History of Forest School Shropshire

Shropshire County Council have been nurturing Forest School in the county since 2002. This is when a steering group formed, with representatives from the Local Authority (LA) Early Years and Childcare team, local woodland owners and environmental educators. Since then, this group has become registered as a Forest Education Initiative Cluster Group, this organisation having been instrumental in developing a Forest School network across England.

The Shropshire Early Years Development Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) provided funding a two year pilot project. This involved establishing an exemplar Shropshire County council Forest School site, to the south of Shrewsbury, and delivering Forest School sessions here to local schools and settings. A Forest School co-ordinator was employed with two Forest School leaders to deliver sessions at the exemplar site.

Due to the success of this pilot project, Shropshire County Council have now employed a permanent Forest School Development Officer who works with a team of Forest School Leaders delivering Forest School sessions at SCC exemplar sites in Shropshire.

Shropshire County Council deliver OCN Forest School Training.