Copthill Nursery and Independent Day School has introduced an exciting and innovative approach to learning at its farmland location in Uffington, near Stamford.

Known as ‘Forest School’, it is an established educational concept which evolved from Scandinavian methods of teaching and is already in existence in other areas of the UK. With its unique farm setting, Copthill has been able to develop this facility on-site and the Early Years pupils are now attending Forest school every week. While traditional classroom-based teaching is as much in evidence at Copthill as ever, pupils also have the opportunity to spend part of their time learning outdoors in this specially created woodland environment. For example, a child can learn pencil skills just as successfully using a piece of charcoal on a tree stump as they can sitting at a desk with paper and pencil! It has proved to be an excellent and fun method of reinforcing the work in the classroom. Forest School has become an integral part of the curriculum for the Pre-School and Reception classes who attend sessions every week, come rain or shine! It is also being used with great success to teach traditional subjects to older pupils during specific sessions.

The children learn to respect their environment and each other, work within agreed boundaries and grow together as a team. The sessions, although closely and expertly supervised, are child-led and encourage even the most tentative to stretch themselves just a little further than usual and feel rather pleased with themselves as a result!

Sessions take place all year round at a number of sites on the school premises including the ‘Wild Garden’ where a 5m tall Tepee becomes the ‘base’ and the wooded ‘Spinney’. There are also expeditions to other areas of the farmland throughout the year.

Headmaster Jonathan Teesdale who personally leads most of the Forest School sessions, commented: “Forest School has a powerful and measurable effect on children’s self-esteem, confidence and independence. Often the children are having so much fun they don’t even realise they are learning! With our farming and countryside links, we have a strong environmental ethos and encourage all our pupils from an early age to enjoy, appreciate and benefit from their rural surroundings.”

To find out more contact Copthill School on 01780 757506 or visit www.copthill.com