Date: Thursday 8th October 2026, 4-6pm at Scotswood Garden
There's more info about this CPD session further down the page.
Thanks to everyone who attended our first alumni training sessions this year for qualified Forest School practitioners - the Whittling workshops in the spring and our Alumni Get Together this summer. Thanks for all your feedback too.
We recognise that sometimes being a Forest School leader can be a rather solitary role, so we're working on expanding our range workshops for the next school year to offer you more opportunities to not only develop your skills, but also to connect and share with other Forest School practitioners.
For all workshops we offer two tier pricing - one price for people who trained with us and a slightly higher price for people who trained elsewhere.
If you trained with us, but don't receive our emails, please let us know This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
**SOLD OUT**Next Forest School Alumni Workshop: Cooking on the Fire - Thursday 8th October 2026, 4-6pm**SOLD**
One of the areas some of you said you'd like to develop is cooking on the fire. So our next workshop is designed to take your outdoor cooking skills to the next level. The workshop focuses on how to manage a fire effectively for different cooking scenarios. It will develop your confidence in cooking over a fire — from managing heat and choosing the right equipment to applying safe, effective food hygiene outdoors — while exploring creative, seasonal campfire recipes to use with your groups. The workshop includes plenty of time for you to practise, lots of practical hints and tips, plus time for your questions too.
It's also a great opportunity to meet other people who are working in Forest School and to catch up with your former tutors too.
All alumni CPD sessions are run by our own supportive and knowledgeable staff.
When: Thursday 8th October 2026, 4pm-6pm
Where: Scotswood Garden, Yewcroft Avenue, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE15 6TU
Cost: £30 if you did your Forest School training with us or you are currently training with us, £40 if you did your training elsewhere.
Entry requirements: Level 1 or a Level 3 Forest School qualification (or to be currently training with us)
To book your place: https://forms.gle/aJyRWD8VxJAoSUcP7
Questions? email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
SORRY THIS WORKSHOP IS SOLD OUT
Feedback on our first alumni CPD workshops in April and May this year
"It’s fantastic to get the opportunity to continue to improve and learn best practice."
"An excellently delivered course with clear instruction, strong safety guidance, and plenty of practical experience. It has really increased my confidence in delivering whittling activities to students safely and effectively."
"Easy to understand, relaxed but very informative."
"I feel like I could take this (training) back to my intervention group and confidently do it."
"Excellent teaching from Alice - she’s very good at explaining and demonstrating competently, safely and in a way that feels very inclusive. I learned new techniques and then got to apply them straight away. Really enjoyed session."
"Meeting different people is a great way of sharing ideas and gaining helpful hints and tips for running sessions and where to get resources from etc."
Welcome to our Level 3 Forest School Leaders training page. This is the course to do if you want to lead your own Forest School sessions. The Forest School part is 10 days long, and the First Aid is an additional two days, making 12 days in total. The total cost is £950 + £160 = £1110. Please read on to find out more about it.
To request a booking form for our Spring Level 3 course, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATE FOR FOREST SCHOOL LEADERS (10 DAYS) This comprehensive, ten-day course represents the industry standard in Forest School training. Designed by our expert tutor, Harriet Menter, and Lily Horseman of Kindling Play and Training (member of the Forest School Association board of directors), this course supports you to understand everything you need to know to design and run a Forest School programme safely and effectively including:
- How children and young people learn and develop.
- Learning about woodland plants and animals and how to care for woodlands.
- Practical skills including fire lighting, cooking, using tools, tying knots, erecting play structures and building shelters.
- How to safely teach these practical skills to a group.
- How to maintain safety and wellbeing, and understand the relationship between risk and developmental benefit.
- How to effectively communicate the ethos and benefits of Forest School.
The course is fun and inspirational, taught through an enjoyable and supportive learning process with clear, easy to understand teaching materials. It is taught both indoors and outdoors through a mixture of games, practical activities, reflection and creative presentations.
The course is accredited by ITC First and is equivalent to an A level. Participants are assessed in their learning through the submission of 20 assessment tasks, completed throughout the course. Some tasks will be completed during the training and some will be written up in between the taught sessions. Participants on the course will also need to plan and deliver six Forest School sessions with the same group of learners (these can be children or adults). We’ll provide you with more details of the coursework when you contact us to book.
FIRST AID TRAINING (2 DAYS) Alongside the Level 3 Forest School Leaders course, you will spend an additional two days at Scotswood Garden doing Outdoor First Aid and Paediatric First Aid training. It is a requirement of the Level 3 Forest School Leaders course to hold the Level 3 Outdoor First Aid qualification. We also cover the Level 3 Paediatric First Aid during these two days, given that most people are working with children. Both these courses are also accredited by ITC First and run for us by Susan Byrne from Where We Tread. Not only is Susan a first aid trainer, but also a fully qualified and experienced Forest School leader who has worked with us over many years.
We’ve incorporated the first aid training into the course offer so that you don’t have to find, book and pay for a separate outdoor first aid course elsewhere. The total cost of both First Aid training courses is £160 - £140 (Outdoor First Aid) and £20 (Paediatric First Aid).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION All participants receive a 5% discount on forest school resources from Muddy Faces Home | Muddy Faces; and one year's membership of the Forest School Association.
FEEDBACK FROM RECENT LEVEL 3 PARTICIPANTS
"Quite honestly I felt in very safe and professional hands. Even before it started I felt that needs were met. The content was completely inspirational and delivered with such passion and confidence it would have been hard not to be immersed in learning at all times. The complete diversity of teaching styles was really engaging and really taught me a lot".
"Wonderful setting and welcoming place."
