Abriachan Community Environmental Blog2012-02-05T15:59:12ZAbriachan Community Environmental BlogCopyright 2012, Abriachan Community Environmental BlogSPHPBLOGOUTDOOR LEARNING OPPORTUNITIESOUTDOOR LEARNING At Abriachan Forest School we are committed to learning outdoors - no matter which part of the curriculum, how young or how old the learners are, whatever the weather, and can usually guarantee a sometimes surprising improvement in the level of engagement.
In 2011 we have successfully worked with nurseries on various seasonal stories and topical trails, with primary schools on literacy and enterprise projects and supported transition groups or holiday clubs. Pupils who are not able to attend full-time primary or secondary education have benefited from focussed work we have developed specifically for them in discussion with their teachers.
We have also supported young people on Activity Agreements, helping them develop skills for learning, for life and for work, enabling them to progress towards and sustain more positive futures.
We continue to work with adult groups from Apex and Birchwood Highland and have linked up with Ness Soaps, Adult Basic Education, and the Voluntary Action Fund on an assortment of projects.
Please get in touch for more details. 01463 861236 (day)01463 861259 (eve)
FOREST SCHOOL TRAINING We have had an extremely busy autumn of training courses, all very well-received, so there are more enthusiastic trainee Forest School Practitioners getting ready to work in the woodlands all over the Highlands and Aberdeenshire. Please get in touch if you are interested in Forest School because we hope to run some modular training courses in the new year. e-mail : jbarrabr@aol.com
HIGHLAND PHOENIX GROUP - MONTHLY MEETINGS/ACTIVITY DAYS open to all secondary agers interested in nature and conservation inaugural meeting 24th September 10.00-12.00 at the Abriachan Forest Classroom - phone Jess Butler for details 01456415798
]]>http://www.abriachan.org.uk/schoolblog/index.php?entry=entry110312-0042322011-03-12T00:00:00Z2011-03-12T00:00:00ZABRIACHAN OUTDOOR LEARNING UPDATE In order to comply with funding requirements we have to have plans tendered and drawn up and planning consent through before applications can be sent to any funders. See link below for plan details. Contact us on 01463 861236 - weekdays or 01463 861259 -evenings if you want further information.]]>http://www.abriachan.org.uk/schoolblog/index.php?entry=entry101002-0946282010-10-02T00:00:00Z2010-10-02T00:00:00ZVISITS TO THE FOREST - PLEASE LET US KNOW BEFORE YOU COMEWe have had some groups arriving without confirming with us beforehand. This can mean too many children in the play area at once and leads to disgruntled adults...definitely not what we want on our fun-filled trips! Drop us an e-mail to check dates first please.
LtS CPD Woods for Learning Primary Twilight Session - April 7th .... 4.00 - 7.00pm includes a picnic tea. Try some active learning in a roofless classroom We can guarantee you will leave with new cross curricular activities, lots of CfE links and a passion for using your own outdoor classroom all the time....
Cycle Training - CPD
Trail Cycle Leader course
Contact : jbarrabr@aol.com or simon.harry@forest-education.co.uk ]]>http://www.abriachan.org.uk/schoolblog/index.php?entry=entry100610-2310362010-06-10T00:00:00Z2010-06-10T00:00:00ZFOREST SCHOOL - GENERAL INFORMATIONForest School Introduction [ edit ] [ delete ] Forest School at Abriachan Forest Trust Abriachan Forest Trust (AFT) is the first and longest running Forest School provider in the Highlands. Since 2004, AFT has been delivering Forest School programmes to schools, colleges, youth and adult groups coupled with health and well being programmes. These have provided groups with the opportunity to experience an outdoor / forest environment through focused and structured learning , developing self-esteem, confidence and interpersonal skills in the process.
AFT has a purpose built forest classroom which offers year round teaching whatever the weather (there are only a few days when snow restricts access).
In addition to the forest classroom, AFT also has a number of sites throughout the forest specifically built to offer exciting teaching and learning opportunities for all groups. We have an outdoor all weather Forest School site, shelter building area, a versatile round house/bronze age dwelling/Celtic home/Gruffalo shelter/Hagrid's hut, a wildlife hide, two tree houses, an all weather adventure play park and hidden on the hill a shieling, whisky still, peat path and a Celtic calendar.
What is Forest school?:
Forest School is an inspirational process that offers children, young people and adults, regular opportunities to achieve, and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands on learning experiences in a local woodland environment.
The Forest School ethos focuses on an approach to learning that maximises the emotional, social and developmental beneifts of education.
Forest School works with children and young people in the outdoors over a period of time, working with a higher than normal staffing ratio, introducing responsible risk-taking and setting participants up to achieve. Forest School is run by a qualified Forest Leader (level 3), together with other staff who are well versed in the Forest School process
Forest School:
Provides child initiated and self directed learning Takes place in a safe and supportive environment Is run by trained staff Has small groups and high staff:participant ratio Recognises individuals' learning needs Takes into account different learning styles Enables learning how to take appropriate risks safely Uses small achievable tasks which become increasingly challenging Involves freely chosen play Improves social skills Improves knowledge and understanding of the natural environment Activities can include exploring, bush craft, campfires and cooking, den building, green play, woodwork, foraging, using tools, woodland management, environmental education games, art and music, mathematics, science, history, sustainability...
Forest School is suitable for anyone. It is particularly beneficial for Early Years children, local community groups, young people not succeeding in school for whatever reason, adults and children with physical disabilities, challenging behaviour, learning difficulties and many others
What does Forest school aim to achieve?
A recent study carried out by the Forestry Commission in Wales measured the beneficial effects of Forest School with a group of children from Pentre Primary School in N.Wales. The areas of benefit they identified reflect the outcomes which time and again, are associated with Forest School. These are:
Increased self-esteem and self-confidence Improved social skills The development of language and communication skills Improved physical motor skills Improved motivation and concentration Increased knowledge and understanding of the environment
Worcestershire council have also undertaken research into the benefits of Forest School the results of which can be found at
To be a Forest School Leader it is important to undertake the necessary training.
Level 3 training is available to teachers, support assistants, children's services workers, active schools co-ordinators, community youth workers, nursery nurses, etc, with relevant experience.
Level 2 training is shorter, and designed for people with less previous experience of working with children and young people, or those who only want to work as assistants.
Level 1 training is available to people who only want to work on existing school/nursery/playwork sites alongside Level 3 practitioners.
Teacher training and INSET days:
AFT offers training to teacher requiring an insight to the forest school process. INSET days can be organised and run offering a mix of both throretical and practical activities designed to explore the benifits and practicalities of taking part in Forest school.
traing days will explore the ethos of FS and way in which the techniques learned through the various levels of trainig can be applied into everyday teaching practice
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