Intensive L2 Forest School Assistant

Our training is held at the Sylva Foundation Wood Centre, where we have access to the Future Forest Forest School site, planted by local schools, beautiful ancient woodlands, and a local nature reserve.

Our courses are co-created with you. We believe in the power of collaboration and its ability to enhance the learning experience. Together, we explore how and why the Forest School approach meets the pressing needs of every generation.

At the heart of our training are the ethos and principles of Forest School. We invite you to take the reins of your learning journey, exploring and growing at your own pace. Our trainers are not just instructors; they are facilitators, coaches, and guides here to support and empower you. We value your unique experiences, knowledge, and interests, and we believe in the power of learning from each other.

We understand that life can be complicated. Our training is designed to be flexible; our small, person-centred cohorts ensure a supportive learning environment. Don't worry about missing a workshop due to work, illness, or family commitments; we've got you covered. Our program is designed to accommodate your specific needs. New courses seamlessly link with the previous one, providing real-life clients to our more experienced trainees as part of their practical skills assessment. You can join the following cohort and catch up on missed days.

You will train alongside peers who are gaining the Level 3 Forest School leader qualification. You may top up the L2 Forest School Assistant qualification to become a Level 3 Forest School leader within two years of gaining certification for an additional fee. You may also gain the L2 Forest School First Aid qualification for an extra cost.

Teaching assistants, parent volunteers, early years practitioners, and youth leaders training as Forest School Assistants to support Level 3 qualified Forest School leaders within their schools and settings. It also serves as a stepping stone to gaining the Level 3 Forest School leader qualification for colleagues not yet ready to set up and lead a Forest School programme.

This course requires the learner to support a Level 3 qualified Forest School Leader with planning and delivering three consecutive sessions of a Forest School programme. We run this concurrently with our Level 3 training, so learners often attend with their colleagues who are also Level 3 Leaders.

Please note: this qualification does not equip or qualify the learner to lead Forest School sessions without a qualified L3 Forest School Leader.

Training Dates
Sat 5 Jul 2025 - Sun 6 Jul 2025
Mon 7 Jul - Rest and reflection day
Tues 8 Jul - Fri 11 Jul
Tues 15 Jul - Weds 16 Jul

Optional additional training - specialist L3 16-hour Outdoor First Aid course Sat 12 Jul - Sun 13 Jul - please speak to your trainer

The learner must be at least 19 years old at the time of qualification.

This intensive training is delivered through in-person workshops over one week, followed by ongoing virtual support and interactive monthly webinars over 9-12 months. You may begin studying before joining us in person at Sylva. Please contact us directly to arrange this.

You will have 50 hours of direct contact/ support. The remaining 20 hours will be required for self-study, visiting different woodlands, creating group presentations, practising skills, and making craft items, as well as supporting the planning, preparation, and delivery of three consecutive Forest School sessions.

The learner must set up a Gmail address for their Forest School training to access online resources and create an electronic portfolio. We will be giving full support.

The learner may expect to work collaboratively on projects, communicate their learning to peers, and produce a wide range of evidence for their portfolio, including annotated photographs, video, and audio recordings alongside more formal written assignments.

Our training programme includes student membership of the Forest School Association.

Our Level 2 training runs concurrently with our Level 3 training, enabling assistants and leaders to train together.