Joydens Wood Junior School

Forest School was established at Joydens Wood Junior School in 2013. Sessions are organised and run by a qualified Forest School leader. The scheme has been rolled out across the school now, so that all our children from year 3 to year 6 enjoy a few sessions each year. We are lucky to have our own woodland area on the school premises where the sessions can take place in a safe environment.

Forest school is an exciting initiative that uses the outdoor environment to help all children learn. During the sessions children are encouraged to develop independence, take risks, improve their decision making and raise their self-esteem through small achievable tasks. All activities are child-led to accommodate different learning styles and the adult’s role is facilitative.

We have developed an extensive outdoor curriculum which enables the children to learn skills through varied activities such as bushcraft, knots and lashings, fire maintenance, cartography and compass reading whilst observing the Countryside Code.

At JWJS we strongly believe that education is about developing the ‘whole child’. During the Forest School sessions we always enjoy watching our children blossom. They work cooperatively whilst developing leadership skills and resilience. The children thoroughly enjoy the sessions as do the staff!

Click here to view the Forest School Staff Handbook​

Click here to view the Forest School Risk Assessment