Exploring the Theoretical Foundations of Forest School Pedagogy: Autonomy, Risk and Social Constructivism in an English Context

This thesis presents my original contribution to Forest School (FS) research through a PhD by Published Work, advancing both the theoretical and methodological understanding of FS as an educational practice. Rooted in the Scandinavian tradition of Friluftsliv, FS promotes sustained connections with nature, yet in the English context it remains ambiguously defined and often conflated with other outdoor learning forms. Building on the six principles of the Forest School Association (2011), my research critically interrogates FS as a socially, politically and culturally constructed practice.

Drawing on social constructivism, play pedagogy, early childhood education theories and critical frameworks including Foucauldian concepts of power, surveillance and disciplinary space, I conceptualise FS as more than a neutral, liberatory alternative to mainstream schooling. I integrate Lefebvre’s production of space, Massey’s spatial multiplicity and Beck’s risk society alongside an evolving intersectional ecofeminist lens to theorise FS spaces as dynamic, relational and contested. This enables a re-framing of risk as a negotiated, co-constructed phenomenon that can foster agency, resilience and therapeutic engagement particularly for children with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs rather than as a hazard to be minimised.

My core contribution is the Garden (2025) Forest School Space Model, which reconceptualises FS as a dynamic interplay of autonomy, risk and social interaction, shaped by intersecting power relations. This model challenges dominant narratives that position outdoor spaces as inherently emancipatory, revealing how FS can both resist and reproduce normative educational hierarchies, including those related to gender, behaviour and inclusion.

Through a series of peer-reviewed publications (Garden, 2023a; 2023b; 2024), I provide empirical insights into how FS spaces are continually negotiated by children and educators, claiming, naming and reshaping micro-spaces of identity and belonging and how these interactions reflect wider socio-cultural discourses. My research advocates for a critically reflective, inclusive approach to FS, positioning it as an interdisciplinary field capable of fostering deeper engagement with issues of equity, wellbeing and sustainability in education.