Where can I do Forest School training?

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust at Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, Brandon Lane, Coventry CV3 3GW.   We offer Level 2 (Assistant) and Level 3 (Leader) training.

What course should I do?

It depends whether you want a qualification for an assistant or a leader.  Warwickshire Wildlife Trust runs 2 Forest School courses:

1. Level 2 Forest Schools Assistants Award.
A great introduction to Forest School. This enjoyable level 2 award is for those who want to assist at Forest School, but don't want to be a leader.  This is a 3-day course run at Brandon Marsh Nature Centre. Training takes place over 3 consecutive days.

Portfolio completion: 3 months after completion of training.
The assessment takes place on the last day of the training course

2. Level 3 Forest School Practitioners award
The Level 3 award is aimed at individuals wanting to lead and manage a Forest School session with young people or adults The training comprises seven days of training with tutor contact time. These days are a mixture of practical and classroom-based study. Students then have nine months to complete a portfolio of work which is expected to take approximately 120 hours of self- directed study.  See our webpage with further details

What Qualifications Do I Need?

Level 2 Entry requirements:
You need to be attached to a existing Forest school

Level 3 Entry Requirements:

• A qualification of Level 2 or above in youth, community, education or related field.

• You will need to identify a suitable site to use for your sessions. Ideally this should be somewhere which can be dedicated to use for Forest School, have a variety of habitats and be accessible for your client group. Some people like to 'fence off' their Forest School sites - this can be done in a variety of ways. For further inspiration please visit our sites and case studies page.

• You should hold an existing CRB check
• You will need suitable insurance cover
• You will need to work with a group to complete your qualification, we would expect that you have this arranged before you come to do your training.

Do I have to be a teacher?

No, some of our Forest School students and graduates are teaching assistants and childminders

How long does the course last?

Level 2 training lasts 3 days.  You then have 3 months to complete a portfolio.

Level 3 training is for an initial 5 days, followed by 2 practical skills days.  You then have a portfolio which you have 9 months to complete.

Can I get funding?

You can try applying to Local Authorities, LEA Funding, Forestry, sustainable development groups, sure start, School TA's and any local bursaries that might be available.

How long does a Forest School Session last?
A Forest School session should last for a miniumum of one and a half hours.  Most last around 2 hours and some last longer.