or shine (except in high winds) and they are suitable for all ages from nursery to teens. “Ideally each year group will have Forest Schools as part of their weekly timetable spending between half to a whole day outside,” explains Blackwell. Some funding is available through various channels including the Local authority and Council, the FEI and Forestry Commission.

The A.C.E. Programme is a study programme launched in 2008 designed to develop pupils' education and understanding of the world beyond the classroom. The idea is to mirror the Duke of Edinburgh Award for prep school children aged 7 to 13 with a simplified set of expectations. A.C.E. has three stages, all with an emphasis on outdoor learning and taking initiative: ‘Awareness’ (Years 3 & 4); ‘Commitment’ (Years 5 & 6) and ‘Empowerment’ (Years 7 & 8). Most schools use record cards to assess children at each stage and certificates are issued to show their level of involvement and achievement.

Besides the obvious adventurous activities like camp craft or orienteering, children also
learn about the environment, sustainability and get involved in field and community work.

To learn more about A.C.E. email ACE@satips.com or admin@satips.com or call
Patrick Papougnot on Tel 07768 076915.