Outdoor Learning
We offer a range of opportunities for outdoor learning and local wildlife education.
Youth Options run the Forest School and Little Owls Woodland Pre-school at the Country Park. The organisation has been working with children since 1937 and have built an enviable reputation for excellence in this area.
Forest School
Itchen Valley Country Park's Forest School helps children and young people experience nature and the outdoors in a safe, secure and hands-on way.
All the staff are members of the Forest School Association - the professional body and UK wide voice for Forest School.
The Woodland Classroom is set in the woods, near the Visitor Centre, with easy access to toilets. It’s safely fenced to provide a space for children to be free in.
The Forest School gives children the chance to relax and develop confidence, whilst allowing carefully managed risks. They learn many practical skills but, more importantly, they also learn social skills, team-working and responsible risk taking. All this is done while they are having fun and getting mucky, so please don't dress children in their best clothes!
Activities build up through small achievable tasks to improve confidence and these may include: mini-beast hunts; pond dipping; natural crafts; shelter building; knots; using tools; fire building; cooking; nest box building, and much more (depending on the age of the children).
The higher than average staff to pupil ratio allows us to organise more challenging activities. Most children will learn how to build and light a fire during their sessions and they will also be given the opportunity to cook on it - anything from sausages and damper bread to soup and curry!
The outdoor location encourages them to learn about nature and the environment and helps them to understand sustainability.
“A fantastic experience!”
“A few of the children who were reserved at school really came out of themselves and enjoyed learning about the natural world ”
“Year 9 Pastoral Leaders have praised some of our students on return from Forest School for their improved behaviour and new found self-confidence”
“It was a pleasure to witness such growth in the children in so many ways”
Little Owls Woodland Pre-school
A 2016 report found that 91% of children aged two to four are currently not meeting the UK physical activity guidelines for their age group of three hours of activity a day.
Our pre-school for children aged two- to four-years-old, is based in the woodland; the perfect location for children to grow, learn and play.
While the children are outside all the time, we do have an indoor space, and an intermediate area with decking and a corrugated plastic roof over; which is where the children usually sit to have their lunch.
Children are outside in all weathers, so we encourage parents to invest in some good footwear and waterproofs, and to dress children in layers for the winter. The only weather that sees us head indoors is lightning and Gale Force 6 winds - then we evacuate to the Highwood Barn Visitor Centre where we have tables, chairs and resources.
We use an online tool called Tapestry for all our Early Years Foundation Stage assessment; this allows us to upload photos and comments during the day. Parents have access via secure logins and to add messages of their own from the comfort of their home. We also encourage parents to let us know what children are doing at home.
“Children gain exceptional levels of confidence and a very positive attitude to learning”
“Staff blend outdoor learning practices seamlessly with the Early Years Foundation Stage so that children benefit from a wide range of stimulating learning experiences.”
GOOD with OUTSTANDING for Personal Development, Behaviour and Welfare - Ofsted May 2016 report
Latest report - November 2018 - GOOD grading
OFSTED Registered: EY556184
Forest School Kindergarten, Itchen Valley Country Park, Allington Lane, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 3HQ
Telephone: 07774 336750