Forest School

All children at Annan take part in weekly Forest School activities with their own teachers and with Helen, our very experienced and trained Forest School teacher.

We have access to an ancient woodland adjacent to the school and our commitment to regular visits to the same woodland site over a period of time is crucial to children’s understanding of the seasons and how woodland changes.

In the woodland there are constant opportunities for discovery, for physical challenges and for dramatic play, to find hidden places and secret dens. There are opportunities for art or craft, environmental games and learning through storytelling as well as quiet contemplation. Children keep a beautiful diary of their time in the woods. These are available in the classrooms for parents to read.

Through teaching children small achievable and progressively more challenging tasks children can achieve something that would have seemed impossible. Young children are taught to use small hand tools in a safe environment; such as being shown how to use peelers to peel sticks to use as toasting forks, and given the opportunity to cook their own dampers on the fire.

As they get older they may learn how to use the bow saw, how to do lashings and light fires using flint. Opportunities for taking appropriate risks are linked to a growth in confidence and enhancement of self-esteem and independence.

Children learn to respect their environment, develop and nurture respect and responsibility for themselves, other people and the environment in a truly empowering experience, which is also exciting, healthy and fun!