Children will have lessons outside

An Ealing school is taking teaching into the great outdoors.

St Augustine’s Priory School has opened a 'Forest School' for nursery and reception pupils.

The concept of Forest Schools was popularised in Scandinavia in the 1950s as a way of promoting learning about nature, water, mountains and pollution, while also focusing on measurable learning outcomes.

The school benefits from 13 acres of grounds and woodland which facilitate regular outdoor lessons.

The young pupils are encouraged to develop a positive attitude towards their environment and taught the importance of sustainability. They are also given tasks designed to build confidence, resilience and teamwork.

The forest-based lessons are closely aligned to the curriculum and the emphasis on learning about the wildlife and plant life that inhabit the area, tie into both science and geography syllabi.

Hhead teacher at St Augustine’s Priory, Sarah Raffray says: “Having the opportunity to play and learn outdoors is an essential part of a child’s development and can support young people in understanding more about their surrounding environment. At St Augustine’s we are extremely lucky to have acres of ground and woodland within the school’s perimeters; it gives the children a great escape from their usual urban and suburban surroundings.

“We have informally been conducting outdoor lessons for nursery and reception for years but with access to such unrivalled space in the city, it made sense to develop this further and establish a Forest School. This enables us to offer the pupils a diversity of opportunities and outdoor activities that enhance curriculum teaching, as well as develop their key skills.”

5th August 2013