Hemdean House School (LW)
HELEN CHALMERS
A Sustainable Future A small idea has grown into a big part of school life at Hemdean House School. With the vision and drive of a member of the teaching team, and an enthusiastic teaching assistant, the concept of outdoor learning has matured into Forest School and is still evolving and building momentum. Each year the curriculum is expanding, with school-grown produce for cookery lessons and an ethical and sustainable ethos throughout the school and its wider community. There was never any doubt about the benefits of taking learning outside the classroom, but the positive impact and passion displayed by the children to this approach to teaching has been remarkable. Every class group has a 1 ½ hour Forest School lesson per week, and this has proved popular with every child. Children with barriers to learning suddenly find themselves in an environment where they are able to express their knowledge freely and confidently with no need to put pen to paper and consequently thrive. The children investigate and problem solve to understand the impact of their behaviour on the environment, whether in school or outside in the fields, woods or garden. Regular surveys
initiate ideas for creating a more biodiverse landscape, and this has enabled them to achieve both their Woodland Trust Platinum Award and RSPB Wild Challenge Gold Award. Children respond well to team activities. The outdoor environment seems to positively influence social interaction with little or no arguments as to who works with whom when it comes to working as a team to create a den or sculpture. The joy of working outside sees the children naturally gravitate to roles of organisers, designers, collectors and problem solvers, with listening and sharing ideas happening with little dispute. This really is one of those magical moments, which establishes a positive memory of learning and establishes long-term life skills in an environment accessible to all. In the natural environs, the children’s knowledge grows as they develop a wild flower garden for pollinators, vegetable crops used in cookery lessons and learn about the impact of air miles on the world. They eagerly collect windfall apples to make cakes and pies in the autumn, and have developed an understanding of the
“In today’s world, giving children the information to tackle major environmental issues is a significant and perhaps vital skill.” 12 |
