Children's wellbeing at primary school Key Stage 2. No specific condition identified. Other
Conditions
Interventions
Study Design
The research will consist of four interconnected work packages, using a mixed-method design. In Work Package 1 (WP1), a feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a Forest School in
Sponsors
Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
7 Years to 11 Years
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Schools with existing capacity and training to deliver Forest School as defined in the study intervention 2. Outdoor space available within school grounds 3. All Key Stage 2 children within the specified class
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: As this is a feasibility study, we will not exclude schools unless they have no access to outdoor space of any type and are not practically able to run Forest School. We are keen to test the feasibility of delivery across a variety of habitats in recognition that this improves accessibility and diversity.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The study will collect feasibility data to inform a future randomised controlled trial of Forest School. 1. Recruitment rate recorded as the number of eligible participants who consent to participate in the study by 8 months 2. Retention rate recorded as the number of schools and participants to withdraw from the study from baseline to 6 month follow up 3. Representativeness of participants recorded by collection of demographic information at baseline to determine if the intervention is accessible for a diverse population. Age; gender (male/female/third gender); ethnicity (based on ONS categories); special educational needs and disabilities (children with EHC; diagnosis); Index of Multiple Deprivation based on participant home postcode. 4. Data completeness as recorded by the percent of outcome measures completed by schools, parents and children and young people. 5. Acceptability of trial processes and intervention: This relates to both the intervention and the research process and will be assessed based on descriptive results of the quantitative data of the school sessions carried out and qualitative interviews with participants. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The following potential primary and secondary outcome measures are collected at 3 time points, (baseline); initial follow-up (week 12); and final follow-up (week 24) for both groups: Primary outcome measure: 1. The child's emotional and behavioural difficulties, measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) parent and teacher versions Secondary outcome measures 2. The child’s health-related quality of life, measured using the Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) questionnaire, self-completed by the child (or proxy for younger children) 3. The child’s psychological wellbeing, measured using the WHO-5 Child Wellbeing Index, self-completed by the child 4. School attendance, measured using attendance registers from Forest School sessions and general school attendance, collected throughout the term 5. The child’s executive functioning behaviours, measured using the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), completed by parents and teachers 6. The child’s connection to nature, measured using the Nature Connection Index (NCI), self-completed by the child 7. The classification of the school's outdoor environment, measured using the UK Habitat Classification (UKHab) system, collected by the research team during initial site visits. 8. The local environmental context of the school, measured using online data tools like Natural England's Green Infrastructure map and SHAPE Atlas, at baseline. 9. The spatial analysis of urban green areas around schools, measured using high-resolution data from the Urban Atlas (Copernicus), within 1 km, 3 km, and/or 5 km buffer zones around school buildings, collected at baseline 10. The characteristics of each Forest School session, measured using a self-report checklist completed by the lead Forest School Facilitator after each session 11. The child’s health resource use, measured by collecting data on relevant healthcare services used 12. School resource use, measured using school and staff questionnaires to as | — |
Countries
England, United Kingdom
Contacts
Public ContactHannah Armitt
Outcome results
None listed