Forest School

What is Forest School?

Forest School is a child lead, holistic form of learning and this experience will enrich children in thinking more closely and deeply about the world we live in. It endeavours to boost self esteem by taking risks and having a sense of ownership for their time during the session in nature.

Forest School is a journey, not a one-off event
Children take part in regular, year-round outdoor sessions, giving them the chance to witness and connect with the ever-changing seasons.

Nurturing a lifelong bond with nature
By immersing in the natural world and following the rhythms of the year, children develop a deep, lasting connection to the environment.

Building independence, resilience, and confidence
With time, space, and freedom to explore at their own pace, children grow into capable, curious learners—naturally.

Every child leads their own learning
Each session is thoughtfully planned to reflect and build on your child’s unique experiences and interests from previous weeks.

Learning through appropriate risk-taking
We empower children to assess situations, make decisions, and take safe, thoughtful risks—developing essential life skills they’ll carry forever.

FAQ's

Where is the Forest School?

Right on site at our Pre-School! The Forest School is part of Penenden Heath Pre-School and supplements the excellent early years provision we already offer.

Isn’t it just outdoor play?

Forest School sessions will be run by our qualified Forest School Lead, Mrs Billing. Mrs Billing has undergone extensive training to be able to offer true Forest School, understanding how to offer a provision which will enable your child to develop and progress whilst immersed in nature. Forest School is child led but also supported by educational theory to allow your child to develop in their social, emotional, physical and cognitive growth.

What if the weather forecast isn’t good?

Forest School is an all year round endeavour! With the appropriate clothing, children and staff can be outside in all weathers and can safely enjoy our outside space. Nature is the classroom and nature doesn’t stop for the weather. Your little ones will be well prepared for the weather and will love being immersed in their ever changing environment.

Who is it available to?

Everyone at Pre-School!

When will the sessions be?

From September 2025 sessions will be held on Tuesday afternoons and Wednesday mornings. Sessions will be available to book on to for term 1 and term 2, September – December. Booking will be offered again for terms 3 and 4, and then again for 5 and 6. If demand is high, we will look to expand the number of sessions as soon as possible.

Will I definitely get a place?

Spaces are limited on each session. The exact number will be determined by the age and stage of development of the children. If demand is higher than we can accommodate in the initial two sessions made available each week, we will look to offer extra sessions as soon as possible.

How much does it cost?

If your child is already due to be in Pre-School on your chosen session, you will only pay £10 for your Forest School session.

If your child is not already due to be in on the chosen session, you will need to pay the pre-school session price, plus the £10 Forest School fee. Pre-School session fees are £27 from September. Pre-School session fees can be paid for via funding or an invoice. More details here. So that we can organise funding in advance, it is important to know how you wish to pay for your pre-school session fee.

All fees will be invoiced to you via Tapestry before each term begins.

So that we can organise funding in advance, it is important to know how you wish to pay for your pre-school session fee.

Sessions will cost an additional £10 supplement on top of a normal session price. You can use funding for your normal session fee, but not the supplement. The supplement income will be used to support the running of the provision, including planning, staffing and resources.

How do I book on?

Families eligible to register interest in a place will be emailed a link to register. If you can’t do a Tuesday or Wednesday but would have liked to book into Forest School, please do complete the form and let us know so that we can assess the demand and make changes if necessary.

We will let you know asap if you have been offered a space, you’ll need to complete a full consent form and we will send you some more specific detail about the sessions.

Forest School Policies

Due to the unique nature of Forest School, there are a number of additional policies which apply to these sessions. These are shown below.

All Forest School policies are written in conjunction with the full Pre-School policies which also apply to all Forest School sessions. Our full policies can be found here.

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