Abriachan Community Environmental Blog2010-07-29T12:50:37ZAbriachan Community Environmental BlogCopyright 2010, Abriachan Community Environmental BlogSPHPBLOGELEMENTS - BUSHCRAFT & BIKING JULY 2010 You will need - - clothes for all weathers - sunscreen & midgie repellent - packed lunch, though we will be cooking out a lot - lots of energy
Cost - £25 per participant per day. Contact 01463861259 or jbarrabr@aol.com for booking form and details.
....and don't forget the FOREST SCHOOL PRACTITIONER LEVEL 3 COURSE – September 13th - 17th 2010 This links well with health and wellbeing for all ages, supports the delivery of Curriculum for Excellence, as well as the outdoor learning and education for sustainability agendas.
....and a CPD event supported by the Forest Education Initiative
WOODLAND BIODIVERSITY WORKSHOP – September 22nd a CPD event supported by the Forest Education Initiative....full details to follow ]]>http://www.abriachan.org.uk/schoolblog/index.php?entry=entry100704-1257012010-07-04T00:00:00Z2010-07-04T00:00:00ZVISITS 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 summer trips! Drop us an e-mail to check dates first please.
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES 2010 BOOK NOW FOR 2010 FOREST SCHOOL LEVEL 3 PRACTITIONER TRAINING Detailed information click on Forest School Level 3 link on right...
September 13th - 17th 2010 ( 5 day intensive followed by a 3 day practical assessment date tbc with group)
CPD Days - active learning in a roofless classroom We can guarantee you will leave with new cross curriclular activities, lots of CfE links and a passion for using your own outdoor classroom all the time. May 28th - Early/First Level, July 23rd - Senior Phase, Health & Wellbeing Sept.20th - Level 3/4 Oct. 4th - Level 2
Cycle Training - CPD April 23rd - cycling with groups May 8th - basic cycle training August 20th - cycling to engage the disaffected
Trail Cycle Leader course
April 17th & 18th May 29th & 30th June 19th & 20th July 17th & 18th 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 VERY INTERESTED LIST Those who cannot manage the September course but are still interested please add your name to the e-mail list and we will organise a taster day once we have viable numbers - e-mail : jbarrabr@aol.com ]]>http://www.abriachan.org.uk/schoolblog/index.php?entry=entry090508-0042322009-05-07T00:00:00Z2009-05-07T00:00:00ZFOREST 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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