Frequently asked questions about forest school training
General
What is forest school?
Forest school is, quite simply, AMAZING! It's a learner-led ethos using the woodland environment to inspire and encourage great things. And I love it! There are lots of definitions that get trotted out time and again, which you’ll find with a quick Google. You can read what I think here.
Who is this course for?
Anyone who is interested in working outdoors, in all weathers, with a learner-led approach. If you’re a teacher, educator, parent, youth worker, equine therapist, in fact, any adult human-being who wants to get outside and learn a new way of being then this course is for you. You’ll have to work hard, but I promise it’ll be worth it.
Will the course be just focused on teaching school children?
No! As well as running our forest school sessions in mainstream schools I specialise in teaching other groups including teenagers at risk of exclusion, children with Special Educational Needs such as speech and language delay, hearing impaired, ADHD, Autism, adults recovering from alcohol misuse and many more. I pass on as much of my knowledge and experience to you as I can and I'm always on-hand to offer advice about your own groups.
My school isn't a 'forest school' at the moment. Is this a problem?
Absolutely not! I will give you all the skills you need in order to set up your own forest school programme, whether you’re in a school with established forest school sessions or a freelancer who want to start their own groups.
Who will be training me?
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Qualification
What is the qualification?
This is the level 3 qualification that you need in order to run your own forest school sessions. Whoever you train with you will have to submit a portfolio of evidence that covers all aspects of the theory and practice of forest school and proves that you are capable of implementing this to the required standard. As part of this portfolio you will have to run 6 forest school sessions and write a case study about them.
I haven't done a Level 1 or Level 2 forest school qualification, do I have to?
The good news is no you don't! You can go straight to level 3 so long as you meet the general entry requirements.
Are there any entry requirements?
Whichever level 3 course you sign up to, whether it's with me or someone else, you will need to:
Be 21 years old or over
Have a good standard of written and spoken English
Have access to a group (not necessarily a school) that you can plan and run 6 forest school sessions with.
Be committed to furthering your own learning with up to 180 hours of self-directed study.
You don't have to have a DBS check or first aid qualification to start the course. You will need to have your DBS in place by the time your run your 6 sessions. A first aid qualification is not mandatory but is highly recommended and you will need to make sure you have some kind of first aid cover in place when you run your sessions.
Do I need a DBS check and first aid qualification in place before I start the course?
You will need to get your DBS check (or your country’s equivalent if you’re outside of the UK) before you can run your 6 sessions but you can start your training without it. You will need first aid cover in place to be able to run your six sessions for your portfolio, but this doesn’t necessarily have to be you. A first aid qualification is not mandatory but is highly recommended.
How long does it take to qualify?
You have access to the course and qualification for 18 months from the point that you sign up.
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Online
How does online training work?
The level 3 forest school training starts online, where you can begin to understand the theories and practices that are involved in forest school. You can start this at any time and progress at your own pace. If you want to attend a workshop, you will choose the date when you book your course. Workshops are 5 days in the Wye Valley. You will have a maximum of 18 months to complete your portfolio.
Can I do the training 100% Online?
Yes. The course and assessments have been created so that you can complete the course 100% online. You will still be required to go outside and put everything into practice, run 6 sessions and master a series of practical skills. This option is especially useful for people who already work outdoors or in a forest school setting.
Is this suitable for people outside of the UK?
Yes! The online course has been developed so that you can access it from anywhere in the world. I have qualified students in America, Australia, Spain, Poland and Denmark. I’ve adapted the training to include information about temperate woodlands in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. My team and I will support you to adapt your forest school to the culture and climate that you work in.
You will need a good standard of both written and spoken English in order to do this course. If you have any questions then please get in touch.
I don’t have a computer, can I take the course from my iPhone?
You can access the online portal from your mobile phone, but it definitely works better on a computer. I recommend a computer if at all possible.
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Workshops
How do I get to Tintern?
Your base for Workshops is the Wye Valley Sculpture Garden in Tintern. This is just 40 minutes from Bristol, Gloucester and Cardiff with good access to the M4, M5 and M50. And now there is no bridge toll on the Severn Bridge so it’s cheaper to get here!
The nearest train station is Chepstow and there are hourly bus links to Tintern, although they don’t always coincide and there is no bus service to Tintern on a Sunday. The bus stops right outside the Wye Valley Sculpture Garden.
Many people share lifts to the course and others choose to camp or find a place to stay in the area. I think there's a bit of magic in the trees around here, it's a beautiful part of the British Isles and my students find it an inspiring place to learn. So much so that they come back time and again (and I often meet them for a catch-up!).
