A forest school is launching a day school for flexi-schooled or home-schooled pupils.

Owner and director of Great and Small Forest Education, in Clayton-le-Moors, Victoria Cocken, will be launching 'Small School' in September.

The school will operate out of a cabin in the private woodland and will welcome six pupils aged five and older to come in one day a week for parents to use alongside home-schooling.

This small group of children will be supported by a qualified teacher and teaching assistant who will run the school day in a child led, project-based approach, covering topics chosen by the children which is in keeping with home-schooling ethos.

The children will also be able to take part in projects and most importantly - in Victoria's eyes - have fun while learning.

She said: "The premise of Small School for me has always been - as it says on the tin - that it is small.

"Group sizes will mean the children are really benefitting from a very concentrated style of learning because with a small group you can do that.

"Rather than teachers saying 'right this is what we are going to learn about' - I've always found that children are more engaged and learn more if they take responsibility for that subject and they learn more.

"Children will bring to the table what they want to learn about and it might be space, dinosaurs - it could be anything!

"We will have a vote and let the children lead it."

Since lockdown, Victoria has noticed that more parents are considering home-schooling their children which is why she thinks this is the time to launch something like 'Small School'.

Great and Small Forest Education, which has been rated Outstanding by Ofsted, also welcomes home schooled and flexi-schooled children from ages three and above enjoy learning by playing in a forest environment.

Victoria completed her teacher training in 2013 before working in a Rossendale school for a few months, and during her training, her love of the forest school concept developed.

She added: "I came across the Forest school ethos while I was doing my teacher training and it completely resonated with me.

"It was what I did as a kid growing up in Great Harwood - getting out, playing out building dens making potions out of leaves and all sort

"When I learnt more about the ethos and the benefits I just knew it was what I wanted to be doing."

Victoria hopes that if the school goes well that she will be able to add more days and maybe even open more Small Schools across the area.

The Small School is accepting applicants now and will officially begin in September. You can contact Victoria through the Great and Small Forest Education Facebook page or by email at greatandsmall1@outlook.com