Level 3 Forest School Leader Training (ITC)

When you join us on Forest School Leader Training, you will not only become a confident practitioner, but a valued member of a deeply connected, learner-led community, developing your skills, knowledge and experience through collaboration and connection, through and within Nature.
We value the diverse experience that all our trainees bring to this year-long course across the seasons, sharing challenges, celebrating successes, asking questions and finding collaborative answers and perspectives.
The majority of our training is in the outdoors, hosted at the truly inspirational Sylva Foundation Wood Centre, with access to a variety of woodlands and an onsite Forest School setting. The training barn provides shelter and access to resources while regular webinars, peer study groups, tutorials and online resources offer ongoing support in between workshops to complete coursework and provide a reflective space.
We believe that our training truly embodies the ethos and principles of Forest School and that by offering 12 days of face to face training, a Level 3 sixteen-hour Outdoor First Aid qualification, a Level 2 Outdoor Food Safety qualification all included in the course fees and dates, that we are true to our holistic approach to the roles and responsibilities of the Forest School Leader.

- a minimum of 12 face to face days, covering practical skills including fire and cooking, tool use, knots and ropes, shelter building, as well as gaining the background theoretical knowledge and the opportunity to plan and deliver a session for local school children.

- free trainee membership of the Forest School Association for 1 year from the start of your training course.

- 16-hour Outdoor First Aid qualification (Level 3 ITC)

- Outdoor Food Safety qualification (Level 2 ITC)

- a half-day mentoring visit from your tutor during your own "Introduction to Forest School" programme.

- a half-day fact-finding and peer-observation visit to a Forest School in action near you

- individual and group tutorials

- monthly webinars

- a one-day portfolio workshop, with support and guidance to gather and complete parts of your portfolio of evidence

- a free copy of "Growing a Forest School From the Roots Up" (aka The Forest School Manual, written by FSA Endorsed Trainers)

Please note that the minimum age to access this Level 3 qualification is 19 years but that the minimum age to practise as a Forest School Leaders is 21. This is a Forest School Association and Department for Education requirement.

We believe that our Forest School Leader training course embodies the ethos and principles of Forest School by providing a truly holistic learning and collaborating experience. We know that allowing each and every one of our trainees to develop their own unique path over time, to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to set up and run your sessions independently, is the best way to ensure and embed long-term success and sustainability.

We offer the ITC Level 3 Certificate for Forest School Leaders, a regulated qualification which is approved by and meets the requirements of the Forest School Association. Our training centre works in collaboration with Urban Outdoor Learning, an Awarding Centre for ITC First qualifications.

We understand that it usually takes 12 months from starting training to completing your qualification and that this process can be a huge undertaking. As experienced trainers, we are fully committed to tailoring the support you need to achieve the qualification by providing a wide range of resources that work for your way of learning, your personal and professional context and your individual needs. We draw on our broad experience of working with both neurodivergent and neurotypical adults and children in a wide range of settings to help you to connect with other Forest School leaders that work in a similar context to yours.
In that way, our training will support you to plan, prepare, assess and reflect on your practice as a Forest School leader by experiencing all the areas of learning in a hands-on approach.

We embrace practical forms of formal and peer-assessment, collaborative learning and peer teaching throughout the training, which differentiates us from many other Forest School training providers, ensuring that together we build confidence and understanding in putting the Forest School ethos and principles into practice.

We are proud of our strong connections to the FSA, the UK professional body that supports us as much as our learners; our connections with Flo’s The Place in the Park - Forest School Nursery, Long Wittenham and Stonesfield Primary schools and local Home Ed settings, where opportunities to visit and volunteer, to network and learn in and around the heart of Oxford, extend your training experience even further.