Doncaster school lead the way showing how learning about the environment can be fun

Saltersgate Infant School has been running a forest school for two years.

Jenni Coy, forest school leader, said: “We have been developing our site to become a natural area where every child in school can spend time in every week to explore and interact with in a way they cannot inside of a classroom.

“Next week we have a Tiny Forest or Miyawaki forest beginning to be planted.

"This comprises of 600 trees of different species to create its own ecosystem and we will, as a school be able to watch this grow and develop and be involved with Earthwatch Europe to take measurements for them to study how well this project takes hold.”

Doncaster Council have funded this project for Earthwatch Europe to train contractors to complete.

Earthwatch Europe is an environmental charity.

The tiny forest will have a clearing with benches which we can use as a sensory area or just to observe the fauna that the plant life will invite in.

"We also have plans for a pond area in the tiny forest which will be used for more investigation from the children for pond dipping and exploring that ecosystem,” she continued.

"As the children have very recently returned to school we have felt that this time to be outdoors and interact with peers have been a vital part of creating a happy and healthy school.”

The new natural area will bring benefits to the kids who take part in it’s development.

“At forest school the children can be involved with a wide range of tool skills including using saws and knives and most days we have a fire which the children light and often cook various things on the fire – this is a favourite activity of the children's,” she said.

“The emotional, social and physical skills they gain from these activities are helping them grow from strength to strength and these skills can then be transferrable to the classroom in many ways.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Liam Hoden, editor.