Wild Outside specialise in creating outdoor experiences which develop confidence, social skills and physical fitness, facilitating learning in a natural environment. Our Forest School sessions dovetail with the recognition embedded within Curriculum for Excellence of the importance of outdoor learning. We can offer your class or group one off taster sessions, as well as longer length programmes from a minimum of six weeks that allow learners to feel a real sense of ownership and success in their outdoor learning journey.
Programmes typically involve children establishing a base camp, exploring and investigating the immediate environment, assessing risk, and activities such as den building, fire lighting, practical tool use, basic cooking skills, natural arts and crafts, tree climbing and outdoor gym. Programmes can be designed to incorporate particular topics that can be followed up in the classroom, and are always adapted to the age and abilities of the individual learners.
The outdoor environment is a crucial learning space for our children. It gives them a sense of the world they live in and encourages questions about nature and survival. Forest School was a fantastic opportunity for every child to explore, investigate and develop skills that will support them in other aspects of their lives. The leaders provided much encouragement and delivered with great passion. They ensured all children were achieving success at each of their individual levels. In my classroom, the excitement of ‘Forest School day’ (and the disappointment of the course completion) provided evidence of just how much this experience was appreciated and enjoyed. Many thanks to all involved.
Lynsey MacCorquodale, P7 teacher
We also offer inservice sessions for teachers and support staff to develop confidence and enthusiasm in outdoor learning. Wild Outside can deliver CPD in school grounds, exploring how to take learning outdoors in your own setting, or in a local accessible wild space, looking at how CfE can be delivered successfully outside the classroom walls.
Sessions might consider how to use and develop school grounds, resources required for outdoor learning and resource making, activities that can be adapted across all stages, and how they meet learning outcomes across all the areas of the curriculum.