Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2009/January 2010 | Page 68

life

COUNTRYSIDE, WILDLIFE & FARMING
and activities, such as using
tools to make things from wood,
campfire cooking and shelter
building, with techniques to
encourage independence, raise
self confidence and self esteem
and manage behaviour. Six Island
schools and three pre-schools
have taken part so far and
bookings are currently being
taken for the coming year.
“The IW Forest Schools Project
has had a brilliant first year”,
says Kathy. “It’s been hugely
popular with parents, school staff and, of
course, the children who have been able to
take part. As well as schools, we’ve worked
with after-school clubs and hosted “Dads and
Tots” sessions with the Newport Children’s
Centre”. Currently half way through the two
year project supported by the Heritage Lottery
Fund, the Wildlife Trust is keen to see Forest
Schools continue on the Island to benefit more
children. The Trust has lent its support to four
members of school staff from the Island to do
their initial Forest School training, and two
who are currently training to become Forest
School leaders.
“It comes as a surprise to some people
that Forest School isn’t extra-curricular”,
comments Kathy. “Most of the curriculum can
be delivered outside just as well as indoors
– in fact, for some subjects it’s clearly an
advantage, especially investigations into plants
and animals. Using tools and building shelters
are excellent Design and Technology projects,
and woodlands can be truly inspirational when
it comes to Art and Literacy. We had a Music
session at Whippingham Primary where the
children made instruments and sang wood
camp songs and the children at Chillerton and
Rookley Primary had an archaeological dig
on their site”. The Forest School programme
supports children’s learning by tapping into
their individual learning styles, so it can be
particularly beneficial for those of us who
learn by “doing”. “There have also been
some magical wildlife encounters” says Kathy,
“like when a hare raced through the Forest
School area at Niton Primary School, and when
children from Barton Primary lay in the leaf

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litter and watched a red squirrel feeding in
the forest canopy”. Now that’s something the
indoor classroom can’t compete with!
If you would like to know more about
Environmental Education visits for Schools;
Forest School; WATCH; Wild Tots; or our Events
Programme, please contact: Kathy Grogan,
Education Officer (IW)
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
Forest Office, Parkhurst Forest
Forest Road, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 5UL
Telephone: [phone], Email: kathyg@
hwt.org.uk or www.hwt.org.uk/pages/
isle-of-wight.html.
Photo above: Outdoor fun on Darwin Day.
Below mini beast hunting.