So has forest school changed since its beginning in Bridgewater in 1993? Davey (2012) suggests that four thousand forest schools with ten thousand qualified forest school leaders have been established within the last thirteen years across the UK. Cummings (2010) comments that forest schools are on the increase as practitioners see children developing at their own pace benefiting from the practical learning experiences whist acquiring an awareness of the environment around them. With the national curriculum having moved somewhat indoors within the past ten years practitioners took rapidly to the ideas and ethos of forest school. Cree and McCree (2012) discuss how the forest school initiative led to the formation of the Forest School Education Network (FEN) previously the Forest Education
Initiatives (FEI) run by the Forestry Commission governed by England, Scotland and Wales. This also led to the Forest School Special Interest Group (SIG) which was set up in 2008 by the Institute for Outdoor Learning (IOL). This had an instrumental role in the establishment of the Forest School Association in 2012. However even with the involvement of the government’s Forestry Commission it is still important to remember the grass roots of the forest school initiative and the ethos it promotes.
So does today’s ethos of forest school still promote and achieve what it originally set out to do? We should also consider the fact that as a relatively new initiative with a short history whether it’s too soon to establish clear outcomes. According to Blackwell and Pound (2011) the forest school ethos is to foster emotional and social well-being in children whilst learning the connections between nature and themselves. A statement that in part correlates with the Development Matters (2012) guidance in which understanding the world features heavily.
When looking at research regarding the impact of forest schools, there is still only a small comparative with which to work and only a small amount of published data with small studies highlighting an awareness of consequences of choices and actions increased confidence and improved concentration (Murray and O’Brian, 2005). Blackwell and Pound (2011) consider that although there is little proven data, what can be seen is a clear direct account from those involved in forest school of the impact that it is having on both children’s and adult’s lives.
As with all initiatives within education and especially early years a balance between policies, regulations and philosophy’s must be understood and met. This can be seen quite clearly in Scottish government as their recognition of outdoor learning plays a key role in the Curriculum for Excellence. This can be seen in both early years and schools (learning and teaching Scotland, 2010). However in England there has been a marginal effort to introduce outdoor learning due to the nature of the school curriculum (Waite, 2012). In fact it was in 2006 that the benefits of outdoor learning were recognised with the Learning Outside the Classroom manifesto (DfES, 2006). Waite (2012) argues that although local authorities who signed the manifesto have a remit to follow, there is still a variation between how this initiative is understood and implemented. She also suggests that until this becomes a main consideration through Ofsted and the national curriculum, there will remain a conflicting stance and although outdoor learning is becoming more recognised due to many other factors including nature deficit disorder (Louv, 2008). Forest school itself is still seen as a separate experience often perceived as an additional resource.
In summary it would seem that the current ethos and research into forest school is still somewhat new. However if research continues to provide positive outcomes and prove successful, there is every chance that what started as a grass roots movement could have the potential to influence government policy and practice. (Cree and McCree, 2012) This could then begin to install the forest school initiative into our future.
References
Cree, J. and McCree, M. (2012) ‘A Brief History of Forest School in the UK - PART 2’, Horizons .
Cree, J. and McCree, M. (2012) ‘A Brief History of the Roots of Forest School in the UK’, Horizons .
Cummings, A. (2010) ‘All about Forest schools’, Nursery World .
Davy, A. (2012) ‘Forest Schools’, Resurgence & Ecologist .
Early Education (2012) (no date) Available at: https://www.foudationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03/development-matters-final-print-amended.pdf (Accessed: 8 September 2015).
Linda Miller and Linda Pound (eds) (2011) Theories and Approaches to Learning in the Early Years. Edited by Linda Miller and Linda Pound. 1st edn. London, UK: SAGE Publications.
Louv, R. (2008) Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder. United States: Algonquin Books (division of Workman).
Murray, R. and Murray, L. (2005) An evaluation of Forest School in England. .
