FIVE Worcestershire schools and colleges are celebrating after claiming a stake of a fiercely fought-over government cash pot to entice young people back into the great outdoors.

An overwhelming £200,000 worth of applications were received by the Forestry Commission from West Midlands organisations hoping for a share of £90,000 to run their own forest school.

And following a decision by a judging panel, including TV gardener Chris Beardshaw, the dream has become a reality for Great Witley CE Primary; Cutnall Green School; Kempsey Primary; St Peter's First School, Droitwich, and Lyppard Grange Primary, Worcester.

The county schools have been awarded a total of £14,300 in Forest School Challenge Woodland Improvement Grant money.

Funded by the Forestry Commission, the scheme was launched in October following a report by Forest Research and the New Economics Foundation (NEF) which showed forest schools play a critical role in child development.

The report said benefits include improved physical skills; improved language and communications skills; improved social skills, including team working; improved knowledge and understanding of the environment; increased self-confidence and self-belief; and increased motivation and concentration.

Forest schools usually take place in a safe area of woodland, where people can explore, investigate and discover the natural environment around them.

They offer children, young people and adults regular opportunities to learn social, physical and educational skills while encouraging an appreciation and understanding of the environment.

They also provide a valuable teaching tool for a wide range of curriculum subjects and are a good way to support and enrich the learning process over a wide range of subjects. Chris Beardshaw became a household name as the Flying Gardener and is a long-term supporter of outdoor learning activities.

"The most important thing is the amount of imagination that was shown in these applications, not just in an artistic nature but the imagination in which a space or environment can be transformed into a learning exercise," he said.