Day Four

Holistic approaches to learning in Forest School

Holistic development refers to the development of a person as a whole. The concept of holistic development aims to identify meaning and purpose through the connection with one’s community, the natural world and spiritual values.

At the core of holistic development and learning is the desire to equip children with the necessary physical and metal resources to meet the everyday challenges of life.

Schools approach this need in a variety of ways. At Fagley primary some of the schemes that address the values of holistic development include nurture groups, play leader project, buddy reading, talking partners, community gardening and litter picking and the linking schools initiative. These projects help to educate children about their place in the wider community and the need care for and trust one another and respect each other and their environment.

Forest School draws all these aspects of learning together, whether it be trusting and communicating with each other when using tools or observing the wonder of nature around us and ensuring that our actions do not impact negatively upon it.

Forest School encourages children to develop emotional resilience. It allows them to set their own learning goals and to work at their own pace in order to overcome challenges and difficulties they may face. Forest School emphasises the value of the learning process not just the outcome, which is at the heart of holistic development

Finding boggarts in the wood

Making knots

Making a mallet using a bow saw, billhook and whittling knife