Neurodiversity & SEND Groups
My son is on the autistic spectrum and from the start I felt amazed at the effort and time Esther put into her detailed messages, regards to what staff she would have to help and assist my son’s extra needs. He’s loved every minute.
Forest School for ASC, SEN and LAC
Nurture skills and confidence in the peace of nature.
At Inside Out, we pride ourselves on offering a sensitive and responsive service for children with Autism, Special Educational Needs, and children in care. Many members of our fantastic team are trained in meeting special needs or have extensive experience as SEN educators.
The benefits can be seen throughout the week at school, and we often chat about our sessions and what we may be doing. Fiona the leader is great with the young people of all ages and the young people all look forward to seeing her.
A key principle of forest school is the importance of child-led learning. The freedom of the forest offers unstructured opportunities to play and develop through a supported and exploratory approach.
Our outdoor Forest School environment provides sensory interactions that enable sensory stimulation that is all natural, moving at a seasonal rhythm, with peacefulness and mindfulness. This develops healthy physical, social, and emotional development and encourages communication, confidence building and strengthening emotional control, which improves self-awareness and wellbeing.
He had challenges with mobility and had to wear a weighted blanket but doesn't have to do that now and really benefits from running, walking, climbing, trying, exploring new things and just the freedom of nature that forest school provides.
Research has demonstrated that autistic children who have interactions with animals have more focused attention, social interaction, positive emotion, and speech (O’Haire, 2013). This has led researchers to focus on the benefits of the outdoors more generally, and we are seeing that nature is relevant for children with special educational needs (SEN).
Read our blog article about the mental health benefits of learning in nature.
About Our Sessions
Our sessions are planned around the four key areas of difference:
- Interacting
- Sensory Processing
- Processing Information
- Communication
We can provide Forest School groups for 3 hours or a whole day, for small groups (ideally no more than 12).
We can provide a staff ratio of one-to-one or one-to-two, depending on the needs of the children.
Our aim at Inside Out is for nature to nurture every child and our forest school experience is accessible to everyone. We build familiarity, flexibility, understanding and co-operation into our sessions to help decrease autistic sensitivity and barriers to interaction.
If you are interested in our NEW group starting in September please get intouch via email.
NEW for September...
NEW Forest School Group – Starting This September!
This small, inclusive group is perfect for children who thrive in nature-based, hands-on learning environments. Whether your child is neurodivergent, sensory-seeking, or simply loves the outdoors, they’ll feel right at home.
What will session include?
Campfire cooking (snacks and drinks included)- Please inform us of any deitary requirments.
Den Building
Nature Crafts
Sensory Play
Learn about Fauna and Flora in our woodlands!
Therapy swings and slack lines.
Sessions are thoughtfully planned and can be linked to curriculum learning if parents/carers would like that.
Booking goes live on Thurs 28th August at 9am
What’s included?
When does it start?
When does it start?
Snacks and drink (we will cook a brunch snack on the fire each week) marshmallows, and often woodland crafts that your child will make and take home.
When does it start?
When does it start?
When does it start?
We will be starting on Thurs 18th September for 6 weeks:
Thurs 18th Sept
Thurs 25th Sept
Thurs 2nd Oct
Thurs 9th Oct
Thurs 16th Oct
Thurs 23rd Oct
Location & Times
When does it start?
Location & Times
Gnat Hole Farm Woods, Glossop, SK13 7PW
Thursdays 9.30am -12pm
Please see videos and photos below.
Pricing
What to bring
Location & Times
Online booking essential
6 week bookable block of sessions
Cost: £17 per child per session (siblings £13)
What to bring
What to bring
What to bring
In winter, wrap up warm with waterproof outerwear and wellies, and don’t forget your woolly hats and gloves! In summer, sun cream and hats are a must!
A short video to help you access our site...
A sneak peek of inside Gnat Hole Woods!
A video filmed for holiday camps but gives everyone a good idea of what our gorgeous Gnat Hole Woods in Glossop have to offer.
Parking and access to Gnat Hole Woods, Glossop
Where to park....
For Little Explorers, Babes, Home Ed, Just for Dads and Parties and our NEW Neurodiverse/ SEN group
How to access the woods at Gnat Hole Farm
Remember there is NO driving through the farm, please access on foot!
My daughter is visually impaired and autistic. Forest school was one of her favourite places to be as she loved being outdoors with lots of space for her to investigate. Being child led learning meant that she was able to enjoy all the activities in her own time which was perfect for her.
Paul Fijal
Woodland Whisperers...
The great outdoors engages every one of the senses by exposing them to rich sources of stimuli. So how can a heightened sensory experience actually achieve a calming and therapeutic result?
Outside there is freedom and space. Nature moves slowly, transitioning from sunrise to sunset and from one season to another by a natural rhythm that activates the brain to make important sensory distinctions, rather than causing overwhelm which can trigger a retreat to survival instinct and stunt brain activity.
We want everyone to be able to access outdoor learning through our events and sessions so we aim to ensure that nature can nurture each child. Inside Out Forest school works with the seven senses – touch, taste, sound, smell, sight, proprioception (awareness of the position and movements of the body) and vestibular sensation (your balance and movement in relation t the space around you). It is this vestibular sense that is intrinsic to our physical and emotional wellbeing and can be nurtured and developed most effectively through the basic principles of forest school.
How Forest School can boost your senses.
Through a range of activities that focus on developing;
- balance
- co-ordination and fine motor skills
- supports language development
- aids independence and self-care
- encourages self-regulation
It’s often harder for children with Autism Spectrum Condition to process everyday information as their senses may be over-active or under-active or both. Running around the forest, climbing trees, jumping onto stepping stones, and even swinging in hammocks helps to regulate the stress hormone cortisol to reduce anxiety and fear and result in a positive experience.
Our skilled Inside Out facilitators hold specialist qualifications in working with ASC and can work to support your family by welcoming you to a calm and safe experience and offering activities in collecting, categorising, systematising, and repetition. Through careful observation, we can work with your child to respond to stimuli, offer choice and encourage inclusiveness. There is always a quiet space to be found, a cosy nook, or a peaceful clearing for children to just be themselves and listen to the calming whispers of the trees.
