Forest Schools and environmental attitudes: A case study of children aged 8–11 years

Figures & data

Table 1. The eight characteristics of a Forest School as given by Knight (2009a)

Attribute	Characteristics
Setting	Not the usual one, ideally in a wood or other outdoor area
	A place where Forest School rules apply
Risk	The area is made as safe as is reasonably possible in order to facilitate risk-taking
	Enables children to learn to respect the environment and move around safely and comfortably
	Leaders are trained to risk assess
	The environment is “safe enough”, not risk free
Time	Leaders recommend blocks of 6–10 sessions to maximise benefits
	Children given longer opportunities to play which accommodates deeper and more meaningful play
Weather conditions	There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing
	The only time that it is unsafe to go into a wood is in high winds when it is advised to find an open space
Trust	Adults trust the children to follow the Forest School rules and vice versa
	Sessions include getting to know the staff and the Forest Schools way
Learning is play based	Play is child initiated and child led as far as possible
	There are no time constraints and risk-taking is facilitated
	Focus is on open-ended play
Beginnings and ends	Each block and session have a distinct beginning and end
	The block ends in a significant final session
Trained staff	Sessions are run by a trained Forest School leader
	The leader is assisted by other suitably trained staff
	Staff/student ratio is appropriate to the setting and children

Table 2. Typology of schools participating in the study

School	Forest School	Location	Annual median income for borough (HM Revenue and Customs, 2012) (£)
1	Yes	Rural	20,700
2	Yes	Urban	18,600
3	Yes	Rural	20,700
4	No	Urban	18,600
5	No	Rural	17,700
6	No	Urban	17,700

Figure 1. Exemplar question from the questionnaire.

Figure 2. Average environmental attitude of children participating in the study.

Figure 3. Mean environmental attitude scores.

Table 3. Plan of activities for the Forest Schools day with School 6

Subject: Forest Schools		Teacher: X				Date: 1/11/2012	Location: X
Age of children: 5–9 years	Number of children: 3		B	G	Adult support	Lesson context/prior learning
			0	3	X + 1	Children have been introduced to basic safety rules and the woodland environment
Times	Activity						Resources
10:00	Starter/warm up—Woodland journey I
	We walk from into the woods and down the path to the starting point/meeting area. Children are encouraged to use all their senses during the journey and discuss everything they hear, smell, feel, taste, etc.
10:10	Health and safety brief
	Discuss what we mean by a “hazard” and a “risk”?
	Children are asked to identify hazards in the immediate area
	Talk about the overall site, the associated hazards and what we can do about them
	Children to establish rules and boundaries to follow in the woodland (and reminded of these throughout the day)
10:25	Activity 1: Mini-world den building						A playmobil person for each child
	Children are asked to explore the immediate surrounding are and use natural materials to build a house/den for their playmobil person
10:40	Activity 2: Woodland journey II—Un-nature trail						A collection of items not found within a woodland setting
	Children are asked to take a journey down through the woodland from the top of the slope, down towards the glade near the riverside track. Adults to supervise journey at all times
	Children are asked to explore their route and identify and remember any (pre-placed) items they would not normally find within a woodland, e.g. a clothes line, a light switch and a sift toy
	At the end of the journey, can the children remember everything they found? Was there anything they missed? Why? Potentially introduce camouflage?
11:00	Activity 3: Duplication game						Natural objects found within the woodland, e.g. pine cone, feather, moss
	Show the children a set of natural objects collected from the woodland and placed within a frame made from sticks. The children are then asked to duplicate this and add any extras they find interesting
11:15	Activity 4: Blindfold journey—Camera clicks						Blindfolds
	One child acts as a guide and leads another child (who is blindfolded) through an area of woodland (within the established boundaries). The children stop occasionally so the blindfolded child can briefly remove the blindfold and take a mental picture of what they can see
	Children are encouraged to talk about their other senses while they carry out this activity
	What did they see? How did it feel to be led? How did it feel to lead someone? What other senses did they use?
11:45	Snack						Hot drinks and a snack
12:00	Activity 5: Nightline						Length of rope
	Children set up a route within the woodland by attaching a rope to a tree and weaving it around others at varying heights to incorporate different terrain. The children are then blindfolded and led by their partners along the route to gain a different sensory experience
12:30	Plenary
	In a group circle, discuss the day’s activities. Encourage everyone to participate, taking turns to speak and listen. Adults to ask questions to prompt further discussion and deeper thought. What did they enjoy doing most? Was there anything they didn’t enjoy? Why? What have they learnt about the woodland? Each other?

Figure 4. Exploratory Forest Schools day.

Knight, S. (2009a). Forest Schools and outdoor play in the early years. London: Sage.

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HM Revenue and Customs. (2012). Income and tax by borough and district or unitary authority. Retrieved August 15, 2012, from http://www.statistics.gov.uk/

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