Principles of Wildwood

 Wildwood is the name we use to refer to sessions which are based on the principles of Forest School.  

• Sessions will run throughout the seasons.​ The frequency of sessions will differ for each group of children.
• Sessions will be long enough for children to get into a ‘flow’.​
• Children have opportunities to explore flora (plants) and fauna (animals). ​
• Children are taught about the safe use of tools using scripted tool talks and be given the opportunity to use these. ​
• Children have opportunities to build dens. ​
• Children have opportunities to play games. ​
• Children are taught about the safe creation and use of fire and will be given the opportunity to apply this knowledge and skills when cooking and setting up camp. 

The teaching of Wildwood at The Galfrid School will enable children to grow socially, emotionally, spiritually, physically, and intellectually. Through encouraging children to take part in self-directed learning and risky play within a community based on trusting, supportive relationships, we lay the foundations of positive and enjoyable, regular time spent in nature so all children will establish healthy habits and a sense of stewardship that will last them a lifetime.

Wildwood at the Galfrid school: A Roadmap

The Wildwood journey for each cohort will be different as sessions will be planned for the specific needs of the group and individuals within it.  However, all sessions will follow a similar structure and teachers will plan to scaffold children’s holistic development.  This means helping them to grow all aspects of their character.  We will do this through consideration of ‘next steps’ within the following strands:

• Personal development.
• Tool use.
• Shelter building.
• Knot tying.
• Fire craft (including cooking).
• Environmental awareness.

The individual steps can be viewed in the Wildwood Progression of Skills document.

The Local Context

Wildwood is a relatively new addition to our curriculum and is yet to be introduced to some of our children. By the Summer Term of 2025, we plan for all of The Galfrid children to have taken part in some sessions. We are very lucky to have a dedicated area on site for the teaching of Wildwood and this is constantly being developed.  The children get very excited about visiting the area and we try to leave it exactly as it was before we arrived or better than it was with the addition of planting or a new habitat to help nature thrive.