Outdoor learning in your school

Activities are planned and tailored for the needs and interests of the group and influenced by the seasons, but can include:

• Plant and tree identification

• Woodland based games for movement and exercise

• Learning about campfires

• Nature connection time

• Using hand tools to create wooden toys and decorations

• Gardening tasks for biodiversity learning

• Whittling sticks for cooking on the fire

• Free play time

• Personal risk analysis and boundary setting

• Identifying birds and animals

• Gathering natural materials for crafting

• Learning about fires

• Exploration and hiding games

• The list goes on…

The benefits of being outside are widely documented and here’s what we see in the children we work with when they’re at forest school:

• Increased physical health from regular exercise outdoors

• Wider ranges of physical movements and motor skills

• Increased verbal communication

• Regulated nervous systems

• Increased confidence and positive self-esteem

• Increased resilience 

• Embedded positive feedback from natural sensory stimuli 

• Increased positive communication within the group 

• Stronger bonds with nature

• Faster emotional regulation from having opportunities to practise in nature

• Increased understanding of natural world, seasonal and climate change

During free play, participants have the freedom to choose what they do, and this will often be meeting a specific internal need. When an individual's needs are met, they are regulated and ready to learn which benefits the community around them.

When we say needs, we mean:

• Physical regulation: space for bodies to relax or space to be physically stimulated and challenged in a natural environment.

• Sensory stimulation: regular practice hearing, feeling and sensing the range of the natural sensory world.

• Emotional regulation: time to be introspective or time let off steam, and time to practise being regulated in an accepting environment with strong boundaries.

• Connection to nature: Nature needs us as much as we need it, now is the time to connect.

All the teachers at Glasgow Forest School are Level 8 fully qualified, PVG-checked.

We are trained to lead and deliver forest school and outdoor learning for your groups, your current staff may not have the skills to deliver.

We provide:

• Structure and lead sessions in line with the learning level for your group. 

• Session plans.

• Outdoor first aid.

• Site risk assessment and communication to your staff

• Activity risk assessments.

• Kit for all planned sessions including:

  > Den building kit

  > Fire management kit

  > Identification keys

  > Handwashing

  > Toileting kit

  > Modified kit for ASN

Up to 16

Minimum 2 (for group of 16) if no other individual risk assessment demands it.

Two hours for a half day session or four hours for a full day session.

Forest school is a regular process of ongoing contact with a local green space and we would expect to work with a school for a minimum of eight sessions on a weekly or fortnightly basis.

Schools arrange their own transport to and from the pre-agreed forest school site.

£1500 for a 10 session programme - 2 hours per week or fortnight for up to 16 students and two accompanying staff in a local park.

Costs are flexible because we sometimes can supplement with alternative funding so please get in touch to discuss the options.

Drop us an email to chat about bringing Glasgow Forest School into your school.

Please email: hello@glasgowforestschool.co.uk