Our Unique Curriculum

Roots, Nurture & Growth

Young people at Forest Schooling UK often come to us following negative or disrupted educational experiences. Many have also been affected by trauma, which has contributed to their disengagement from traditional teaching approaches and a reluctance to participate in learning environments where they fear failure or judgement. As a result, these young people may present with low self-esteem, emotional vulnerability, and a perceived sense of having "fallen behind" academically. We recognise that before meaningful learning can take place, each individual must first feel emotionally safe, supported, and secure within themselves.

Our approach prioritises relationship-building, emotional regulation, and personalised pathways to help young people re-engage with education in a way that respects their journey and restores their confidence.

Our unique curriculum is a young person-centred, therapeutic education programme designed for those who face challenges accessing mainstream education due to SEMH needs and associated conditions. The programme blends the principles of Forest School education, trauma-informed care and individualised learning, creating a safe, nurturing, and natural environment that supports cognitive, emotional, social, physical, and mental health development.

Central to our philosophy is the belief in nature as our co-teacher. The forest environment supports sensory integration, builds resilience, stimulates curiosity and nurtures meaningful connections - all essential for re-engaging learners who may have experienced difficulties in conventional settings.

Through our 8C’s Curriculum Framework we offer three learning pathways - Roots, Nurture, and Growth - through which young people progress at their own pace.

Throughout our curriculum, we emphasise holistic development - valuing emotional regulation, confidence building, communication and creativity as highly as discreet learning leading to academic achievement. By working in partnership with local schools, colleges, universities and community members, we offer a bespoke curriculum that is both meaningful and aspirational, leading to a community-led programme where every young person has the opportunity to thrive.

Our Embedded 8C's Framework

Curiosity

The capacity to ask thoughtful questions and explore how the world works through inquiry and discovery.

Creativity

The ability to generate original ideas and apply them with imagination and purpose.

Criticism

The skill of analysing information and ideas, forming reasoned arguments, and making sound judgments.

Communication

The confidence to express thoughts, ideas, and emotions clearly across a range of forms and media.

Collaboration

The ability to work respectfully and effectively with others to achieve shared goals.

Compassion

The capacity to empathise with others and respond with kindness, understanding, and care.

Composure

The ability to develop inner awareness, emotional balance, and personal resilience.

Citizenship

The commitment to engage positively with the wider community and contribute to a fair, inclusive, and sustainable society.

Roots

When a Young Person joins us, they begin on the Roots Pathway, which introduces them to our 8 C’s curriculum - Curiosity, Creativity, Criticism, Communication, Collaboration, Compassion, Composure, and Citizenship.

This pathway is one of three used to support personalised learning and development, closely aligned with the principles and learning goals of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

We help Young People to be READY to learn by creating an emotionally secure environment, consistent with the EYFS emphasis on the prime areas of Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Communication and Language. Our setting ensures Young People feel safe, supported and encouraged to explore at their own pace. Individual plans and self-directed learning are embedded in our practice, nurturing confidence, a strong sense of identity and the readiness to re-engage and take on new challenges.

We learn to be RESPECTFUL through a nurturing environment with trusted adults, echoing the EYFS commitment to fostering positive relationships and inclusive practice. Every Young Person’s voice, emotions and individual journey are valued, supporting their emotional well-being and social growth.

Young People become RESPONSIBLE for their own progress, making thoughtful choices as they grow through the 8 C’s framework. This approach complements the EYFS areas of Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design, while also supporting the characteristics of effective learning, such as active learning, playing and exploring, and creating and thinking critically. Our balanced approach empowers Young People to thrive both emotionally and academically.

Nurture

As each Young Person is supported and nurtured, they begin to feel emotionally safe and valued, which lays the foundation for growth. With time, they become more ready to accept light, purposeful demands—such as engaging with reading and exploring topics that spark their interest.

Through the lens of the 8 C’s, Young People develop the tools to express themselves, connect with others and take ownership of their learning. Curiosity drives their questions, creativity fuels their ideas and composure helps them manage challenges calmly. They show respect by listening, collaborating and showing compassion to others, while building responsibility through thoughtful choices and growing independence.

As Young People grow in confidence and capability, they are offered the opportunity to participate in the AQA Unit Award Scheme, a flexible framework that celebrates small steps of achievement. This scheme supports personalised progression and allows us to formally recognise the skills, knowledge and experiences Young People develop across a wide range of topics and activities. Whether it's a nature-based project, a social skills goal or an academic milestone, each unit completed gives Young People a sense of accomplishment and motivation to continue their journey.

This steady, individualised journey - grounded in emotional security, meaningful relationships, and purposeful recognition - helps Young People move forward confidently. They develop not only skills and knowledge, but also a sense of purpose, belonging and joy in learning.

Growth

When a Young Person is fully settled and confident in our way of working, they are ready to GROW. This marks a new stage in their journey, one where they can begin to manage more sustained and meaningful demands, at a pace that continues to honour their individual needs and strengths.

Having built a strong foundation through the 8 C’s, they are now able to explore subjects in greater depth. Their curiosity becomes more focused, their criticism more thoughtful and their communication more purposeful. They show respect by engaging more deeply with their learning and the wider community and they take greater responsibility for setting goals and following through on them.

At this point, Young People begin to consider formal qualifications, such as The King’s Trust, Functional Skills or other tailored accreditations suited to their interests and abilities. For some, this may also include project-based learning that leads to tangible outcomes or supported apprenticeships that provide real-world experience and progression pathways. Each option is carefully matched to the Young Person’s strengths, passions, and aspirations, empowering them to take meaningful steps toward further education, employment, or training.

They start shaping their future with growing confidence, using the self-awareness, resilience and independence they’ve developed throughout their time with us. This stage is not about rushing ahead, but about continuing to grow with purpose, clarity, and support, always guided by the principles of being ready, respectful, and responsible.