Forest Schools ?

[WolfCub]

Hello all, quite a while ago here some people mentioned Forest Schools. At the time I was curious but not in a position to do anything.

This has now changed in that we have moved on to the wifes famillies farm and are expanding and improving the educational school visits provided there.

Several of the Trainers and coordinators of the school visits have commented on what I already do here with the Cubs regularly and likened it to Forest Schools. They've suggested it's something to pursue.

I'd be grateful if any here who have a working knowledge of it could provide any input. Is it something worth me investing the time and cost in getting qualified for ?

Thanks, Duncan

 

[Chris G]

Hi Duncan,

Have a look at the IOL Forest school page, the Forest Schools.com page and also Bridgewater College website (http://www.bridgwater.ac.uk/sec4.php?sec4ID=415&secID=6).

Let us know how you get on (I'm seriously thinking of doing the L3 training in April).

Chris

 

[WolfCub]

If we go ahead I'd have to go in at L.3 from the look of it as we'd be providing it ourselves rather than supporting an 'in school practitioner'(?) Seems like it could fit in well with other things we are setting up like Care Farming.

What I'm struggling to ballance is the costs and time involved against gains ?

 

[Chris G]

Having looked around the costs for L3 training varies anywhere between £500 & £1000. As for returns on investment; it's up to you and what your business plan says that you can reasonably get out of it.

Sorry I can't be much more help...

Saying that, the IOL Forest School SIG are having a major meeting soon. Hop onto their website, join up (think you have to be a member to attend) and get together next month with many FS Leaders - you should be able to get major feedback for minimal investment.

(Apologies for sounding like a salesman!)

Chris

 

[WolfCub]

Don't apologise Chris ! That's the sort of contacts I need to chat with.
Thanks for your input .

 

[robin wood]

I am sure you will have seen it if you are doing web search but the other main trainer in Forest schools is these folk. http://www.forestschools.com/

There is certainly demand for groups, schools etc to buy in outdoor eduction provision and they do like to see some sort of structure, appearance that you are taking what you do seriously and understand the schools educational agenda. That is probably the big success of Forest Schools, teachers can show some paperwork to prove that they were not just playing in the woods, research shows it to be beneficial in lots of ways. Doing the training courses with any of the forest school providers certainly achieves that and will help you sell yourselves. The training also makes you go through thought processes and shares best practice that you may or may not do independently. It is not the only way though, there are plenty of folk marketing outdoor skills to school groups without forest school training and so long as you go about it professionally there is nothing stopping you going that route. Examples from quick websearch though know nothing about these folk.
http://www.campfireskills.co.uk/campfire_skills.html
http://www.natural-pathways.co.uk/national-curriculum.php
http://www.woodland-ways.co.uk/information.php?id=12

 

[WolfCub]

Thanks for the links Robin, and related comments. I've done a trawl on the net for Forest Schools and found out the basics about it. Combined with comments from the Trainers etc linked to CEVAS who we go through at the moment I'm starting to get an idea of what it is.

We can already provide a very broad base of opportunities on the Farm for learning and interaction. Besides the basic traditional 'how things grow' bit etc.

Have to decide if the extra cost and 'certificate' add to what we provide and can generate visits/income.
As you say, it's good to be linked to others so you keep up to speed on what you are offering and the quality of it.

At the moment I'm not convinced F.S. is enough of an extra on top of the schemes we're already linked to to justify the £700 (aprox)Having said that it does interest me so I'm trying to sort speaking to a lady who has some involvement in Bucks.

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

There are some Nurseries up here where children don't actually go into a building all day.

This lady follows my blogg, some good ideas and links here http://creativestarlearning.blogspot.com/

 

[Osprey]

Hi WolfCub
I think you are right to think that the Forest School Training to level 3, would not give you any extra skills over those you already have. I am in a similar position to you. I work as an education Ranger and run Forest School sessions but do not have that particular qualification (I have plenty of others though!), and am not convinced that it would provide me with anything extra. I think that it would be a good qualification for anyone who does not already have experience or qualifications in education and/or outdoor or environmental activities, but given that you are already offering similar experiences I wonder if you really need it.
Forest Schools are the latest fashion in providing outdoor experiences ( and are excellent ), and there are quite a few training providers developing courses. I think it is important to remember that they are running businesses though and need to encourage paying customers.
Anyway, I hope this helps and does not come across as being too cynical.
Doug.

 

[Chris G]

I think the main thing with the training course is that, as discussed on another thread, upon completion you will have a regulated qualification which confirms a certain level of training and ability in lesson delivery. Naturally this needs to be judged against the training & abilities that you already have, and your target audiences expectations to see whether it would be of benefit to you. As Doug says; they (and you) are all running a business at the end of the day.

 

[WolfCub]

Thanks for all the comments.
I'm still not convinced, thinking along lines of Doug and Robin that other routes may suit our current position better.

I spoke to the 'cluster group coordinator' for this area earlier today. She's obviously very keen on the whole concept of Forest Schools. Hope to go along to their next meetup and try get a better feel for it.
From our conversation she's eager to find some way of us being involved.

Thanks again, Duncan

 

[Bothwell_Craig]

I'm qualified at Level 3. Don't underestimate the work involved. For me the practical skills and knowledge were a walk in the park whereas the school teachers who were on the course struggled. The flip side was the whole learning theory side of things which was exceptionally interesting for me but completely new!!

 

[Fourteenacre]

Just to add some input from the other end of the process - my daughter was lucky enough to take part in a Forest School for one afternoon a week for a half term. At the age of 8 she was part of the pilot group for her school and thoroughly enjoyed it.

In our case the teachers were put through a level of training so that they were able to run the sessions, although I think there was always an 'expert' there to lead the activity. I imagine it's a question of balancing pupils per adult, the child care responsibilities and at the same time everyone having some relevant skills.

I imagine that the scope and scale of what the kids do might vary with the age group - what she did wasn't much over and above what she does with me, but for some of the kids it was a real liberation.

 

[Fallow Way]

Hi there,

It is there for each person to make their mind up, but Forest Schools is not like other outdoor learning/skills provisons as ultimatly it is not about those things, they are a means to an end and there is a lot of work done on indepth personal, social and emotional developement, including Brain Biology etc, refining the idea of "self esteem" and look into the different aspects of this that need to be treated differently.

Lots of poeple who wonder what they might learn (because they see it as being something similiar to their current skills set - be it practical skills or teaching experience) but always go away knowing and understanding a vast amount more than they initially thought.

Osprey > I am sure what you do is fantastic, but Forest Schools are run only by qualified Forest School practitioners. Some people think they "should" do Forest School training because that is what they "should" be doing, but in actual fact, what they are doing already is amazing. It is popular and I would suggest anyone rings up and talks to someone before committing to a course as it is a lot of work and demands a lot of someone, which if it is just practical skills teaching you are after, is not Forest Schools.

 

[Osprey]

Hi FW, thanks for your insight. What I did not say in my post, as I was tying to be brief, was that the Forest Schools I am involved in are overseen by a L3 leader !
I have thought about doing the training for quite a while, but for several reasons, including financial ones, I have not yet embarked on this route. Our FEI cluster has a funding bid in at present for more training, and if lucky, I may get a subsidised place, fingers crossed.
I completely agree with you that it is the development of other qualities such as self-esteem, social skills, team work, emotional development and self belief which are the good things about Forest Schools, and it is the ability to help develop there attributes in children and others that I would like to gain experience and training in by doing the L3 training myself !
Cheers,
Doug.