Forest School and Outdoor Learning

This week six teachers from the Istituto Comprensivo Bossolasco Murazzano in Italy successfully completed an individually tailored  job shadowing programme focusing on outdoor learning. The teachers gained hands-on experiences and methodological insights across a range of educational settings with the aim of increasing outdoor learning opportunities for their infant, junior and senior pupils.

The teachers took part in English language tuition, visited Dunalley Primary School, Churchdown Village Infant School with a focus on Forest School activities, and Pittville School, and had a tour of the Wilson Art Gallery and Museum in Cheltenham. They also enjoyed a visit to St Joseph and St Teresa Catholic Primary Schools in Wells job shadowing Forest School Expert, Chris Trwoga, which included learning how pupils made an Easter prayer garden from natural materials. At Hallr Wood in Somerset, the teachers were treated to a further day working with Chris Trwoga together with Manager of Hallr Wood, Deb Millar, at this inspirational outdoor woodland-based learning facility. At Abbey Home Farm in Cirencester, the teachers gained further knowledge of the benefits of outdoor learning in the context of organic food and farming at this residential farm setting, which provides a variety of educational programmes for groups including disadvantaged young people.

Fiorenza Baudana commented: “Amazing Forest experience… we enjoyed and learnt different ways of teaching in the middle of nature.” Whilst Gabriella Marengo added that teaching outdoors benefits not only the physical health, but also the mental health of students.

Carol Stephens of Delingua Training was delighted to facilitate this programme: “It has been a pleasure hosting this Erasmus+ programme, especially as the visiting teachers engaged so positively in all parts of the programme to generate new ideas for outdoor learning in Italy.”