At Wildmoor Heath, we know that our learners are stimulated by the outdoors and typically experience, over time, an increase in their self-confidence, learning capacity and emotional well-being.

The Forest School Association describes a Forest School setting as...

An inspirational process, that offers ALL learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment with trees.

Photos by Paul King

On 22nd October 2024, Clare Balding visited Wildmoor Heath School to officially open our refreshed forest school area, called Wildwood.

Here at Wildmoor Heath, we are fortunate to have such an environment – named Wildwood – within our grounds and a fully trained forest school teacher and assistant run various activities and programmes for our children throughout the year. We are also uniquely positioned at the edge of a heathland nature reserve. 

During sessions, children are taught safety rules and skills for using equipment (e.g. handsaws, loppers, vegetable peelers and bill hooks) and doing activities (e.g. tree climbing and making a fire). This allows them to take risks and push their boundaries in a responsible and controlled way. 

The children learn about – and to respect – the natural world and get the chance to do activities such as whittling greenwood, cooking over fire, den building, mud kitchen, natural arts and crafts, planting/gardening, bug hunting and role play.

There are always opportunities for oracy, writing and applying mathematics skills too.

Wildwood is used in all weathers except lightning and high winds. There is a wooden lodge on site which we use as a classroom in heavy rain.