There are many heroes working in the field of early years education but few are as worthy of a mention as Sarah Blackwell; the lead trainer and director of Forest Schools Education Ltd (FSE) which is a non-profit social enterprise, founded in 2001 as Archimedes Training Ltd. FSE has become the largest provider of Forest School training in the world, having supported over 11,500 practitioners throughout their Forest Schools journey to become Practitioners and changing thousands of lives in the process. Sarah is a published author and a contributor to magazines such as Nursery World, Small Woods and Horizons. Sarah also recently founded Middlewood nature nursery and the new Kenwood Nature nursery as two of her first nurseries in the Forest School Kindergarten project.
Those who are passionate about Forest Schools and Nature Nurseries may be familiar with her work. Her latest research investigates the Restorative benefits of Forest Schools on communication in children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders.
Forest Schools Education Ltd promotes it’s services with the vision to create the most highly trained, motivated and passionate facilitators all around the world.
“It is the joy and exuberance that becomes so noticeable when children are playing in nature, becoming co-inhabitants of the space and totally integrated with the cycles, interrelationships and magic. It is the awe and wonder that connects, surprises and gives children that sparkle in their eyes. Without this connection, life can be very different, and I believe all the poorer.“
Sarah Blackwell – Forest Schools Kindergarten
But what Happens At A Forest School?
Well, according to FSE, Forest Schools are long term programmes within a natural space, lead by a qualified practitioner. They focus on developing personal, social and emotional life skills through learner led, nature-based learning. A Forest School develops by individuals in a setting becoming qualified Forest School Practitioners or drawing down funding to bring in an organisation that specialises in the delivery of Forest School programmes.
Initially, projects run from their own grounds/gardens/playing fields (where appropriate) allowing the children to become comfortable with an outdoor approach to education and play whilst in familiar surroundings.
Allowing relationships based around trust and self-exploration to develop with the Forest School Leaders who start to facilitate a more child led outdoor curriculum when the group are ready they familiarise themselves with the route to their nearest woodland.
The group then have their introductory sessions in the woodland exploring the site establishing physical and behavioural boundaries. Safety procedures, hygiene and routines.
It is fundamental that Children’s basic needs are met before any higher learning can take place (Maslow’s Pyramid of Hierarchical Needs).
Warmth – correct clothing provided Food- Healthy Snacks and meals Drink – Hydrating water /hot drinks Safe – Individuals feel safe both physically and emotionally
Each Forest School site is unique; you design it to meet the needs of the group and to fit the environment you are working in, usually in negotiation with your woodland owner.
Over at Rotunda Roundhouses, Sarah Blackwells name has arisen on several occasions as one of the key individuals working tirelessly to ensure that her Forest Schools program is being promoted as an integral and essential component of early years education nationwide. We sought her out to ask her what inspires and motivates her, and what vision she holds for the future of early years education in the UK.
It was clear from the outset of our interview that she’s a vibrant and passionate personality who cares very much about our education system and within the first few minutes she’d mentioned how from a young age, she was always on a mission to discover what her life path was, and wanted to be involved in something which would satisfy her soul. We then ventured further to discuss her role in the past as a teacher, working in Thornbridge, at the outdoor centre (in Sheffield) whilst she was raising four of her children but she felt that she was “teaching with her head rather than her heart”. She certainly found her heart with the Forest Schools training. And we can see why, it’s a beautiful concept.
So, we asked “What actually set you on your path to Forest Schools Educational training?”
“Well, during my time at Thornbridge, I started asking questions about what ‘environmental education’ was and someone suggested that I visit a Forest School. So I did… and I knew, when I saw it. I knew, instantly, that this is what I wanted to do with my life. So, I dropped everything. I handed in my notice in at work and focused exclusively on this. This was the turning point.”
Once I’d completed my training I ran my first long-term project. This is the first time that schools had the opportunity to run forest schools in the long-term. Everything prior to this was usually run for a morning/afternoon or just a week.”
We asked her what she’s been most proud of. “What I’m especially proud of, over the past 17 years” she said “is hearing the individual stories of the children. In some instances, Forest Schools has been their salvation, their safety net. We’ve helped them come through difficult times.”
So, do you think adults are affected by the childrens’ learning experience?
“Definitely. Everyone benefits. If you can imagine a rainbow, the child is in the centre of that rainbow as the fire and they are giving out the sparks of passion. This impacts then onto the family and onto education and then onto the community and then society and then onto the world. There will be certain children who will end up in a world market which are influencing society; influencing community, education and family. That will come back to the next generation of children. And this floods up and down.
This is where our business model is focused on impacting.
It’s not just forest schools; it’s about societal change, it’s about a change of heart, a change of being. Ultimately, a change in humanity.
One of the main things we say about Archimedes is we have a “transformational model” not a merely a “transactional model”
So, what is your vision for the future and what’s your ultimate dream?
“One indulgent dream of mine (!) is to have a forest kindergarten in every major city around the world. If not, one on every continent! I’m happy to start small, with each continent first!
We are, incidentally, launching our training program in America in March 2017 and in addition, potentially transforming a school in Maine to a forest kindergarten. Next, China. I can’t give you too much information but they are very proactive in their approach to Forest school so we have having a lot of interaction with Chinese contacts of ours.”
And where can we keep up to date with your developments?
