Forest School Case Study:
Our Pride Our Joy Nursery Group
Part of Fierte Multi Academy Trust
Outdoor Learning that grows with the child
About Our Pride Our Joy Nursery Group
Our Pride Our Joy Nursery Group operates across multiple nursery settings within Fierte Multi Academy Trust.
Each setting is located on a school site, giving access to varied outdoor environments, from established woodland areas to newly developing green spaces.
The group operates a free-flow approach, allowing children to move naturally between indoor and outdoor environments. Practitioners focus strongly on high-quality adult interaction, observation and responsive support rather than rigid timetables.
Outdoor learning has always been part of their ethos. However, with multiple settings at different stages of development, leadership recognised the need to strengthen consistency, deepen practitioner confidence and expand the range of purposeful outdoor experiences across the group.
If you are interested in an affordable way of training your staff team, download a PDF of this Forest School Case Study.
Our Forest School Activities Online Training provided a shared foundation across seven settings.
The decision to invest
In September, the group invested in seven licences of The Outdoor Teacher’s Forest School Activities Online Training.
The intention was clear:
- Build confidence across staff teams
- Extend existing outdoor provision
- Introduce fresh ideas that were practical and achievable
- Support practitioners leading outdoor learning
- Create greater consistency across multiple sites
Importantly, this was not about introducing outdoor learning from scratch. It was about strengthening what was already valued and embedding it more deeply across the organisation.
Sharon Shilling, Regional Manager, explains that each setting was at a different stage in its outdoor journey. Some had well-developed forest areas, while others were still establishing their spaces.
The training offered a flexible way to support all settings simultaneously, regardless of starting point.
“We have always used forest school, but with my Outdoor Teacher Forest School Activities Online Training I feel more confident to lead activities.”
A scalable approach across seven settings
One of the strengths of the training was its adaptability.
With seven settings accessing the course, practitioners were able to engage at their own pace and apply ideas appropriate to their environment.
Across the group:
One nursery operates across three distinct outdoor areas, including a dedicated forest space.
Another setting benefits from large green areas on a former golf course site.
A newer school site is still developing its woodland, with trees still maturing.
Some nurseries have access to wider school grounds and farm areas.
Despite these differences, the training provided a shared framework and common language around outdoor learning.
This supported consistency without forcing uniformity.
“I feel confident in some areas from this course such as trying to make dens and outdoor shelters as well as exploring mark making with foraged materials and creating structures with sticks and clay.”
Strengthening practitioner confidence
A clear outcome from the feedback was increased practitioner confidence.
One practitioner reflected:
“We have always used forest school, but with my Outdoor Teacher Forest School Activities training I feel more confident to lead activities.”
Another shared:
“I feel confident in some areas from this course such as trying to make dens and outdoor shelters as well as exploring mark making with foraged materials and creating structures with sticks and clay.”
This confidence translated into action.
Staff reported:
- Trying new ideas
- Leading structured sessions such as Wild Wednesday
- Introducing rope and knot work
- Exploring den building more intentionally
- Developing mark making using natural materials
- Using clay, sticks and loose parts to create structures
As one practitioner noted:
“The help and guidance has helped carry out the activities.”
For leadership, this confidence was critical. It meant outdoor learning was no longer dependent on one or two individuals, but embedded more widely across teams.
Tangible changes to outdoor environments
The training also prompted practical improvements.
Across settings, nurseries reported:
- Expanding woodland play areas
- Introducing rope work and hand drills
- Adding seating stumps for gathering
- Improving layout and use of outdoor zones
- Moving from unstructured woodland access to more purposeful sessions
One setting described being:
“One step further into woodland play and activities rather than just running around the woods.”
This shift from passive access to intentional outdoor learning marked an important development.
Even in settings where resources were still growing, staff felt equipped to work creatively with what was available.
Product Benefits
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation.
Benefit 1 Title
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed duius eiusmod tempor incididunt.
Benefit 2 Title
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed duius eiusmod tempor incididunt.
Benefit 3 Title
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed duius eiusmod tempor incididunt.
The Forest School Activities Training
Our foundation training course comes with lifetime access to over 100 step by step inspirational videos and resources.
Designed for teachers and practitioners. Single modules are £47 +vat or save £100 when you buy the 8 module bundle