Forest School
Woodland adventures — in the safe grounds of our nursery.
Run by qualified practitioners, several times a week. Children climb, dig, build, hunt for bugs and tell stories under the trees — whatever the weather. Swifts (2–3) and Owls (3–4) get bi-weekly sessions.
happy days
What it is
Forest School at Brambles is a regular, child-led part of the week.
Forest School runs several times a week — and Swifts and Owls get bi-weekly sessions. It's a long-term, child-led approach to outdoor learning. Children are viewed as equal and unique, given the opportunity to explore and discover their environment, experiencing appropriate risks and challenges. Qualified practitioners create a safe space and follow what each child is curious about. Forest School runs in 10-week blocks, changing days each block so that all children get to experience the great outdoors.
Confidence
Real challenges, in a safe space — climbing, balancing, choosing.
Curiosity
Bug jars, fossils, woodland questions and the start of how things work.
Risk awareness
Children learn what their bodies can do — and how to make safe choices.
Connection to nature
Birds, weather, seasons — language for the world around us.
Calm
Time outdoors regulates everyone. Big feelings settle under trees.
Tap around the map
The Brambles Woodland Explorer.
Eight spots in our woodland — what children do, why it matters.
Hotspot
Woodland trail
A child-paced path that loops through the trees. Bug-spotting, twig-balancing and stopping for whatever today's question is.
How we keep it safe
Risk children can stretch into.
Forest School isn't risk-free — that's the point. We risk-assess every space and every activity, qualified practitioners stay close, and children learn to assess their own choices over time. We follow the Forest School Association principles and our nursery safeguarding procedures.
Forest School & EYFS
How the woodland connects to learning.
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Communication & Language
Story spot, real conversation, rich vocabulary.
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Physical Development
Climbing, balancing, mud-kitchen tools, weather kit.
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Personal, Social & Emotional
Sharing, naming feelings, calm in the trees.
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Understanding the World
Bugs, seasons, weather, the life of a log.
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Mathematics
Number pebbles, comparing twigs, sorting leaves.
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Literacy
Story spot, mark-making with sticks and mud.
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Expressive Arts & Design
Leaf printing, mud paint, woodland sculptures.
Forest School FAQs
The questions parents ask first.
What if it's raining?
We go out anyway. Children have waterproofs and wellies. Forest School works in every season — that's part of how children learn.
Is it run by qualified staff?
Yes. Sessions are led by Forest School qualified practitioners and supported by the wider team.
What does my child need to bring?
Wellies and weatherproofs (we'll guide you). Spare clothes always — and a sense of humour about mud.
Are babies in Forest School too?
Yes — babies experience the Forest School area too, exploring the woodlands and playing in the mud kitchen.
How often does Forest School run?
Several times a week across the nursery. Swifts (2–3) and Owls (3–4) get bi-weekly sessions. The year is split into 10-week blocks, and every 10 weeks we change the days so that all children get to experience Forest School.