Bardon State School has become the first school in Australia to receive official accreditation for its Forest School program from the Australian Forest School Association.
Pioneering Outdoor Education
The Forest School at Bardon provides a classroom experience like no other, where students learn under open skies and among natural surroundings instead of in traditional rooms. Students from Prep to Year 2 can explore, learn, and play outdoors on school grounds and along nearby Ithaca Creek.
The school launched the program in 2023, initially with Prep classes, and has since expanded it to include Year 1 and Year 2 students in 2024, after receiving positive feedback from both parents and students.
Bardon’s Forest School integrates directly with the regular curriculum, ensuring students engage with core subjects in an outdoor context. The school reports that students participate in activities like maths assessments by the creek, where they apply concepts of capacity and measurement using natural elements.
Forest School teacher Kerry Forrest explains that the program is designed to make learning hands-on and relatable, which encourages students to connect meaningfully with both their lessons and the environment.
Community Support and Impact
The program has received strong community support, particularly from parents who value the unique outdoor learning experience as a significant aspect of their children’s education. During a recent school review, parents described Forest School as a highlight of Bardon’s educational approach and praised the fact that it is led entirely by school staff rather than outsourced to external providers.
This whole-school approach, led by Principal Jill Rutland and supported by staff, reinforces the program’s focus on building students’ social skills, environmental awareness, and engagement with the world around them.
Significance of Accreditation
Being the first Forest School in Australia to achieve accreditation highlights Bardon State School’s commitment to innovative education that combines academic learning with an appreciation of the natural world.
This achievement comes as Australia prepares to celebrate Outdoor Classroom Day on 7 November, a global initiative that promotes outdoor education as an essential part of students’ learning.
Forrest and Rutland believe that Bardon’s accreditation reflects the value of immersive outdoor education and reinforces the importance of making education relevant and accessible for all students in new and engaging ways.
Published 30-Oct-2024