Our SIMPLE C Evaluation Programme

Forest School is an incredibly immersive way for participants to gain and build upon a whole range of skills. At Fagley Forest School, we have developed the SIMPLE C evaluation programme to help children to identify the skills they have gained during their Forest School sessions. The skills are divided into seven areas. At the end of a session, the children take time to discuss and reflect on what they have been doing and think about the skills they needed to use in order to carry out these objectives.

So for example, they may have chosen to build a rope swing. In doing this, they may have had to work with others to negotiate (S1) the use of equipment, use gross (P1) and fine motor skills (P2) to construct the swing, problem solve (I2) how to make the swing work efficiently and take turns in using the swing (S2). Using SIMPLE C, the children can identify how these skills fit in to their overall development.

S	Social
S1	I can negotiate with others.
S2	I can wait and take turns.
S3	I like making new friends.
S4	I join in with discussions.
S5	I get on well with other people in the group.
S6	I am a good leader.
I	Imaginative/Cognitive
I1	I can use skills and information I have learned before in new situations.
I2	I am good at solving problems.
I3	I understand how things work.
I4	I use my imagination in play and learning.
I5	I am innovative ( I can take an idea and build on it)
I6	I understand how I learn best.
M	Motivation and concentration
M1	I ask questions.
M2	I can concentrate on a task for a long time.
M3	I know when I am feeling frustrated/bored.
M4	I can set myself a goal and work towards it.
M5	I know what to do when I am feeling bored or frustrated.
M6	I find things to do at Forest School that excite and interest me.
P	Physical
P1	I have good gross motor skills.
P2	I have good fine motor skills.
P3	I have a good sense of direction.
P4	I can use my sense of smell, touch, taste, hearing and sight to explore the world around me.
P5	I have good stamina.
P6	I have good spatial awareness.
L	Language and communication
L1	I take turns to speak.
L2	I listen to instructions and when other people are sharing ideas, stories or experiences.
L3	I have learned new vocabulary (new words).
L4	I can describe things I have done.
L5	I look at the person or people I am talking to.
L6	I enjoy listening to stories and talking about them.
E	Emotional
E1	I can say how I am feeling.
E2	I know how to manage my feelings.
E3	I think about the consequences of my actions.
	( what will happen if I chose to do something)
E4	I can show empathy (understand how someone else is feeling and see things from their point of view).
E5	I can reflect on emotional events.
E6	I have respect for myself, other people and plants and animals.
C	Self-esteem and confidence
C1	I am keen to learn and join in with the group.
C2	I am happy to take risks.
C3	I speak up for myself.
C4	I am aware of my needs.
C5	I can deal with failure.
C6	I am happy to make decisions.