Forest school: outdoor learning experiences in UK primary education

Title: Outdoor learning spaces: The case of forest school Published in: Area (2018). Vol. 50(2), pp. 222–231 Author: Frances Harris, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Hertfordshire What did the research explore? The research builds on a growing body of literature that looks at the effectiveness of forest school in the United Kingdom and how it can provide children with memorable, stimulating and exciting learning experiences (Harris, 2018). Introduced from Scandinavia, forest school has become increasingly popular within primary education in the United Kingdom. Forest school usually takes place in a woodland setting or a dedicated area of a school grounds. The sessions are led by qualified instructors and teach children skills such as ‘fire-lighting, basic wood carving and tool use, and local environmental knowledge’ (Harris, 2018, p. 225). There is also a focus on building children’s self-esteem, confidence and team-work skills. Th