Forest School at St. Luke’s CE Primary School
Our Intent – What We Want Children to Learn
At St. Luke’s CE Primary School, we are passionate about giving every child the opportunity to develop a love of the great outdoors and a deep appreciation for their local environment. We want our pupils, regardless of their individual needs, to grow in knowledge and respect for the natural world, including its flora and fauna, while embracing the physical and personal challenges that outdoor learning can offer.
At St. Luke’s CE Primary School, we are passionate about giving every child the opportunity to develop a love of the great outdoors and a deep appreciation for their local environment. We want our pupils, regardless of their individual needs, to grow in knowledge and respect for the natural world, including its flora and fauna, while embracing the physical and personal challenges that outdoor learning can offer.
Through our Forest School programme, we aim to:
- Foster a genuine enjoyment of the outdoors.
- Encourage children to take healthy risks in a supported environment.
- Develop both fine and gross motor skills.
- Promote teamwork, personal, and social skills through collaborative activities.
- Teach practical Forest School skills such as knot tying, whittling, fire lighting, and den building.
- Enhance knowledge of local flora and fauna and foster an awareness of seasonal changes.
- Build problem-solving skills, resilience, persistence, and commitment through hands-on tasks.
- Support children in understanding safety and wellbeing outdoors.
- Encourage active, healthy lifestyles.
- Provide differentiated learning opportunities to meet the needs of all pupils, including SEND and pupil premium groups.
Our onsite Forest School allows us to bring learning to life across the curriculum. Whether it’s making “bear porridge” over the fire, hunting for minibeasts in science lessons, or bringing stories to life, our outdoor environment enriches learning in creative and memorable ways.
Implementation – How We Achieve Our Intent
All classes at St. Luke’s CE Primary School participate in Forest School sessions. WE have dedicated trained staff to ensure every session is engaging, safe, and educational. Forest School takes place in most weather conditions. Sessions are a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activities:
All classes at St. Luke’s CE Primary School participate in Forest School sessions. WE have dedicated trained staff to ensure every session is engaging, safe, and educational. Forest School takes place in most weather conditions. Sessions are a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activities:
- Adult-led tasks: Focus on teaching practical Forest School skills such as fire lighting, plant identification, and whittling, or curriculum-based learning.
- Child-led activities: Encourage independence, personal growth, and the application of previously learned skills, such as mini-beast hunting or constructing water-tight dens.
This combination ensures children develop essential life skills, academic knowledge, and personal confidence in an outdoor setting.
Impact – The Difference Forest School Makes
Forest School plays a vital role in the development of our pupils at St. Luke’s CE Primary School:
Forest School plays a vital role in the development of our pupils at St. Luke’s CE Primary School:
- Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): Nursery and Reception children consistently perform above national expectations, particularly in personal, social, and emotional development, physical development, and communication & language.
- Key Stage 1 (KS1): Phonics outcomes surpass national averages, with Forest School providing hands-on, contextualised learning to reinforce classroom teaching.
- Key Stage 2 (KS2): Older pupils apply their Forest School skills to more complex challenges, such as advanced den building, team problem-solving projects, and environmental stewardship activities. KS2 children also use Forest School to extend curriculum learning, for example conducting scientific investigations, outdoor geography mapping, and creative writing inspired by nature. This ensures continued development of independence, resilience, leadership, and critical thinking skills as they prepare for secondary school.
Our Forest School provision also contributes to the school’s wider achievements:
- Eco Green Flag Award – recognising our commitment to biodiversity, healthy lifestyles, and sustainable school grounds.
- Gold School Games Award – highlighting our promotion of physical activity and wellbeing.
- AFPE Quality Mark with Distinction – celebrating excellence in physical education.
At St. Luke’s, we believe that when children learn through the natural world, they not only develop essential knowledge and skills but also a lifelong respect and passion for the environment.
Click the link below to visit the Forest School section of our school blog, where you can learn more and see Forest School in action.