Do I have to decide which workshop I want to join before I sign up?
Yes. Spaces on workshops can fill up about 10 months in advance. You will choose your workshop date when you book. The joy of the online training is that you can get stuck in now, build up your knowledge and expertise while you wait for your workshop to come around.
When do workshops take place?
You can begin your forest school training online at any point, so long as there are places available. You will choose your workshop date when you book. There are 4 workshops each year; Easter holidays, May (term-time), June (term-time) and the first week of the summer holidays.
How long is the workshop?
You will compete a total of 5 consecutive days of training.
The course begins at 9:30 each morning and we will finish by 4:30pm (3pm on Friday).
You have access to the course and qualification for 18 months.
Where are your workshops?
All in-person workshops take place at the beautiful Wye Valley Sculpture Garden in Tintern, NP16 7NX.
Courses are run entirely outside with as much hands-on practical activity as possible.
Aren't your workshops in the middle of nowhere?!?
Your base for the workshops is the Wye Valley Sculpture Garden in Tintern. This is just 40 minutes from Bristol, Gloucester and Cardiff with good access to the M4, M5 and M50. And now there is no bridge toll on the Severn Bridge so it’s cheaper to get here!
The nearest train station is Chepstow and there are hourly bus links to Tintern (although they don’t always coincide!). The bus stops right outside the Wye Valley Sculpture Garden (but doesn’t run on Sundays).
Many of my students choose to camp or find a place to stay in the area.
Portfolio
I only have access to school grounds and they're not very green, is this a problem?
You’re not alone! Plenty of people run forest school sessions without much access to green space. You will still be able to run activities following the forest school ethos. You may have to improvise or get creative with resources, but many people gain their qualification in such surroundings.
Do I have to run my 6 sessions in a school?
No! They key thing is that you have more or less the same people attending each time so that you can see their progression. It does not have to be in a school and it doesn’t even have to be children! My students run sessions for Scouting groups, as parent and toddler groups, at city farms - whatever works for you!
How much work will I have to do for my portfolio?
The qualification is the equivalent of an A-Level. You’re supposed to allow for between 120-180 hours of self-directed study.
Is assessment based on a written work, practical skills or observation?
You will have to provide a portfolio of evidence to show that you understand what you have learned on the course and that you're putting it into practice. Usually this is in the form of essay-style writing but I encourage my students to use as many innovative methods as possible, such as videos, if that makes it more interesting for you (and me!).
How do I submit my portfolio?
I use Dropbox for submission of work. This is an efficient and environmentally-friendly way of submitting you work and you can see feedback immediately. It also stops Inka, the forest school dog, from getting her grubby paws (and teeth) on all your hard work. If you're not familiar with Dropbox, don't worry! I cover everything you need to know during your training.
What tech skills will I need?
This course has a lot of online content so there are a number of technical skills that you will need:
Access and play video content: a laptop or desktop computer is best but tablets and smartphones also work. I am currently in the process of adding subtitles to all my videos so you will be able to watch without sound if you need to, or to make it easier to understand me!
Word processing: A lot of the portfolio work will be written and this is best done on a computer. If you really can’t do this, we will accept hand-written work so long as it is legible and we can receive it in a digital format (scanned is best). If you have questions about this then please get in touch and we will figure out how to make it work for you.
Email: This is how we communicate with you.
Dropbox: All of your coursework is submitted digitally, so you will need to use Dropbox. If you are able to add a document to an email then you should be fine with Dropbox. There are plenty of videos online about how to use it.
Video recording: This is the best (and most interesting) way to show us your practical skills. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, a simple video recorded on a smartphone is good enough. So long as we can see what you’re doing and hear what you’re saying (and that it’s short!) then it should be fine.
Payment
Can I pay in installments?
Yes, you can choose to pay in full or over 3 or 6 months. All payment options give you instant access and I don’t charge any fees for paying in instalments.
Please make sure that you have read my Terms and Conditions before you sign up to the course. No refunds are given outside of your statutory rights. Payment plans are automatically processed on the same day that you sign up (i.e. 5th of every month if you join on the 5th) over consecutive months. This course is eligible for PayPal Credit. When at checkout, choose Paypal as your payment method and choose PayPal credit.
My school is paying for my training. Can you send them an invoice or complete a purchase order?
Of course, just ask them to fill in this form with everything they need from me and I will send one over. You will receive your login details as soon as payment is received.
Do you do courses for private groups?
If you have 5 or more of you who would like to do the course then I will put on an in-person course especially for you at the Wye Valley Sculpture Garden, subjects to dates being available. Email me for more information.