All our training courses are currently taking place outside in our ancient woodland Frithy Wood under the shelter of the canopy, including the theory elements.

Course dates:

Monday 16th - Friday 20th October 2023
Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th November
Friday 8th, Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th March 2024

16 hour Forest School First Aid with optional Paediatric certificate:
Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th February 2024

Who is it for?

The Level 3 qualification is designed for practitioners who have experience working with children/young people or adult groups and who wish to plan, coordinate and deliver forest school programmes. People come from a range of backgrounds into forest school; environmental, scouting, teaching, rangers, early year’s practitioners, ecologists, child minders, artists etc.

The coursework will take at least 12 -18 months to complete.

This FULL Level 3 qualification is equivalent to an A-Level and you should be prepared to commit to a large amount of self-study and intense experience.

Approximately one-third of the course consists of contact time with other students and the Tutors - around 96 hours of Guided learning. The remaining hours are for students to undertake self-directed and independent study - approximately 84 hours of home study.

Entry requirements:

  • to be at least 19 (NB you are required to be 21 in order to practice but as the course takes 12-18 months to complete you can start training at 19)
  • to have at least 2 years’ experience working with groups in a leadership capacity and /or a recognised qualification to level 2 at least in teaching, childcare, play work, youth work or support work

Before you run your programme you will need:

  • Access to site with permission to run Forest School.
  • Outdoor First Aid training.
  • Safeguarding checks: DBS.
  • Access to a group of children, young people or adults to work with.
  • If you have little experience of Forest School then we highly recommend volunteering at a local Forest School setting - either at a school, nursery or local Outdoor Forest School setting.  Also we advise beginning the process of looking for a placement to run your 6 pilot sessions.  If you attend the Spring training with GLT for example, then you should be aiming to run your pilot sessions in the Autumn term.

Breakdown of training programme:

AIM formally Open College Network West Midlands Level 3 Certificate carries 18 credits at Level 3 delivered over 12 months. Level 3 is equivalent to an A level, 18 credits is 180 hours of learning time. Approximately 96 hours are guided learning hours and the rest is self-directed learning.

The course content covers 5 Units:

Unit 1: Learning and development at a Forest School programme - Essays will be required on child development, learning and behaviour as well as forest school ethos

Unit 2: Practical skills for a forest school programme -A whole range of practical sessions on fire, tools, rope and woodland ecology

Unit 3: Forest School programmes and the woodland environment - Includes producing a 3 year management plan and an Environmental impact assessment plan

Unit 4: Planning and preparation for a Forest School programme - Create a Forest School handbook

Once all of the above elements are completed you will be plan a Forest School programme and run 6 sessions which will have to be documented in detail.  A member of Green Light Trust's Tutor team will attend one of these 6 sessions to assess your practice and delivery.

Unit 5: Forest School delivery case study - Final piece of work

On successful completion of the coursework, students should receive certification and be qualified as a Forest School Practitioner within 12-18 months of starting the course. All our courses are accredited by AIM formally Open College Network West Midlands and Green Light Trust is a Recognised Centre.

Your hand in dates for each workbook will be staggered across the year.

Forest School First Aid with optional Paediatric certification:

The Forest School First Aid course is based on the 16 hrs Outdoor First Aid course. However, it is contextualised to the Forest School setting. It covers children (1 – pre-puberty) and adults and validates Forest School Leaders and outdoor qualifications.
As Forest School predominately takes place with children in early years settings or primary education, a Paediatric First Aid qualification can be added to the course. Many of the assessment criteria are included in both qualifications. However, to meet Ofsted requirements the assessment criteria for infants (0 – 12 months) must be included, to be able to award a Paediatric First Aid certificate in addition.
• The outdoor elements cover the requirements of the IOL’s ‘Guidance of Outdoor First Aid’ and some insurance companies.
• The Paediatric elements meet Ofsted requirements and uses the criteria found in Appendix 1 of the EYFS practice guidance document.
Learners can therefore register solely for the 16 hrs Forest School First Aid course or if required, by completing the additional Paediatric assessment criteria amalgamated into the course, can also gain a Paediatric First Aid certificate.

Course delivery process:

1o tutor-led days: 1 x 5 days, 1 x weekend and 1 x 3 days

Your training journey at GLT:

From the moment our students arrive we are modelling Forest School ethos and possibly one of the most important elements of Forest school; How to hold a space, create a sense of belonging and community, make people feel safe, welcomed and comfortable.

We will be having small group and whole group discussion on topics such as play, holistic development, learning theories etc. Outside we will be building dens, playing game, learning lots of practical skills, cooking, swinging etc. You will experience what Forest School looks like, what it feels like and be held in a space where everyone is offered unconditional positive regard. Each person will be celebrated for their uniqueness in an atmosphere of community kindness and respect.

Assessment methods: You will either gain a pass or have additional work to complete before we pass you.

You will be assessed during your training on your practical skills, such as tool use and fire lighting.

Student support:

  • Contact with tutors: Contact can be made at any point by email via Lindsay in the office [email protected]
  • FAQ’s page on the website
  • Student only login pages on the website for access to coursework, handouts, links etc.

Venue: The Foundry, Golden Wood, Frithy Wood.

The Foundry Green Light Trust headquarters

The Foundry is a beautiful ecologically built building, warm and welcoming and this is our base during training. Tea making facilities and snacks available all day.

Golden Woods was planted with love by volunteers and is an inspiring place just outside The Foundry. We will be spending time there during training.

Frithy Wood is our ‘working’ coppiced hazel ancient woodland where groups are led every day of the week on different programmes. It is a beautiful place, with badger sets, rare butterflies and flowers and is truly magical it is a 10 minute minibus drive away from The Foundry.

How to prepare:

Acquire an understanding of the Forest School ethos. You could visit an existing Forest School setting in your locality and/or check out the Forest School Association website:

www.forestschoolassociation.org

 Appropriate clothing and footwear

 Check out our recommended pre-course reading list which you will receive with your joining pack

Application process:

Book Online

We will then contact you to confirm your booking and send information pack and course details.

Tickets:

Full Price including Paediatric First Aid - £1379.00

Full Price including Forest School First Aid - £1359.00

Full Price  WITHOUT First Aid - £1199.00

or a DEPOSIT ticket of £100 (with or without First Aid), and we will invoice you separately for the balance depending on whether or not you require the First Aid certificate

Please ensure you click the green "CONFIRM" button at the end of the BOOKING FORM and the green "COMPLETE PURCHASE" on the following 'BASKET' page in order to COMPLETE YOUR BOOKING

If your booking has been successful and you have ticked that you are happy to receive email communications, you will receive a confirmation email. If you do not receive a confirmation email please ring the office on 01284 830829 to check the status of your booking.

 

Book a place

Ticket Quantity Price

FS L3 Foundry October23 with FS First Aid

Decrease Increase £1,359.00

FS L3 Foundry October23 DEPOSIT

Decrease Increase £100.00

FS L3 Foundry October23 NO FIRST AID

Decrease Increase £1,199.00

FS L3 October23 with Paediatric First Aid

Decrease Increase £1,379.00