Fishing

Major Oak Fishing provides a tailored program for children and young adults from KS2 to KS4.

We work with small groups (generally 4 - 6) and focus on developing an increase in their self-belief, confidence, learning capacity, enthusiasm, communication, problem-solving skills and emotional well-being.

There are numerous benefits to adding Fishing to your alternate curriculum in school. There are numerous stories of fishing being used to address mental health issues, specifically with forces veterans and children who find a more conventional way of learning difficult.

Fishing sets learning in a different context for children where they can undertake a range of practical activities and carry out small achievable tasks. Whilst fishing, children can learn to become more independent. Fishing is all about personal goals, and attaining those goals is a sure-fire way to improve self-esteem.

Additionally, fishing helps children and young adults to develop their confidence. As they become familiar with fishing they can take their new-found confidence into school and into other areas of their lives. Fishing can be particularly effective for children who do not do well in the classroom environment. Children learn to solve problems and be more resilient when fishing, thus showing enterprising behaviour. As the children gain confidence and improve their self-esteem this can impact on their emotional and mental well-being. Fishing is never an exact science. The bait that caught you fish the day before can be totally ineffective the next. Changing up your bait, finding new fishing spots, and trouble-shooting fishing tackle issues may seem like simple problems. However, all of these challenges are helping you develop problem-solving and analytical skills, improving your cognitive function and creative thinking.

Fishing requires lots of focus and awareness. This takes your mind off internal conflict and stress, similar to meditation. As a result, it helps to reduce anxiety, fight off depression, and promote relaxation. When fishing, children are mentally active a lot of the time and their capacity for learning improves as they go through their fishing sessions.

All our school fishing sessions focus around delivery of the Angling Trust CAST awards. These progressive awards help young anglers develop their fishing skills through level 1 to level 6.

If you would like to discuss how fishing sessions could benefit targeted pupils in your school or establishment, please contact us here.