New Forest School for lessons about learning outside…and more!

The University is taking teaching to the great outdoors with a new place to learn that will help students practice their skills.

The Forest School is a ‘teepee’ located at University of Northampton’s (UON) Waterside campus and is also a bookable space for community groups.

Students from courses such as Primary Education and Physical Education are already working with children from local schools who come out of the classroom for extra lessons at the University.

Learning outside the classroom provides an engaging way to boost children’s educational development. It supports their mental health and wellbeing, deepens their connection with nature, promotes more inclusive learning, and positively impacts their speech and language progression.

In addition to the ‘teepee’ – which comes equipped with heating – there is also a woodland area for children to explore the natural surroundings of our campus and a ‘fire pit’.

The Forest School – supported by funds from Innovate UK – can also be booked as a communal space for activities such as mental health and wellbeing pursuits, schools, early years settings and other groups like Cubs, Brownies, arts and crafts clubs, community kitchens, yoga and meditation groups.

Last week, the Forest School welcomed its first guests when more than 300 children from local schools visited campus.

Their trip to Waterside was part of BBC Northamptonshire’s third annual Headfest event. Headfest showcased the range of mental health advice and support available to people in Northampton and the wider county.

While they were at UON, some had a lesson in the Forest School. They used natural resources that can be found anywhere – such as leaves, sticks and stones – to create faces that reflect different moods, allowing them to explore emotions and creativity at the same time.

Karen Woolley – pictured above with UON students during an earlier class – led the Forest School classes with Associate Professor Dr Emma Whewell. She says: “It was wonderful to welcome local children during the recent Headfest event and see them explore their emotions with creativity and flair, just one activity our Forest School is ideal for.

“It is proving to be such a success that the team and I are already exploring the development of the Forest School with many other great opportunities.”

There’s more information about the Forest School on our website. For further enquiries and bookings, please email forestschool@northampton.ac.uk