A NEW forest school has been launched to provide children with hands-on learning in the great outdoors.

Youngsters at High Bank Day Nursery in Stapleton, in North Yorkshire, near Darlington, now have access to a forest school run by Gillian Beadle, leader of the pre-school room at the nursery.

They can learn how to study insects and wildlife, how to build dens, treat a nettle sting and even basic maths in an outdoor setting.

Gill, who is training to become a level 3 forest school leader with the Forest School Association, said: “The philosophy of forest schools is to encourage and inspire children through positive outdoor experiences and activities.

“This can involve counting mushrooms, observing plants, devising stories, lifting up rocks to see what’s living underneath them or collecting willow to make a roof for a den. The possibilities really are endless.

“It enables us to be outside, whatever the weather, and it helps the children achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through different, hands-on learning experiences.

“We have only just started the forest school but the children love it and the feedback from parents has been very positive.”

Forest schools began in Denmark in the 1950s and have been around as a formal concept since 1993.

The Forest School is the latest addition to the activity programme at High Bank, which is based on a farm. The nursery also recently opened a new farm area complete with calves, piglets, sheep, ducks and hens.

High Bank Day Nursery Owner Lesley Thompson said: “Being based on a farm, we have always promoted outdoor learning and the mini-farm and forest school enable us to take even more of the children’s learning outside.”