Forest School

All children at Maylands are able to attend Forest School on a regular basis as it is an essential part of our school curriculum offer. We are very fortunate to be able to use the forest setting within a few-minutes-walk of our school.

Forest School allows all children to develop a sense of freedom and the child-centred ethos of Forest School is mirrored back in the classroom at Maylands.

Every day in the forest, the children of Maylands are able to play freely and discovery the natural world. Under the supervision and support from adults, skills of the outdoors are mastered as children build dens, tie ropes, saw wood and cook on an open fire. The purpose of Forest School is to focus on the present, the journey rather than the outcome. It is provides another perspective to learning in class.

Forest school offers children an opportunity to develop confidence and self-esteem as well as co-operation and social skills.

We hold the Learning Outside the Classroom Gold Mark for our commitment to experience-based learning and creating opportunities on and off of the school site.

Children are encouraged to:

Explore and discover their world at their own pace

Experience supported risk and challenge

Develop resilience and experience success

Secure a positive mental attitude, self-motivation and independence