BURNLEY’s first ‘forest school’ has been given the go-ahead by council chiefs.

The £65,000 school, which will see children given lessons on how to make fires and use tools such as pen knives, is set to open next to the historic Coal Clough House, in Coal Clough Lane, next month.

Bosses at the Giant Leap Childcare and Learning Centre, which will run the new project, said it would create a further 40 childcare places and 15 new jobs.

Walton Lane Nursery School and Children’s Centre launched a similar forest school at Marsden Old Hall in Marsden Park, Nelson, last year.

Dr Domenica Hume, registered provider at the Giant Leap nursery, said ‘woodland-based learning and exploration’ had proved popular in Scandanavia and Germany.

She said: “A forest school is for all ages and abilities and using the outdoor environment increases self-esteem and self-confidence.

“The main purpose of forest school is to address personal and social development rather than any particular curriculum content or physical skills.”

Dr Hume is also a managing director at AVS Estates, which owns the site.

The forest school will be open to visiting parties from other schools, Scouts and community groups.

Dr Hume, who is originally from Germany, said: “Regular experience of forest school can have dramatic and profound influences on child development.

“Statistics show that children of all abilities make better progress when forest school experiences are brought back into the conventional classroom.

“Forest schools nationally have an excellent safety record thanks to the robust procedures that are required to have in place before sites can offer sessions.”

AVS Estates was given planning permission to erect a new building in the grounds of the 375-year-old Coal Clough House by Burnley Council last week.