Forest School
At Easton Royal Academy, we are wholeheartedly committed to the benefits of Forest School for our pupils and invest significant time and resources for each class to attend weekly sessions throughout the year. We are proud of the quality and impact of this provision on the learning, development and wellbeing of our pupils.
We are extremely grateful to Easton Royal Village for allowing us to use the wooded area of the Recreation Ground to hold our sessions, and to our parent volunteers who work alongside our staff to ensure we can provide the best opportunities at our Forest School.
‘Forest School is a child-centred inspirational learning process, that offers opportunities for holistic growth through regular sessions. It is a long-term program that supports play, exploration and supported risk taking. It develops confidence and self-esteem through learner inspired, hands-on experiences in a natural setting.’
Forest School Association UK.
About Forest School
Our Forest School supports all pupils to have consistently inspiring outdoor learning and play experiences that over time contribute to their holistic development to be resilient, confident, independent and creative individuals with a deeper respectful connection to the natural world. We adhere to the Forest School Principles and trust the considerable research that demonstrates how Forest School experiences help children to develop and learn in a multitude of vital ways.
Through child-led and adult-facilitated activities that embrace each child’s innate curiosity and exploratory drive, our pupils are inspired to learn new skills including tool use and fire craft; to connect to the natural world throughout the seasons; and to build resilience through supported physical, social and emotional risk-taking, whilst having fun and playing creatively.
We give children the permission and freedom to explore the woodland and make their own choices about their time at Forest School. Freely chosen, self-directed play enhances creativity, independence, emotional regulation, supports physical health and cognitive growth, while fostering strong social relationships. Allowing children to guide their experience at forest school encourages a sense of autonomy and personal agency, embracing intrinsic motivation and helping children build a positive relationship with learning.
The role of our staff and volunteers is to teach children the rules and boundaries for safe learning and behaviour at forest school and to support children to uphold these, as well as observe and support their natural curiosities and facilitate their interests and needs in a safe way. They may offer specific games, resources and starter activities, but their uptake is optional and there is no expectation that every child will participate in the same way or reach the same outcome.
What our pupils have to say about Forest School:
Quotes from KS2 Oaks Class members July 2026
‘I love finding natural objects then turning it into a game. I love that it has helped me improve/boost my creativity. At forest school, no matter what you do, you will always learn something new and interesting. Aspiration; creativity, freedom, integrity.’
‘In forest school we get to carve and build dens. Some things I really enjoy are that we aren’t told what to do and have our own creative activities. I think it is a good thing to do forest school because it gives us creative spirit and lets us enjoy nature. Overall it is awesome! And fascinating to learn about fungi and nature.’
‘I like forest school it is different to normal school and you are able to express yourself. In forest school we learn how to build a den, crafts and fires and climb trees and HOT CHOCOLATE!’
‘Sometimes we go in separate places in the forest and think about what’s going on in the forest using our five senses.’
‘At forest school I really like the skipping rope, climbing trees and I really like having s’mores sometimes.’
‘You get to explore and be with your friends’ playing games and hanging out with each other whilst being free to chose what you want to do.’
‘We learn life lessons, like fire safety. Some of the things we get up to are making gods eyes, den making, fires and tools. We get to choose what we want to do. I like trees. S’mores are yummy. FREEDOM!’
‘Forest school is fun and cool we have lots of fun stuff. We sometimes look at interesting trees and its nice because you can hear all the fascinating birds and its nice because we get a break from work.’
‘We can make rope ladders and pulley systems. I like the FREEDOM!’
‘Forest school is where you get to have some freedom in your week and that could be building a den, making a gods eye or in my case carving a massive spatula. We get ideas for a project and won’t give up until its finished. Forest school is also good just taking in the nature around you and by having some time to be with friends.’
