Research on Forest School
Liz O'Brien (Forest Research) & Richard Murray (New Economics Foundation) - research into Forest School to see how it linked to the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto produced by the Government in 2006: Forest School: A Marvellous Opportunity to Learn [full report]
Lorna Jenner (freelance Environmental Education Consultant) & Ffion Hughes (Education officer of the Forestry Commission Wales) - their study measured the beneficial effects of forest school with a group of children from Pentre School in N.Wales. - Forest School Research Ysgol Pentre
Rowena Kenny (2010) - Bath Spa University - A critical review of research and literature exploring the relationship of the child with the natural world. - Link to her research paper
Sam Massey - the difference between the Forest School approach and the traditional outdoor learning approach - The Benefits of a Forest School Experience for Children in their early years [PDF]
Liz O'Brien & Richard Murray (2007) Forest School and its impacts on young children: Case studies in Britain
Mark Leather (2016) A critique of Forest School: Something lost in translation [PDF]
Mel McCree (2018) The Hare and the Tortoise go to Forest School: taking the scenic route to academic attainment via emotional wellbeing outdoors.
The areas of benefit identified by a number of studies reflect the outcomes which time and again are associated with Forest School:
Increased self-esteem and self-confidence
Improved social skills
The development of language and communication skills
Improved physical motor skills
Improved motivation and concentration
Increased knowledge and understanding of the environment
