At Lancashire Wildlife Trust we have been championing the Forest School movement in the North West since 2009, not only through the delivery of Forest School programmes, but also by training and supporting the Forest School Leaders of the future

Forest School is a child-led, play-based ethos that provides children, young people and adults with regular opportunities for hands-on learning experiences in a natural environment. It allows learners to explore their own interests and learn how to take and manage risks through activities such as fire lighting, den building and using tools. Other activities can range from natural crafts and mud play, to minibeast hunts and tree identification. By providing learners with challenging but achievable tasks, we give them the chance to achieve and succeed, and help them to gain skills that will help them in all aspects of their lives, such as building confidence and independence, improving teamwork skills and communication, and increasing their resilience to difficult life situations. All this while learning about and developing a connection to, and love of nature – Forest School is great!

We are extremely fortunate to have some incredibly generous funders who enable us to provide funded Forest School programmes for schools. Thanks to support from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, since 2015 the Lancashire Wildlife Trust has been connecting urban schools in Manchester and Liverpool with nature and sharing the benefits of Forest School. We see the impact that Forest School has on these children each week. One child attending a nursery in Liverpool has been taking part in weekly Forest School sessions with our Forest School Leader, Rachel. When in the nursery environment he stands on the periphery, is not engaged and is selective mute. But when at Forest School, the same child is vocal, loud, takes a lead in activities, and has made recognisable requests verbally. The nursery staff are amazed by how much his confidence and engagement has improved as a result of taking part in the Forest School sessions.

Our Woodland Oasis Project, funded by Young Lancashire, also provides funded Forest School programmes at our three Woodland Oasis sites. As well as working with schools, Forest School Leader Karin delivered Forest School sessions with a group of young people during the summer holidays. The group consisted of individuals who had previously not met. Initially, they were very quiet but by lunchtime, they were sharing stories, laughing, and working together to light a fire and exploring the site, playing games of their own design. They enjoyed making fruit and herbal teas from the forest. They also learned new skills and became confident using tools, requesting to whittle mini toadstools. Lunch was cooked on the fire to test their newly learned fire-lighting skills, and they toasted plums on it afterward for pudding. It was lovely seeing their confidence and skills develop, everyone had a fantastic time.

But we don’t just deliver our own Forest School programmes. Our experienced Forest School Training Team has been delivering Forest School qualifications since 2014, empowering teachers and practitioners to become the next generation of Forest School Leaders and allowing more children and young people to benefit from regular opportunities to connect with nature and learn through play. I recently caught up with Sue from Bowker Vale Primary School, who completed her Forest School Training with Lancashire Wildlife Trust in 2015. She told me “Forest School enables children to be children, and it makes them think about their environment instead of taking it for granted. It also encourages things like independence, and it is amazing for the children”

As you can see, there are many branches to our Forest School tree here at Lancashire Wildlife Trust. This Forest School Day is a great opportunity to look back on everything we have achieved, and look to the future, where hopefully more children and young people across Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside will have the opportunity to experience Forest School on a regular basis.