Forest School, delivered by national education providers On Track Education Services is a groundbreaking approach to outdoor learning and education using woodland sites on the Dartington Estate as the classroom.
Young people who have been unable to sustain full-time educational placements in mainstream settings learn creative and practical outdoor skills as part of a programme of personal development that builds, among other qualities, trust, confidence, a sense of self-worth, and an appreciation of other people and the environment. Participants are also able to gain nationally recognized accreditation from exam board AQA under their Unit Award Scheme programme.
“Forest School is a groundbreaking approach to outdoor play, learning and education. I am delighted to be able to take part in this celebration and see all the work the students have been doing over the last 13 weeks.” David Horsburgh, Mayor of Totnes at Forest Scools end of term ‘fry-up’.
Learning practical skills in safe, supportive environment provides the medium for more profound personal development. Activities include practical woodland and survival skills such as coppicing, fire management, bench and shelter building, and creative pursuits such as clay modelling and land art. The students enjoy a secure outdoor space, where they can safely use the excellent range of natural resources to create permanent structures and artwork.
Builds resilience into local economy through:
“I thought making the five-minute fire and having to cook an egg on it was well cool – it’s helped me improve my skills and know how dangerous fire can be” programme participant.
The project resonates with Dartington’s core mission areas of sustainability, arts and social justice and provides a practical edge with visible relevance to the local community.
“Dartington is famous for its significant inroads into progressive education, ecology and social justice and the work of ‘On Track’ training perfectly encapsulates all of these areas – while meeting the sustainable vision of the Land Scope project.” Julie Richardson, Director of Land Scope
