Forest School and Animal Care | North Oxfordshire Academy

At North Oxfordshire Academy, Forest School provides students with opportunities to learn and develop through outdoor experiences in a supportive environment.

Forest School encourages students to explore the natural world, develop practical skills and build confidence through a range of outdoor activities.

Sessions provide opportunities for students to develop:

• Confidence and independence through trying new activities and overcoming challenges.

• Communication and teamwork through working alongside others.

• Resilience and problem-solving skills through practical outdoor learning.

• Social and emotional development through positive experiences in a different learning environment.

• Awareness of the natural environment through exploration and hands-on activities.

Activities are guided by students' interests and abilities, with appropriate supervision and safety procedures in place.

Forest School complements classroom learning and provides an alternative environment in which students can develop skills, build positive relationships and experience a sense of achievement.

Student Voices Forest School

Katie: ‘My favourite part was hiding in the forest, as it was peaceful and calm. I adored going outside…I love the adventures’

Jordan: ‘The best bit was robot wars….I love being outside’. We did nettle rope, frames, collage, obstacle courses, 123 where you?, collecting wood and much more. In Forest School I liked making fires and most of all making friends. It helps me because if I am ever feeling sad this is the place for me. I dislike one thing about Forest School and that is how long the period is! I want these sessions to be longer and more often!’

Ali: ‘Forest school is very adventurous, on the first day we made a swing! In forest school we made fires and dens, collected sticks and so much more….I would love to have another term of forest school…’

Morgan ‘I think Forest School is awesome and fun. The thing I liked the most was starting the fires and learning about different types of knots. I also liked collecting sticks and exploring the small woods. I had a great time at Forest School, it was very fun and nice to go out’

Will ‘Forest School is fun because we get to learn about how to make fires, how to keep safe in the wild and how to identify things like wild berries. We also make friends and do awesome activities like paper wars, whittling and sawing wood. I like Forest School…it calms me down’

Animal Care

Animal Care at North Oxfordshire Academy provides students with opportunities to learn about animals, their needs and the responsibilities involved in looking after them.

Through supervised activities and practical experiences, students can develop an understanding of animal welfare and the importance of treating living things with care and respect.

Animal Care supports students in developing a range of personal and practical skills, including:

• Responsibility through taking part in appropriate animal care tasks.

• Empathy and respect through understanding the needs of animals.

• Confidence and independence through learning new skills and completing practical activities.

• Communication and teamwork through working alongside staff and other students.

• Awareness of animal welfare through learning about suitable environments, feeding and everyday care.

The provision offers a practical learning experience that complements classroom education and encourages students to take pride in their achievements.

What Students Say About Animal Care

Luke: "I began animal care at NOA because I'm not aloud my own animals at home and I sometime get stressed in school and the animals calm me down"

Anna: "I started taking care of the animals at NOA because I love animals"

Kyle: "I started taking care of the animals because I wanted to know about more reptiles because I want a job with reptiles when I'm older"

Sarah: "I began animal care club at NOA because I had self-confidence issues and it helped me to make friends"

Scott: "I started taking care of the animals so I can learn more about more about them and it will help me get a future job and get into college"

Ryan: "I started taking care of the animals because I love taking care of animals and I can’t have them at home because of my dog"