🌿 Spirituality Through Forest School

At Wolvey CofE Primary School, spirituality is woven through the fabric of our curriculum, ethos and daily experiences. One of the richest expressions of this is through our Forest School programme, where children connect deeply with the natural world, each other and themselves.

Forest School powerfully embodies this vision by providing:

• Inclusive experiences where every child can succeed and grow.

• A space to celebrate individuality, as children explore, question and reflect in their own way.

• Opportunities to deepen relationships, with peers, trusted adults and the wider world.

• A platform to experience awe, wonder and curiosity—essential aspects of spiritual development.

Forest School and Spirituality

Forest School nurtures spirituality through:

• Connection to Creation: As a Church of England school, we believe in the importance of caring for God’s creation. Forest School helps children develop gratitude, respect and a sense of stewardship for the natural world.

• Quiet reflection: Outdoor learning allows space for stillness, mindfulness and prayerful thought—encouraging children to explore their inner lives and emotions.

• Creativity and exploration: Children express their ideas, feelings and identity in unique ways, helping them make sense of the world and their place in it.

• Courage and resilience: Spirituality includes facing challenges with hope and inner strength. Forest School encourages risk-taking, problem-solving and personal growth.

• Community and kindness: Working together outdoors builds trust, friendship and empathy—essential to our Wolvey Wolf values and our commitment to living out Galatians 3:28: “Among us you are all equal.”

A Christian Approach

We see spirituality not just as a subject but a lived experience. Forest School is one of the many ways we nurture the whole child, supporting their emotional, moral and spiritual development in a joyful and inclusive Christian environment.

At Wolvey C of E Primary School, we believe that outdoor learning enables our children to develop and nurture their self-esteem, confidence and our schools values and learning dispositions, where every child has the opportunity to achieve their holistic, full potential in a learner-led enabling environment.  Wolvey pupils have the opportunity to learn through experience in a hands on manner, to develop fine and gross motor skills and proprioception, to assess and manage risk, to practice and achieve, to enquire and investigate, whilst embracing the physical and personal challenges that working outside can present. 

Your child will be taught in the forest school by Mrs Spann - who is a trained forest school leader. Every three weeks, on a Friday, your child will have a 2 to 3 hour session in the forest. They can come to school in their waterproofs and change at lunchtime, or they can bring them with them and get changed after lunch. That is why you'll often see Wolvey children in the village walking to school in their wellies!

Wellbeing and emotional literacy is an integral part of Wolvey’s outdoor learning sessions.  Children are encouraged to express their feelings, and emotional literacy language is modelled through books, circle time discussions and responses to real events as they happen.  Children are encouraged to talk to one another, to express their feelings and to problem solve in order to move through a challenge or negative state of being. Each session includes a mindful meditation/circle space where children have the opportunity to share and listen.  

The school outdoor learning area includes a wild area, a fire circle, mud kitchen, pond and bird hide, and a wooded area with rope swings, a hammock and loose parts play equipment. Class teachers are encouraged to use the outdoor space to make real life curriculum links and take learning outdoors. Staff have received training on linking outdoor learning to the curriculum from Learning through Landscapes.

In addition to the outdoor learning area, the school also has a village allotment, a whole class amphitheatre fire circle area and a newly planted wildflower bee meadow to encourage greater biodiversity on the school grounds.

It is our intention that every pupil develops a real passion for the great outdoors and celebrates their local, natural environment.  We wish for every child to develop a knowledge and passion for their local habitat and how to look after and nurture it. Our outdoor learning motto is “We look after ourselves, each other, and all the living things.”

Transforming The Wildlife Area At Wolvey!

A big thank you to all of the parents and companies, who over the years, have helped us transform the wildlife area into the fantastic learning resource it is today for the children to enjoy.