Intent

The Forest School programme at Tickhill St Mary’s is an innovative approach to outdoor play and education, designed to inspire and encourage children through positive, hands-on experiences in a woodland setting. This bespoke learning approach complements our wider curriculum and is carefully crafted to provide all learners with frequent opportunities to achieve and succeed.

Through engaging, motivating, and achievable tasks, each child develops intrinsic motivation, emotional awareness, and social skills. Our Forest School ethos aligns closely with our school values—the St Mary’s Way—helping children become resilient in overcoming challenges, curious in exploring their environment, respectful towards nature and each other, accountable for their actions, and active members of both the school and local communities.

Evidence shows that regular visits to the same woodland site support children in learning about the natural environment, managing risks, and developing initiative, problem-solving skills, and cooperation. These are the rich experiences we strive to provide at Tickhill St Mary’s.

Forest School nurtures a grassroots appreciation and respect for the outdoors, giving learners the confidence to explore their curiosities and build resilience, empathy, and self-belief.

Implementation

Our Forest School programme runs year-round in all weathers at our onsite woodland setting. Children in Reception and Key Stage 1 enjoy weekly sessions that include activities such as building shelters, woodland crafts, storytelling, cooking over fires, minibeast hunts, and making mud pies. Key Stage 2 children participate on a rota basis throughout the year. As the programme progresses, woodland tools are introduced to extend learning and encourage safe risk management.

All sessions are led by a qualified Forest School practitioner and are thoroughly risk-assessed to ensure a safe and enriching experience.

Impact

The Forest School programme at Tickhill St Mary’s aims to develop children who are:

• Resilient through building self-awareness and regulation
• Curious by fostering self-motivation and a love of exploration
• Respectful through empathy and positive social communication
• Accountable by encouraging problem-solving and independence
• Active members of our community supporting positive mental health and confidence