The Restorative

catjolleys.com   Forest School   is a concept first established in Denmark in the 19th century, it came to the UK in the 1990s and is now an established part of many schools’ curriculum, particularly in the Early Years.    Its roots reach back to the open-air culture,  friluftsliv    (a Norwegian concept meaning; a  love of being in nature without disturbing it ). Fundamentally, a child-led, investigative learning approach which supports play, exploration and supported risk taking to develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on experiences in a natural setting. These are benefits for all learners, but  when I was Deputy Headteacher at an SEMH primary school, I   saw first-hand the particular benefits for children with SEMH , when we first introduced Forest School. Myself and my colleagues knew most of the children would demonstrate quite a limited focus and engagement in the classroom and we were well used to delivering short bursts of learning, 10-15 minutes in length, before m