The NHS Health Improvement Fund helped children at Evergreen Primary School in County Durham take part in weekly Forest School sessions at Bright Woods Forest School.
The funding meant four classes could attend across the academic year, giving 53 children with special educational needs and disabilities regular time outdoors in a woodland setting.
A growing need, and a growing gap
In County Durham, 19.7% of school-aged children have a recognised special educational need or disability. That is higher than the national average, and the number has risen by 32% in five years.
Schools work hard to support pupils with a wide range of needs. Some children also benefit from learning in spaces beyond the classroom, where they have room to move, practise social skills, take managed risks and build confidence.
The NHS Health Improvement Fund, managed by Point North, supports community and voluntary organisations across County Durham and Darlington to improve health and wellbeing in local communities. Awards of up to £7,500 help cover costs that schools and community organisations often cannot meet from their own budgets.
Evergreen’s story: learning in the forest
Evergreen Primary School had already developed Forest School spaces on site, with support from the school’s charity. But the team wanted pupils to have the chance to learn in a wider woodland setting too.
The challenge was cost.
The NHS Health Improvement Fund covered the full cost of weekly sessions at Bright Woods Forest School. Without the funding, the school budget would not have stretched to this.
At Bright Woods, pupils climbed, balanced, splashed through puddles and learned about the natural world across the seasons.
Staff noticed pupils becoming more animated. Some grew in confidence, became more independent and began interacting more with others. Pupils also used a wider vocabulary and tried things they had previously avoided.
The project supported staff too. Teachers worked alongside Bright Woods practitioners, building their own skills and confidence to continue Forest School activities back at school.
For one pupil, the change was especially clear. She began the programme highly anxious and avoided anything outside her comfort zone. Within weeks, she was exploring the forest, laughing and trying new experiences.
At home, she started using her communication device to tell her mam what she had done.
Why this kind of funding matters
For some children with SEND, outdoor sessions offer a different route into learning, confidence and communication.
Schools cannot always fund this kind of support from their own budgets. The NHS Health Improvement Fund meant 53 children could access weekly Forest School sessions that would otherwise have been out of reach.
Point North helps funding reach local projects that understand what children and families need. At Evergreen Primary School, that meant children with SEND could spend time outdoors, try new things and use some of that confidence at school and at home.