If you go down to the woods today…you will no doubt be confronted by an excited group of girls taking part in Forest School! This academic year has seen the beginning of Forest School at Pipers Corner with girls in the Pre-Prep Department enjoying a weekly Forest School session in the woodland on the school grounds.
Each week is different and through a range of activities the girls learn about the environment around them, how to handle risks, how to use their initiative to solve problems and how to co-operate and work together as a team. The aim is to help them develop a range of skills including self-awareness, self-regulation, independence, good social communication, a positive mental attitude, self-esteem and self-confidence.
So far they have made decorations out of wood, moulded mud animals, built fairy houses, laid trails, made picture frames out of twigs, enjoyed time spent round the camp fire and built dens.
During each session there is also time set aside for some supervised play when the girls are free to climbs trees and explore the wildlife and plants that live on the forest floor for themselves.
Miss Easterbrook, Forest School Co-ordinator says, "Even though we have only been running Forest School for one term the difference it has made to the girls has been plain to see. Their enthusiasm is limitless and they really enjoy the opportunity that Forest School provides to be outdoors, learning about the natural environment."