St PetersCE Primary School

Curriculum Intent

At St Peter’s CE Primary Academy, our vision is for every pupil to “Whatever you do; work at it with all your heart” Our Forest School curriculum plays an important role in achieving this by providing regular opportunities for pupils to learn outdoors and develop key life skills through practical, hands-on experiences.

Through Forest School, pupils develop confidence, resilience and independence while building a strong connection with the natural environment. Outdoor learning provides opportunities for pupils to explore, investigate and solve problems in a supportive and engaging environment.

The aims of our Forest School curriculum are to:

• develop pupils’ self-esteem, confidence and independence

• build resilient learners who embrace challenge and take responsibility for their learning

• strengthen personal, social and emotional development

• encourage creativity, curiosity and exploration

• develop collaboration and teamwork

• help pupils understand and manage risk safely and responsibly

• foster respect for nature, wildlife and the wider environment

• support pupils in developing positive behaviours and self-regulation

• broaden pupils’ life experiences beyond the classroom

 

Curriculum Design

Forest School is delivered through regular, timetabled outdoor learning sessions.

Pupils in EYFS, KS1 and Year 3 participate in weekly Forest School sessions, with additional opportunities throughout the year for pupils in other year groups to benefit from the Forest School experience.

Sessions take place within our outdoor learning environment, including the school’s Forest School area, hobbit hut, playing field and wider school grounds. Where appropriate, learning opportunities are extended into the local environment and community to broaden pupils’ experiences.

Our Forest School curriculum is guided by two simple questions: “What is nature doing?” and “What are the children interested in?” This means that while our broad programme follows the changing seasons and the opportunities they bring, learning is responsive to what pupils notice, wonder about and become curious about.

For example, if pupils begin noticing lots of spiders around the site, this may become a focus for exploration and investigation. Children might observe where spiders live, learn about different species, create webs or investigate how spiders move. Their questions and interests help shape where the learning goes next.

Alongside this seasonal and child-led exploration, practical skills are carefully developed and built upon over time. For example, when learning to build a den, pupils first learn different types of knots, before developing their skills in hammering pegs safely into the ground. They then bring these skills together to use tarpaulin and natural materials to design and construct their own dens. This allows children to apply individual skills to a meaningful, collaborative challenge.

Forest School may include den building, fire-lighting and cooking, woodland crafts, tool use, nature investigations, shelter building, identifying plants and wildlife, and outdoor problem-solving. Through these experiences, pupils learn to take appropriate risks, persevere when things do not go to plan and work together to find solutions.

The combination of seasonal learning, children's interests and carefully sequenced practical skills means that every Forest School session offers pupils opportunities to explore, discover and learn something new about themselves and the natural world.

As a result, pupils become confident, reflective and resilient learners who are able to approach challenges positively and work effectively with others. These experiences support pupils’ personal development, wellbeing and readiness for future learning.

Explore our termly Forest School overview below to discover how activities develop over time, combining seasonal opportunities, children’s interests and carefully sequenced practical skills.