forest schooling uk
London
BushKraft Forest School CIC (Community Interest Company) is a NON profit
organisation working with people of all ages and abilities. We also work with
and in partnership with other organisations including schools, social care and
charities. A CIC is usually formed from people with a passion to want to try and
alleviate problems that have identified in there local area or area of
expertise. BushKraft is no different and wants to tackle the social issues,
build confidence in everyone and improve peoples opportunities and situations.
One of our skills is keeping families together and promoting well being,
positive communication, positiveness and bonding as a unit rather than
individuals. Most companies are formed to make money for the directors and share
holders. A CIC is formed to help the community around its existence. When you
pay a Community Interest Company you are helping others by us putting our
profits back into the community. A CIC has to do this like a charity and is
regulated with rules from the government and HMRC. Traditional forest school is
not by far a new concept. Outdoor leaning and its benefits have been around
since 19th century. One of many outdoor educators was Baden Powel who in 1907
formed the scouting organisation which has grown massively into what it is
today. Traditional forest school is child led. This does not mean we just let
them run wild and boss us around, but we do not set a specific curriculum. We
facilitate their learning at a speed and style that suits the individual. Our
high ratio's of adult to child allows children to learn and explore the woodland
and nature around them. Our mission is to get children outside into nature
enjoying themselves, playing with other children. Over the years technology is
so advanced, (games consoles get "virtual" reality and mobile phones are really
mini computers.) Children are spending less time outdoors especially in the
winter months. Although we are not against technology we strongly believe in a
child's right to play, explore, take risks, and be part of the natural world
around them. Forest school is based more on the process of learning than it is
on the content. This means instead of planning each session to the nearest
minute, children can go off as things take their interest. More often than not
as Forest leaders our planned sessions end up completely unplanned as the
children explore nature.