Waite, S., Passy, R., Rea, T., Williams, A. and Wood, C. (2012) Outdoor learning policy development in England and Wales. .
(no date) Available at: www.educationscotland.gov.uk/.../cfeoutdoorlearningfinal_tcm4-59606 (Accessed: 2 October 2015).
Initiatives (FEI) run by the Forestry Commission governed by England, Scotland and Wales. This also led to the Forest School Special Interest Group (SIG) which was set up in 2008 by the Institute for Outdoor Learning (IOL). This had an instrumental role in the establishment of the Forest School Association in 2012. However even with the involvement of the government’s Forestry Commission it is still important to remember the grass roots of the forest school initiative and the ethos it promotes.
So does today’s ethos of forest school still promote and achieve what it originally set out to do? We should also consider the fact that as a relatively new initiative with a short history whether it’s too soon to establish clear outcomes. According to Blackwell and Pound (2011) the forest school ethos is to foster emotional and social well-being in children whilst learning the connections between nature and themselves. A statement that in part correlates with the Development Matters (2012) guidance in which understanding the world features heavily.
When looking at research regarding the impact of forest schools, there is still only a small comparative with which to work and only a small amount of published data with small studies highlighting an awareness of consequences of choices and actions increased confidence and improved concentration (Murray and O’Brian, 2005). Blackwell and Pound (2011) consider that although there is little proven data, what can be seen is a clear direct account from those involved in forest school of the impact that it is having on both children’s and adult’s lives.
As with all initiatives within education and especially early years a balance between policies, regulations and philosophy’s must be understood and met. This can be seen quite clearly in Scottish government as their recognition of outdoor learning plays a key role in the Curriculum for Excellence. This can be seen in both early years and schools (learning and teaching Scotland, 2010). However in England there has been a marginal effort to introduce outdoor learning due to the nature of the school curriculum (Waite, 2012). In fact it was in 2006 that the benefits of outdoor learning were recognised with the Learning Outside the Classroom manifesto (DfES, 2006). Waite (2012) argues that although local authorities who signed the manifesto have a remit to follow, there is still a variation between how this initiative is understood and implemented. She also suggests that until this becomes a main consideration through Ofsted and the national curriculum, there will remain a conflicting stance and although outdoor learning is becoming more recognised due to many other factors including nature deficit disorder (Louv, 2008). Forest school itself is still seen as a separate experience often perceived as an additional resource.
In summary it would seem that the current ethos and research into forest school is still somewhat new. However if research continues to provide positive outcomes and prove successful, there is every chance that what started as a grass roots movement could have the potential to influence government policy and practice. (Cree and McCree, 2012) This could then begin to install the forest school initiative into our future.
References
Cree, J. and McCree, M. (2012) ‘A Brief History of Forest School in the UK - PART 2’, Horizons .
Cree, J. and McCree, M. (2012) ‘A Brief History of the Roots of Forest School in the UK’, Horizons .
Cummings, A. (2010) ‘All about Forest schools’, Nursery World .
Davy, A. (2012) ‘Forest Schools’, Resurgence & Ecologist .
Early Education (2012) (no date) Available at: https://www.foudationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03/development-matters-final-print-amended.pdf (Accessed: 8 September 2015).
Linda Miller and Linda Pound (eds) (2011) Theories and Approaches to Learning in the Early Years. Edited by Linda Miller and Linda Pound. 1st edn. London, UK: SAGE Publications.
Louv, R. (2008) Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder. United States: Algonquin Books (division of Workman).
Murray, R. and Murray, L. (2005) An evaluation of Forest School in England. .
Waite, S., Passy, R., Rea, T., Williams, A. and Wood, C. (2012) Outdoor learning policy development in England and Wales. .
(no date) Available at: www.educationscotland.gov.uk/.../cfeoutdoorlearningfinal_tcm4-59606 (Accessed: 2 October 2015).