Forest school principles

At Thriving Wild, the six principles of the Forest School ethos provide the roots of our forest school approach.

Each forest school programme stems from these roots – a unique weaving together of the individuals in the group, the leaders and the natural space, evolving through the seasons as connections strengthen and skills grow.  

Important to the forest school ethos are:

🌿Long-term programmes and the benefits that coming to forest school on a regular basis can bring.

🌿Play as a place where rich learning takes place.

🌿The value of supported risk taking as an opportunity for growth.

🌿Learner-centred processes that foster curiosity and intrinsic motivation.

🌿A whole person approach, enabling learners to grow in holistic ways, socially, emotionally, spiritually, physically and intellectually.

🌿Creating a community of learning, inclusion, kindness and belonging.

🌿A high adult to child/participant ratio.

🌿Positive impacts of forest school and nature on wellbeing for all age groups.

Despite its name and origins in the woodland, forest school is an ethos and not a place, and can be adapted to any natural environment - field, beach, forest, orchard or playground – though the wilder the better! There we step out of our more usual lives into a place that is wilder and more elemental, and we can be guided and inspired by the myriad moods and marvels of nature as we move through the day and the changing weathers and seasons.