York College Day Nursery launches new Forest School programme

An open afternoon was held at the York College Day Nursery’s Forest School for the children and their parents. York College’s Day Nursery has been successful in attaining an Early Years Capital grant from the City of York Council to start a Forest School programme, run from the college grounds, in partnership with the College’s Child Studies department. 

The Forest School will provide an outdoor approach to learning and play for the nursery children, whilst still in their familiar surroundings. The ‘Forest School’ philosophy is to provide creative, engaging and the structured activities carried out in a woodland environment which will remove boundaries associated with learning indoors. 

The York College Day Nursery consulted with parents, staff and children about the Forest School project.  Their responses were extremely positive, claiming that outdoor learning had a positive impact on childrens' well-being and development.

Says York College Day Nursery Manager,
Liz Radford: “We can now provide the best Forest School opportunity for our children.  The College has a Child Studies tutor who has completed Forest School training.  This expertise will support us to motivate and inspire the children to enjoy the outdoors in a safe and nurturing environment, whilst providing a unique learning experience.”

York College has worked alongside consultant ecologists, ECUS Ltd, who are familiar with the woodland area surrounding York College.  They have designed a nature area which will enhance and create habitats and provide educational opportunities bringing children closer to nature.  The children have planted mixed broadleaf species such as ash, oak, silver birch and rown with blocks of hawthorn and holly.  Future planting will include a meadow area and copse of hazel saplings.  The College would like to thank Dean's Garden Centre at Stockton-on-Forest and Homebase on Foss Island Road, for donations of surplus stock of saplings from the'Tree o'clock' campaign that ran last year.  

Child Studies students at York College are also involved in the Forest School.  The experience gained from this project will enable them to develop skills required to be competent Early Years professionals in the future.