What did the community or Cumbria Wildlife Trust want to achieve?

We wanted to achieve an increase in wellbeing for the students that attended the sessions. This could be achieved in many different ways and was dependent on the needs of individuals.

Some ways that wellbeing was increased included: 

• allowing them time to decompress and relax by hanging out in a hammock
• having freedom to choose what they want to do whereas in a school setting it isn’t always possible to have the same flexibility
• increasing confidence and self esteem through learning new skills and overcoming challenges (eg using tools, lighting a fire, learning knots)
• spending time in nature and focusing on being present – phones aren’t allowed in the sessions which helps young people to focus on other activities
• encouraging creativity and problem solving
• spending time with peers to develop friendships and interpersonal skills
• having space and time to work on personal projects or interests.

We also wanted to develop the knowledge and confidence of the teacher from Newman school who attended with the students. He is currently completing his Forest School training in order to be able to continue delivering these sessions once we finish working with the school. 

We have supported him by encouraging him to try leading different activities, giving him support and guidance, including him in debriefing and planning sessions and helping to establish a Forest school area on the school grounds where activities can also take place.

The group has three guidelines:

1. looking after yourself
2. looking after each other
3. looking after the environment

We will discuss with them how anything else that they want to do that fits into this framework can be achieved. 

Students are encouraged to safely take risks and be involved in assessing any risks that develop so they can understand for themselves the considerations needed before taking part in an activity. 

This will hopefully be helpful for them outside of the sessions too as teenage years often involve a higher level of risk taking activities so this will help to equip them with how to consider risk before taking part in something. 

The slight challenge that occurred within some groups is the level of different needs and personalities within a group, so it was important to ensure that these were all met and that relationships between peers were positive.

Some young people were much quieter and others were more lively and energetic. Working in partnership with The Outside Club meant that there were two Forest School practitioners in every session so that different behaviours and needs could be supported and given the focus that they needed. 

This group have all had new positive experiences in nature in a place that is local to them. We hope that through attending these sessions the group will feel even more of a connection to this area and will care for it and other places like it.

During the sessions the young people have noticed the positive effects on their mental wellbeing that being in nature has on them and how much they’ve enjoyed being outside and knowing that it’s good for them. 

Through attending the sessions they have also learnt about nature in ways that are relevant to them. For example, learning about different types of trees and which are good for whittling, which are good for climbing and which are good for firewood. They have also learnt about safe foraging such as nettles, blackberries and cherries.

The same group of students attended weekly sessions for a full term (at least 10 weeks) and sessions last for 2.5 hours. During each session there is a choice of many different activities and students have freedom to choose what they would like to do. There is no pressure to complete a certain activity and students appreciate having this flexibility.

There is a slackline and swing set up for students to use at any time and then they can also choose from a range of activities such as:

• den building
• hanging out in hammocks
• fire lighting
• cooking on the fire
• den building
• nature crafts
• playing games
• exploring the woodland
• spending time with peers
• using tools
• taking part in challenges

or anything else they can think of. 

What were the positive outcomes?

As groups attend for a long period of time students have built up connections with their peers and with staff leading the session so they have felt comfortable talking about how they’re feeling, if there’s something that’s bothering them or they’re not enjoying and if there’s something they would like to do differently.

There have been really interesting conversations that have happened and there is time and space to spend talking to young people as the groups are kept small so if they need extra support or a listening ear there is space within the session for that to happen.

Students voices are valued and listened to at all points of the session. We value their feedback and they are included in discussions about everything that happens in the session including assessing risk and deciding what activities to do. 

During the sessions we have also spent time learning about the nature and wildlife in the park and what we can do to help it and also how this can translate back to the Forest school area in the school grounds.

We have done:

• litter picking
• balsam bashing
• practiced safe harvesting of wood for crafts e.g learning about coppicing hazel trees and making sure not to damage trees in the process. 

We talk about leaving the woods how we found them and how what we are doing may impact nature so how to make as least impact as possible.

The Forest school area on the school grounds was originally a bare patch of grass but now has wildflowers, newly planted trees, herbs, fruit and vegetables, bird feeders and a bug hotel. 

Alongside this there is also a willow dome, benches and a shed that doubles as a birdwatching hide. The teacher from the school who attends the sessions is now leading Forest school sessions at school for other students and this will continue once Cumbria Wildlife Trust has finished working with the school. 

For students that have attended the sessions there has been an increase in wellbeing, both during the sessions and also in school. During sessions this can look like a student starting a session feeling withdrawn and struggling but by the end of the session feeling positive and content.

Over a long period of time another example has been a student that would not communicate with anyone and was non verbal for the first few sessions he attended; he would only shrug or nod or shake his head but over time he became more comfortable and now is chatty and talks to adults and peers and seems very confident and relaxed in the sessions. 

Outside of the sessions there has also been an increase in wellbeing, attendance and behaviour at school, which has continued after students have finished coming to sessions. This shows the long term benefits even after the direct positive impacts of the session at the time. 

Teachers have commented that students seem happier, more confident, more likely to try new things and have better relationships with teachers and peers. 

Key takeaways

We could see from each group that attended, and when coming for an extended period of time, how important and valuable the sessions were. Forest school really helps in building young people’s confidence, both in the setting and with the activities, therefore making the positive impacts more embedded and more likely to continue after the sessions. 

Having an engaged and interested teacher who wants to continue delivering sessions once the project has finished is really inspiring to see. It allows for continuation and shows that the school is really dedicated to making sure as many young people as possible are able to access this kind of experience. 

A challenge for schools, especially secondary schools, is the difficulty with taking students outside of school when there is a lot of pressure on them, but actually we’ve seen - from delivering these sessions - that sometimes having a break from school allows students to focus and engage more afterwards.

What was the impact and any next steps to work toward expanding that impact?

This project has been really successful, both for the individual participants but also for the wider school team who embraced that this type of learning and experience is beneficial for their students and that this will hopefully be embedded in the school as an ongoing provision.

There will still be a link kept with the teacher who is completing his forest school training to be able to offer support or guidance if needed. 

We will also now work with other secondary schools to deliver similar sessions and hopefully embed a similar framework in their schools too. This will hopefully spread the wellbeing benefits for many young people whilst at the same time encouraging them to care for wildlife and the environment.