1 day a week of forest school while at primary school?

[Amipeanuts]

My son is struggling slightly (in Yr 2) with the school environment and as a pretty normal 6 year old needs to be outside, running, playing etc. It was a hard start at Reception but a great journey since. However, the school called me yesterday and made a massive issue about his behaviour at a school trip - when he was just being a bit misbehaved. He didnt want to go to school today and said he doesnt like his school. More to it obviously than I can write here but wondering if anyone has taken their kids out of school 1 day a week to do forest school? Or am I mad?

That’s totally dismissive of what is a fairly measured response, and probably how the teachers and many of the other parents will be feeling.

My suggestion is to look into moving him to a school with a more outdoor/active ethos. May not be possible depending on where you live, but they do exist.

Your son needs to be able to follow instructions and do as he's being asked, whilst out on a school trip. Behaving 'a bit feral', isn't an option. The school has a duty of care towards your son, it's their responsibility to ensure he's safe. How is your son generally in school with following instructions and doing as he's been asked? Could he have been a little overwhelmed or excited? If that's the case then, he needs support with his emotions.

The school I work at (non-teaching role) has a wooded area of the school, and it's set up as a forest school. Two staff members have been trained, and the children spend an entire term having at least a day of forest school per week.

You could look at forest school but please be aware, your son will still need to follow instructions and do as he's being asked. Forest school doesn't mean zero boundaries.

Could you move your DC to a different school? Sounds like this school is not for him.

She then asked for us to speak to him together, so she can see that he understood what he did - and I said no

You are supposed to show a united front, that you support school which you clearly don't. I don't think you understand the risk assessment policy for taking children out on a school trip or a walk around the local area. Having a child a bit feral is terrifying when you are in ratio and trying to manage a child who is not listening to instructions whilst also trying to keep an eye on the other children in your group.

I don't think just one day in FS will help. Why not try to get him a full time place? There are schools that offer outdoor based learning too. He will still need to listen to instructions at the FS too.

My school has a Forest school - we’re definitely not rural!

I think that answer contributes an awful lot! Your response to it speaks volumes.

No they didn’t 😂

This poster has contributed, but the OP only wants to hear reinforcement for her own opinion.
So many parents don’t care that their child having’ an off day’ impacts on others.
What does the child’s father think?

The forest school idea is very normal and not a big deal. However, our local forest school also don't tolerate bad behaviour as there are a lot of risks to running off in the woods, so you are still going to have to work on his behaviour.

To tie Flexi schoolong into the situation with his poor behaviour to him is a mistake though, almost like blaming the school for it rewarding him. He should be able to handle being told off by now and you should be backing up the school. A "bit feral" on a trip is dangerous and stressful. Its very likely you will be expected to go on future school trips, that is what our school do with parents/children who haven't learned to behave - it's safer.

You need to be taking him straight to a park or something after school, incorporating fresh air and exercise every day yourself.

Indeed…

@Amipeanuts

what does ‘a bit feral’ mean?

Thanks for the comments that have been helpful and supportive. I think it might be my choice of words. By feral I mean that he was running around instead of sitting when he was asked to, or that he jumped in a puddle when walking to the place instead of walking in a straight line as everyone else. I think whats important to remember here is that this post is not about my opinion on school rules - which dont really apply to my home. My post is about helping my son navigate the schools approach and trying to encourage a more positive place other than him being condemned for being a bit naughty. Theres approaches and approaches and I just dont think this approach is teaching discipline or ensure a better behaviour. I think it only makes him feel bad and not supported. Nothing dangerous happened at the trip. Never had problems at school or any other trips for that matter.

I will consider speaking to the school and addressing this from another angle, as per one of the v helpful comments, thank you.

Comments that have irony or are judgemental and not constructive have no place in a women’s online community where we are trying to support each other through the challenges of motherhood.

What is your husband’s opinion? Why is the decision only yours?

Where do you get forest school classes for a whole day

Yes - Thats the key question! He was being a bit naughty. So pressed the lift button a couple of times - jumped in a puddle - was meant to sit down for a while and he got up before he should have. That kind of “feral”.

Definitely not only mine! My husband thinks the school has blown this way out of proportion. We spoke to 3/5 orher parents that were there accompanying the trip and they seemed to think there was nothing in his behaviour that stood out more than anyone else, which is confusing to then get that strong reaction from the school. So Im lost!

What would happen if the whole class did that? Would it compromise safety and prevent future trips

The issue with letting things like that go is that it ruins the day for the other children. The teachers are giving all their attention to the ‘ferel’ children and the others don’t get to do and see everything they should have done as everything is delayed. If a child has SEN they should have the support required but if a child is just being allowed to be a bit ‘ferel’ by their parents then it’s rubbish.

I'm not sure i understand. If he was on a school trip when his behaviour was particularly poor it's not like he was being asked to sit at a table and do writing they were presumably busy walking, moving, both indoors and outdoors? On school trips they are usually moving around lots!

I suspect the issue was more around him not following instructions, not lining up with other kids?

I think the thing to remember about schools is they are full of children. I know this sounds silly! But parents often only have 1 child so thier idea of normal behaviour is based on a sample of 1, with 2 adults supporting.

The means schools might raise an issue like pressing lifts, jumping in puddles that seem minor but to a teacher seem like outlier behaviour as most of the other children arent doing it. Its also fine that other parents say he wasnt behaving any worse - but maybe the difference was how he responded to redirection or correction which parents might not pick up on.

That said the year 2 curriculum doesnt suit a lot of chikdren. Its too much too young and different schools do things like play differently.

I think forest school would be fun but I would be inclined to say you want to work with the school but you dont feel he is getting enough opportunities for movement and that might help him and see if they can talk you through the movement already built in the day and if there are opportunities for more.

You've said it yourself, he was being a bit naughty. This isnt about the classroom environment it's him needing to follow instructions, and he will still need to follow instructions in a forest school? Eg if he runs about swinging a big branch he's found at other kids or something, he's still going to get told to stop.

Start teaching your child to behave and follow the instructions his teacher gives.

The other parents are probably being polite.

How do you get to school? My ds finds the confines of school rooms quite stressful. We have seen a massive massive improvement in behaviour when we walk (30 mins walk) there and back. We do it in all weathers and it can be a bit miserable especially with this constant rain but the behaviour benefits are worth it.

Agree with most of the others so far. Bottom line is I think children start school just too young in the UK. They should be running around outside playing. I think the fact children don't have unsupervised play out in the street anymore is hugely detrimental to them as well.

So you believe that the other parents on the trip tell you the truth about what they really think of his behaviour on the trip?
and the call from the head or teacher was completely unjustified because of course it should be fine for your child to ruin the trip for the others.

do you think your child doesn’t need to follow rules or instructions at forest school?

I think this is a really good point as well, walking to school is an important addition to the day. At six, in much of Europe he'd be doing this walk himself.