School of Education news

Field trip to the Forest School for new students

The first cohort of our new Early Childhood Education and Care BA(Hons) started their course this September.

26 nervous but lively students arrived for welcome week and engaged in a range of fun activities that introduced them to the course, the university’s Falmer campus and the city of Brighton – one of the highlights of the week was a field trip to the Forest School.

The nursery setting is on a local farm and called the Mohair Centre where the children not only get to learn about and experience nature first hand, through feeding and caring for the animals, but also have opportunities to engage with the Forest School.

Early Childhood Education and Care students and tutors were able to share in this wonderful experience. Working collaboratively students and tutors built shelters by hanging tarpaulin from trees, made fire using cotton wool, flints and gathered sticks, and made the most superb Spaghetti Bolognese (a veggie option too) on the open fire.

The day out in the fresh air was the end to a busy and tiring week but reflections highlighted the importance of outdoor learning for children and adults alike. Outdoor activities support all the domains of learning from building relationships to scientific discoveries through exploring textures, shapes and forms with the senses, from using language and communication in negotiating and problem solving, to gathering and building supporting physical development. Everyone agreed it was a fun and powerful way to learn.

The trip will become a permanent feature of welcome week for Early Childhood Education and Care students and we can’t wait to return in September 2016.

Kerry Burnett • October 8, 2015


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