"What an experience! Forest School has been a really incredible learning experience that has changed a part of me. I've found peace in the forest and learnt a lot along the way."
“Harriet and Kay are amazing! Inspirational, motivational, professional, approachable and wonderful people who have converted me to the forest school life!"
"Unbelievable training course, you would be hard pressed to find a more inspirational, engaging and playful training course for all leaders".
BOOKING INFORMATION
Before you book: Please read our “Coursework and Training Time Commitment” document which goes into more detail about the coursework and time involved. To request this document and to book, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. If you are booking the course for a colleague, please ensure you have shared this information with them. Thank you. Please note: Participants must be 19 years old or over.
Course dates starting in SPRING 2027 - BOOKING NOW
All days are Thursdays and Fridays, all 9-5 (except first aid days which run until 5.30pm):
Days 1-4: 11th, 12th, 18th and 19th March 2027
Outdoor First Aid training days: Either 20th & 21st May or 27th & 28th May (you can choose whilst available)
Days 5-6: 1st and 2nd July 2027
Days 7-10: 4th, 5th, 11th and 12 November 2027
Learners must attend all 12 days of training to complete the course.
Course dates starting in AUTUMN 2026 *Sorry, this course is now full, but there are still spaces on the waiting list* - All Thursdays and Fridays, all 9-5 (except first aid days which run to 5.30pm): 15th, 16th, 22nd & 23rd October 2026; 26th & 27th November 2026* (First Aid days); 25th & 26th Feb 2027; 10th, 11th, 17th & 18th June 2027.
Entry requirements: We ask that all participants on the Level 3 course have at least one of the following:
- A Level 1 Introduction to Forest school certificate
- A minimum of two years of experience of working with children or young people
- A qualification relating to children or young people.
Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to request a booking form.
Cost per person: £950 Course fee + £140 Outdoor First Aid training fee + £20 Paediatric First Aid fee = £1110
We offer two subsidised places on each Level 3 course (half price, i.e. £545) for people on low incomes who are paying for the course themselves. People from backgrounds that are under-represented in outdoor education (for example, people of colour or disabled people) will be given priority. For more information and an application form, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Other funding - If you are aged 18-30 and not in work, you may be eligible to apply for funding to cover part of the course fee from the King's Fund. See here for more information: Get funding to train and learn | Development Awards
We're a great place for a work meeting or an away day. We have ample parking on site and we are only five minutes from the A1/A69 roundabout. Our beautiful garden space makes a refreshing backdrop to any event, plus we have indoor space too. In choosing to run your event at our place, you'll also be supporting our work with nature and our local community. Please get in touch to find out more.
Corporate days
Do you and your team really need to take some time out of the office? Why not visit us for the day? You'll be out in the fresh air, either working on regular maintenance of the garden or tackling a specific project. Our indoor space means that you can also have some meeting time. Lunch can be provided. We offer a limited number of slots for corporate away days each year. The cost of a corporate away day starts at £350. Please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Venue hire
Contact us to hire either a small space for a meeting or to use the whole garden and hub for a large event. Catering can be provided. Please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Forest School Ethos and Principles (a two-day course)
Our next Level 1 course: Thursday 8th and Friday 9th July 2027
You must attend both days to be awarded the qualfication. No prior knowledge is required. Questions? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Level 1 Introduction to Forest School Ethos and Principles course is suitable for those at the start of their forest school journey. It gives an overview of the principles, introducing many of the skills, and providing a range of ideas for activities and games which participants can use in their own settings. It covers the forest school ethos and the theory that underpins it, plus an opportunity to try practical skills such as fire lighting, using tools and putting up shelters, flora and fauna identification, risk assessment and management, and managing the environmental impact.
It's open to everyone. Not only teachers, teaching assistants, nursery staff and youth workers attend the course, but also people working with children or adults across a range of settings; as well as those who just want to learn about Forest School. The Level 1 course is also a great way to decide whether Forest School is for you, before embarking on the more involved Level 3 Forest School Leadership course. Please note that no prior experience or knowledge is necessary to join this course.
We provide a course workbook with nine, short written assessment tasks. There will be time to complete these during the course, although you are welcome to take your workbook home to add extra information. After the course, once assessed, the workbook is yours to keep for reference.
All three days of training take place at our beautiful site at Scotswood Garden, NE15 6TU, with two of our knowledgeable and supportive trainers. Participants must attend both days to complete the course. This course is accredited by ITC First.
Course fee per person: £300. We offer one subsidised place on each Level 1 course (half price, i.e. £150) for people on low incomes (who are paying for their own places on the course). People from backgrounds that are under represented in outdoor education (e.g. people of colour, disabled people) will be given priority.
Please note that you can also pay in instalments in the months leading up to the course, although we do ask that all course fees are paid in full before the first day of the course.
For a subsidised place application form, to discuss instalments or for any other query, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can book directly onto this course from the link at the top of this page. Thank you.
Feedback from recent Level 1 participants
"High quality teaching by trainers who boosted my confidence, knowledge and commitment to the outdoors."
"Friendly, inclusive and down to earth."
"Outstanding on a personal and professional level."
"The support was immeasurable."
"The setting was stunning, and extremely therapeutic and inspirational."
"The trainers were excellent - very approachable, knowledgeable and interesting. They complemented each other so well."
"The course provided a brilliant springboard for me to improve my own school setting."
"Will take lots of new ideas away to share with reception children."
"Very useful for life and work."
For more information please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Other funding - If you are aged 18-30 and not in work, you may be eligible to apply for funding to cover part of the course fee from the King's Fund. See here for more information: Get funding to train and learn | Development Awards
