Bankfield Nursery and Pre-Prep school has introduced a brand new Forest School programme for pre-school children in Harrogate.
Forest School is a national initiative co-ordinated by the Forest School Association. It is designed to enable children to develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland environment.
Forest School is now part of the weekly activities programme for the pre-school children who attend Bankfield. Activities take place within the grounds of Harrogate Ladies’ College in a woodland garden and in the nearby Harrogate Pinewoods.
Head of Bankfield, Emily Bayley, who is a qualified Forest School Leader and introduced the programme to Bankfield said:
Children today often have too few opportunities to learn outdoors. At Bankfield we take every opportunity to spend time outside with the children and so Forest School is a natural extension of our existing approach to learning.
Woodlands provide children with open ended resources and learning experiences. Forest School encourages children to focus on the process of learning, developing skills for life such as perseverance, curiosity and positivity.
Forest School activities currently being experienced by Bankfield children include shelter building, fire safety, lighting and cooking, identifying flora and fauna, building habitats and preserving the natural environment.
More information about the Forest School Association can be found at www.forestschoolassociation.org
