High priority is given to outdoor learning at Birchensale Middle School. As part of this provision, Forest School is organised for KS2 classes on a weekly basis. Forest School Club is run on a weekly basis after school for KS3 pupils.
Forest school addresses many of the issues highlighted by recent research that children:
- Need to be more active
- Need to be better risk takers and self-managers of risk
- Need more independence in own learning
- Need more play, especially outdoors
- Should be allowed to think creatively outside the norm
- Should have real life experiences
