Lady Boswell's School is blessed to enjoy a beautiful site, bordering Knole Park.  Along that border we have an area of woodland which offers us a nature trail and an extensive Forest School.

Forest School offers our pupils holistic and learner-led education.  Through hands-on experience, it is aimed at encouraging engagement with managed risk, problem-solving and self-discovery in a beautiful, natural environment.  Sometimes, if they are quiet, our children are even joined through the fencing, by the Fallow deer that roam the Park.  The children have the opportunity to try lots of different activities during these sessions, including den building, bushcraft, whittling, camp fires, bug hunting and campfire cooking.

We are proud to have trained Forest School staff (Level 3) who lead the children in their exploration and adventures.

Planned Forest School sessions take place whatever the weather (with the exception of high winds) and informal visits and use of our Forest School area as an outside classroom is popular with all the children.  We monitor the effect that Forest School has on the children's learning and development in the classroom, as well as the impact that is has on their wellbeing and social communication skills.

During Forest School we follow the following 6 principles:

1.  Forest School is a long-term process of regular sessions, rather than one-off or infrequent visits.  The cycle of planning, observation, adaption and review links each session.

2.  Forest School takes place in a natural woodland environment to support the development of a life-long relationship between the learner and the natural world.

3.  Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.

4.  Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take support risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.

5.  Forest School is run by qualified Forest School practitioners, who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.

6.  Forest School uses a range of learner-centered processes to create a community for being, development and learning.

The children said ...

Ludo - "I enjoyed making food because it is really nice to sit on a log and have it. I also enjoyed making a den because when you have made it you can use it in different ways".

Lily - "I have enjoyed whittling, cooking, taking care of nature, surviving in the wild and den building".

Bertie - "I have learnt how to safely whittle using the respect position and a blood bubble. I have really enjoyed eating by the fire and making things using whittling". 

Cameron - "I have enjoyed five minute fires because it is fun watching the flame". 

Tia- "My favourite parts are when we cook because we make really tasty stuff like banana splits and smores". 

Ruby- "I don't just enjoy forest school, I love it! I enjoyed seeing nature and having a break from the indoors. I learnt how to make a butter knife and how to cook different foods". 

Freddie - "I have enjoyed den building and teamwork!".

Josh - "The best parts of forest school are when we make food because the food always tastes so good!".

Sophia - "The best part of forest school are eating, playing and being with my friends. Eating because the food is so yummy, playing because it is fun in the forest and being with my friends because I am working in a team. I like the banana split and hot chocolate". 

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