Detailed information click on Forest School Level 3 link on right...
February 18 - 19th & March 1st - 3rd (split 5 day intensive)
CPD Days - active learning in a roofless classroom
We can guarantee you will leave with new cross curriclular activities, lots of CfE links and a passion for using your own outdoor classroom all the time.
May 7th - Early/First Level,
July 23rd - Senior Phase, Health & Wellbeing
Sept.24th - Level 3/4
Nov. 19th - Level 2
Cycle Training - CPD
April 23rd - cycling with groups
May 8th - basic cycle training
August 20th - cycling to engage the disaffected
Trail Cycle Leader course
April 17th & 18th
May 22nd & 23rd
June 26th & 27th
July 17th & 18th
Contact : jbarrabr@aol.com or simon.harry@forest-education.org
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We are still gathering names of those who wish to be sent more information/booking forms for the next Forest School Practitioner Level 3 course - February 18th - 19th and March 1st - 3rd The dates for paediatric outdoor first aid and the practical assessment will be agreed with the group participants during the 2 days in February.
Those who cannot manage this course but are still interested please add your name to the e-mail list -
e-mail : jbarrabr@aol.com
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Forest School Introduction
[ edit ] [ delete ] Forest School at Abriachan Forest Trust
Abriachan Forest Trust (AFT) is the first and longest running Forest School provider in the Highlands. Since 2004, AFT has been delivering Forest School programmes to schools, colleges, youth and adult groups coupled with health and well being programmes. These have provided groups with the opportunity to experience an outdoor / forest environment through focused and structured learning ,
developing self-esteem, confidence and interpersonal skills in the process.
AFT has a purpose built forest classroom which offers year round teaching whatever the weather (there are only a few days when snow restricts access).
In addition to the forest classroom, AFT also has a number of sites throughout the forest specifically built to offer exciting teaching and learning opportunities for all groups. We have an outdoor all weather Forest School site, shelter building area, a versatile round house/bronze age dwelling/Celtic home/Gruffalo shelter/Hagrid's hut, a wildlife hide, two tree houses, an all weather adventure play park and hidden on the hill a shieling, whisky still, peat path and a Celtic calendar.
What is Forest school?:
Forest School is an inspirational process that offers children, young people and adults, regular opportunities to achieve, and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands on learning experiences in a local woodland environment.
The Forest School ethos focuses on an approach to learning that maximises the emotional, social and developmental beneifts of education.
Forest School works with children and young people in the outdoors over a period of time, working with a higher than normal staffing ratio, introducing responsible risk-taking and setting participants up to achieve. Forest School is run by a qualified Forest Leader (level 3), together with other staff who are well versed in the Forest School process
Forest School:
Provides child initiated and self directed learning
Takes place in a safe and supportive environment
Is run by trained staff
Has small groups and high staff:participant ratio
Recognises individuals' learning needs
Takes into account different learning styles
Enables learning how to take appropriate risks safely
Uses small achievable tasks which become increasingly challenging
Involves freely chosen play
Improves social skills
Improves knowledge and understanding of the natural environment
Activities can include exploring, bush craft, campfires and cooking, den building, green play, woodwork, foraging, using tools, woodland management, environmental education games, art and music, mathematics, science, history, sustainability...
Forest School is suitable for anyone. It is particularly beneficial for Early Years children, local community groups, young people not succeeding in school for whatever reason, adults and children with physical disabilities, challenging behaviour, learning difficulties and many others
What does Forest school aim to achieve?
A recent study carried out by the Forestry Commission in Wales measured the beneficial effects of Forest School with a group of children from Pentre Primary School in N.Wales. The areas of benefit they identified reflect the outcomes which time and again, are associated with Forest School. These are:
Increased self-esteem and self-confidence
Improved social skills
The development of language and communication skills
Improved physical motor skills
Improved motivation and concentration
Increased knowledge and understanding of the environment
Worcestershire council have also undertaken research into the benefits of Forest School the results of which can be found at
http://worcestershire.whub.org.uk/home/ ... arch-2.pdf
What are the different levels of training?
To be a Forest School Leader it is important to undertake the necessary training.
Level 3 training is available to teachers, support assistants, children's services workers, active schools co-ordinators, community youth workers, nursery nurses, etc, with relevant experience.
Level 2 training is shorter, and designed for people with less previous experience of working with children and young people, or those who only want to work as assistants.
Level 1 training is available to people who only want to work on existing school/nursery/playwork sites alongside Level 3 practitioners.
Teacher training and INSET days:
AFT offers training to teacher requiring an insight to the forest school process. INSET days can be organised and run offering a mix of both throretical and practical activities designed to explore the benifits and practicalities of taking part in Forest school.
traing days will explore the ethos of FS and way in which the techniques learned through the various levels of trainig can be applied into everyday teaching practice
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