Â鶹´«Ã½AV

The Forest School was established at Bedford campus in January 2016. The Forest School is part of the Â鶹´«Ã½AV’s Education and Sport Faculty

It provides a resource for the Â鶹´«Ã½AV’s trainee teachers as well as opportunities to the local community for teachers to be trained in outdoor learning and for their classes to experience the long-term educational benefits of outdoor play.

Forest School opening, January 2016

Bill Rammell, Vice Chancellor of the Â鶹´«Ã½AV from 2012-2019 who opened the Forest School said: “The Forest School is an exciting development for the Â鶹´«Ã½AV. Our aim is to embed Forest School learning within our teaching programme.â€�

"The Forest School will also have other benefits for the Â鶹´«Ã½AV: It will help us to identify research opportunities in ecological, environmental and sustainable education, including sensory development in young children.â€�

Forest School is an educational approach to playing and learning outdoors. Denmark established Forest Schools in the 1980s based on providing children with a nursery education that encourages children to appreciate and learn about the natural world.

Children who attend Forest Schools have been shown to develop strong social skills, high self-esteem and to have confidence in their own abilities.

Bedfordshire’s Forest School has been developed with a particular focus on children’s sensory development. The planting is highly scented and there is a textured trail with a story and therapy circle all centred on children with special educational needs.

The Forest School from its beginning in winter until summer 2016