Taverham Hall School is committed to Learning Outside the Classroom. In addition to educational trips and visits, pupils are given the opportunity to reap the rewards of the school’s timetabled Forest School programme which takes place within our extensive grounds and conservation woodlands.
Forest School activities are linked to all areas of the EYFS whilst National Curriculum subjects are reinforced and supported by practical, hands-on learning.
These outdoor learning activities are a powerful learning tool that add value to classroom learning and offers rich, memorable experiences to our children. Many of the activities raise achievement and attainment whilst bridging the gap between theory and reality.
Boys and girls gain high self-esteem and confidence whilst they develop positive relationships with peers through teamwork hence improving their social, emotional and personal development.
The Forest School ethos allows for a variety of learning styles to suit each individual as well as offering an investigative approach to learning. Crucially, the social well-being of individuals is nurtured through the use of ‘circle-time’ discussions built into all sessions, related to PSHE.
Have a look at some examples of activities that our children have been (and are still) involved in:
Nursery and Pre-Prep Children (Reception – Year 2)
Whittling elder stalks to make necklaces
Using willow or hazel to make structures or artistic pieces
Weaving fences or walls for a shelter
Building dens by dragging logs or branches
Learning how to tie various knots for a variety of purposes
Creating sculptures using natural materials
Making dyes to paint with from elderberries and other seeds or fruits
Identifying flora and fauna and enjoying collecting leaves and seeds
Pond dipping – identifying water creatures
Making bug or animal boxes
Help to construct a log circle and a fire pit for group meetings
Mini-beast hunts – learning to respect and care for wildlife
Cooking on a camp fire
Prep School Pupils (Year 3 – Year 8)
Studying tree ring growth, related to Science.
Designing and building seating for our grounds, related to Design Technology.
Fashioning broken roofing slates into ‘stone age tools’ as part of a History theme.
Creating woven items for clothing and self-adornment, related to Art.
Building ‘person-bearing’ bridges in the grounds related to Technology, Science and Geography.
Recording and measuring the movement of the sun through shadows, related to Mathematics and Science.
All Year Groups
Gardening/Sustainability – understanding how our food is cultivated
- understanding the eco-system of our planet – life cycles and how plants, creatures and humans rely upon one another for survival
