Providing Forest School takes a lot of time and energy and resources and staffing and support.  For it to continue, we need to evaluate the benefits to the children.  

We started offering Forest school throughout the school as a result of rich feedback we got from parents and staff and children after our pilot project with Senior Infants nearly ten years ago.

It’s time to harvest more ideas from parents – come to the gathering on Wednesday 7th February at 7:50pm.

Some feedback from parents that helped us to realise the benefits of this type of learning:

“He gained an appreciation of nature and an enthusiasm for learning.”

“She gained a new independence and confidence in the outdoors, great knowledge about her surroundings and a renewed interest in Killiney Hill and going on nature walks.”

“He felt a sense of freedom.  That learning can be fun and that learning about the ‘real’, ‘actual’ world is important, necessary and fun.”

“She was telling me all about the food chain the other day while sitting up a tree in the forest.  It is great that they are outdoors in the fresh air, rain or shine and getting to see things for real.  Also to be able to move about.”

“We are making a lot more pictures with leaves, pine cones, sticks and other nature stuff.  His younger sister is desperate for Forest school!”

We hope to make this gathering an enjoyable evening of sharing stories and gathering the information necessary to ensure that the benefits of learning this way are more visible to all involved.  And, as changemakers, we hope to share our learnings with others so that more children get to experience the benefits.