Evaluation: The Forest Schools experience has been invaluable. The children loved it from the very outset. The excitement, enthusiasm and willingness just to get stuck in was evident from the very first session.

Training was super. Brian made it all look so easy! 28 children from P4, Moira Primary School were the first class to take part in the Forest Schools programme. It was an absolute privilege and honour to have the opportunity to take part in such a programme that gave the children such a great opportunity to investigate the local outdoors. We are lucky enough to have a local park on our doorstep which made the whole programme much easier and practical as there was no travelling involved. We were able to make the very most of our time.

Lessons were so well planned and easy to follow as I knew it would soon be my turn. The backpack with all the resources was superb. It gave such a wider variety and scope to do almost any aspect of Forest schools that you would wish to do.

On one particular visit the children had the opportunity to use hack saws to saw a few branches to help them make a spider's web around a tree. I loved it as much as the children. It's funny how you revert back to being childlike when something appears that you haven't seen in years. They absolutely loved having the chance to use it on some branches and they soon got used to working out the best place to saw. Not at a joint.

Learning is hands on and the freedom of the outdoors helps the children to thrive in their learning as they are not constrained to a small area like the classroom.

The day came for my lesson as part of the training. Having watched Brian for a few sessions I knew certain elements that had to be included. I decided to include literacy into my lesson and the story of Charlotte's Web. The children had to create a spider's web around the trees with sticks which would be Charlotte's home. Here they had the opportunity to use the hack saws which they absolutely loved. Team work was crucial as there was a time limit and a story to made up about why Charlotte had come to Moira park. Safety points for using the hack saw were cleverly provided by the children and they had thought it all through very well. Every angle was covered.

The stories were humorous, sad and exciting. This experience provided the children with an opportunity to work as a team and they all got a chance to add to their story with further questioning and predicting what if?

Children worked together in groups that might not happen in the classroom setting. The children remained on task and just loved the whole freedom of being able to run about with little constraints. They were very good at setting their barriers so that everyone knew where the safe area was to work within.

One session included making a den. The children attacked this with such enthusiasm. Team work was super and you could see who the natural leaders were and which children were happy just being directed to help with the final den. No matter what their role they were all very respectful of each other. It was great to see them thinking about others and using the space around them to the best of their ability.

Fun is the best part of Forest Schools. Children are learning without even realising it. So many parts of the curriculum are included but in such a different way than in the classroom. This really suited certain children in my class. They might not necessarily provide all the answers in the classroom but they came alive in the great outdoors of Forest Schools. Wellie boots were always in that day and the children were raring to go as soon as they entered the classroom.

We are planning to provide the Forest School programme to more classes as the two P4 classes have both taken part this year. It is so exciting to think that we can roll this programme out to so much more children. An experience they will love and learn from in an exciting and enjoyable way.

I have so many different ideas that I would like to carry out as part of my Forest Schools programme. The internet is vast with ideas. It is endless.

I can't wait to make skeleton like people with sticks, incorporating maths with measurement and art in terms of creativity. Certain rules will apply. Must have head, neck, body, arms, hands, legs and feet. I saw some pictures online that had been carried out previously and they look amazing. The children will be so excited.

The most important thing to remember is that as a Forest School's Leader YOU have to enthuse the children to get the most out of the whole experience. Children learn better when they are enthused about something. It has to be fun and something new each time to keep their interest. Forest Schools makes it easy as there are so many ideas out there. The children have super ideas too and it's important to listen to them and maybe one of their ideas can be used as a Forest School's session.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience with Forest Schools this year and look forward to more exciting challenges next year were the key is to have fun to achieve the best learning!

Some children in my class came out with the following comments to sum up what they like about Forest Schools:

"It's so much fun!"

"I got to hold bugs"

'The den was awesome"

"I saw so may spiders"

"I love all this running about and no-one says to stop it"

"I liked playing in the leaves and making pictures with them"

"The hack saw was the best thing ever. I can't wait to tell my dad"

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