BUDGET cuts to schools could see many important school projects cancelled in the coming months, a West Belfast teacher has warned.
 
Dara McCaughey has been a teacher at Bunscoil Phobail Feirste for over two decades and last year was appointed ‘Forest Schools Leader’ at the Shaws Road Irish medium primary. The project allows children to experience outdoor learning with real-life skills being developed outside of the general schooling curriculum.
 
“It all started over a year ago when I attended a course in Armagh to get an understanding for what was involved with the course and straight away it lit a fire under my belly, and I was determined to get the school involved in anyway possible," said Dara. "But when I found out the investment that the school would have to make to implement the project with the time, money, resources and of course teachers, it made me a little hesitant to ask Seamus (principal) at the beginning. But without any scepticism he went ahead and green-lit the project, he was fully supportive of the project alongside the board of governors.”
 
Dara firmly believes that the life skills that are developed through the programme are overlooked, yet nonetheless essential for children to learn.

“You learn how to tie a rope, start a fire, plant vegetables, fruit and flowers or trees. The initial project started in September and we took a group of Primary 4 children out to teach them all these key skills. The experience is a different and alternative way of learning. That’s not just inside the classroom that the children love this project. It is just something that is very different, and they have a lot of fun during our sessions.”
 
Dara explained how the Bunscoil has always been an eco-friendly school and that Forest Schools is an extension of this mindset.
 
“The programme is an extension of the school being an eco-friendly place. I have always run a gardening club since I came here over 20 years ago, and this is something that we decided would help improve upon this. This idea is a new concept here in Ireland but one that is very important in other countries like Scandinavia, but it is slowly becoming a unique learning experience that while it may not be directly on the curriculum, covers all aspects of it.
 
“It allows the children to come outdoors and experience nature. One of the principles of Forest Schools is to establish a connection with nature and that is a source of help for your psychology and mental health, just by digging a hole and planting a seed, which you can always tap into, no matter what age you are.”
 
Dara also touched on the number of skills and experiences that the pupils in Bunscoil Phobail Feirste have learned and developed whilst participating in the programme.
 
“It teaches the kids resilience, community, teamwork and a host of other social skills and experiences, whether it be building dens or just planting potatoes, it’s something they can all develop from the programme. We would have around 12 to 16 children to each group that participate, and it makes it fun and easier to manage in the smaller groups.”
 
As the expected £200 million cuts to school funding looks set to be announced, projects like the Forest Schools programme could face a real threat of cancellation.
 
“The biggest issue we face are these budget cuts," said Dara. "When you think of schools the budget allows for a teacher to stand in front of 30 kids, then classroom assistants are part of that budget. These projects are the little extras that show the budget is being spent wisely despite all these cuts.

"These programmes would be first to be cut if we cannot source the funding. We received a £10,000 grant to help build an outdoor classroom, it’s not just an extra or money lost, this is not the case at all, it gives children an opportunity that you would not have seen in schools a decade ago.”