‘Sometimes there are rules about what girls can do’: a rights-based exploration of primary-aged children’s constructions of gender in Forest School

Abstract

This paper examines Forest School’s potential to support gender equality among primary school-aged children. Using a rights-based perspective, an observational study–including children’s drawings–explored children’s constructions of gender in Forest School and classroom sessions. The study found that although children generally appeared more constrained by gender norms in Forest School than in the classroom, Forest School provided increased opportunities for greater freedom from these norms. These findings offer initial insights into aspects of Forest School that may address or perpetuate gender inequality, and raise questions about how Forest School practice might be adapted to support gender equality more effectively.