Forest School Training
Are you feeling inspired to learn more about Forest School?
MUDDY FEET® Forest School courses are immersive giving you a connection with the woodland and experience what it is like to be part of a Forest School.
We work with partners to use woodland locations in your local area, all of which have been visited before your course to ensure you have the best training locations.
Through these courses, you will understand the Forest School Ethos, develop practical outdoor skills and be able to assist or deliver Forest School programmes.
As part of the training we promote reflective practice for self-development and deeper learning, we know that enrolling in these courses is the start of a very exciting Forest School journey and we will support you all the way and offer you accredited progression routes and continuous professional development.
Our tutors are professional, experienced, and keep up to date by delivering Forest School programmes throughout the year as well as the development of their own professional practice and learning.
MUDDY FEET® Forest School courses are recognised by the Forest School Association and the Institute of Outdoor Learning through our Accredited Centre Cambium Sustainable and the courses are accredited by the Awarding Body Agored Cymru.
Muddy Feet is also a member of the Forest School Association. This ensures that the course you enrol on is delivered to the highest standards.
Just to say a huge thank you for absolutely everything! You are an incredible woman and I have learned so much from you. You are very inspiring.
Jade, October 2020
I just wanted to thank you for everything, it was such a great course. I really enjoyed it from start to finish! Thank you for your support it was really appreciated. I have hung my ‘works of art’ up in the garden and already have great pans to make them with the children.
Tara, April 2021
Thanks so much for what is the most inspirational course I have attended as a teacher. I am very excited and eager to begin my own forest school sessions with the children.
Charlotte, September 2021
Enjoyed everything and feel very motivated to implement everything in school I have learnt. Looking forward to the next few months.
Brilliant course, really enjoyed this course and am looking forward to starting Forest School at our school.
Brilliant experience, makes me want to spend every day with my class in our Forest School.
Course feedback, Sept 2021
We deliver the following Forest School Courses;
Forest School Taster Sessions.
This unaccredited course is designed to introduce the Forest School ethos to your setting, delivered as a half or one-day workshop.
This course covers
- Introduction to the Forest School ethos
- The benefits of Forest School
- Identifying the skills needed for Forest School
- Practical advice on implementing Forest School programmes
- Experience of practical Forest School activities
- Reflection of learning
- Advice on next steps
- Action planning
Level 2 Award in Assisting at Forest School (RQF).
This 5-day course is designed for those who are assisting a Forest School Leader at Forest School, this course does not enable you to run Forest School Programmes. This is a Level 2 OCN (RQF) course accredited by Agored Cymru. This course is assessed through a portfolio and peer assessment. This course normally takes 6 months to complete. You will be required to assist in the delivery of Forest School sessions to achieve your qualification so you will need to have identified a Forest School Leader with who you can work.
This course is 4 Units and 9 credits and covers:
- Supporting Learning, Play, and Development in the Natural Environment
- Sustainable Use and Management of Natural Resources
- Outdoor Practical Skills
- Assist at Forest School
Entry requirements
- 16 and over
- Identified a Forest school Leader to work with
- Level 1 Qualification or equivalent
Level 3 Certificate in Leading Forest School (RQF).
This 8-day course is for those who wish to lead Forest School programmes. This is a Level 3 OCN (RQF) course accredited by Agored Cymru. This course is assessed through portfolio, practical skill assessment days, work-based assessments, and peer assessments. This course normally takes 9 – 12 months to complete. This course supports you to set up and deliver a Forest School programme so you will need to identify a site to work from before enrolling in this course.
This course is 19 credits and covers these 5 units
- Supporting Learning, Play and Development in the Natural Environment
- Observation and Evaluation of Forest School
- Sustainable Use and Management of Natural Resources
- Teach Outdoor Practical Skills
- Deliver Forest School
Entry requirements
- 19 or over
- Level 2 Qualification or equivalent
- Experience of working with the client group
- A potential site and group to deliver Forest School programmes.
Forest School Top-Up Course Level 2 – Level 3
This 5-day course is for those who have already achieved the L2 Assist at Forest School qualification with Muddy Feet and who wish to progress to Level 3 Leading Forest School qualification. This is a Level 3 course accredited by Agored Cymru. This course is assessed through portfolio, practical skill assessment, work-based assessment, and peer assessment.
This course supports you to set up and deliver a Forest School programme so you will need to identify a site to work from before enrolling in this course.
This course is 19 credits and covers these 5 units
- Supporting Learning, Play, and Development in the Natural Environment
- Observation and Evaluation of Forest School
- Sustainable Use and Management of Natural Resources
- Teach Outdoor Practical Skills
- Deliver Forest School
Entry requirements
- 19 or over
- Level 2 Forest School Assistant Qualification
- Experience in working with the client group
- A potential site to deliver Forest School programs.
NATURE-BASED PLAY COURSE (Outdoor play practitioner L2)
This 2 day course is designed for those who are looking to have more of an outdoor nature play focus in their setting. The course brings together how nature based play can bring a wealth of benefits for children’s development and wellbeing. The course inspires you by enabling you to experience a range of nature based play activities and enables you to identify and implement considerations for implementing a nature based play approach , from session planning to risk assessing. The course also helps you to identify your impacts on the environment and help minimise any negative impacts.
This is a course accredited by Agored Cymru and is assessed through a portfolio (6 months to complete) which will incorporate running a short programme in their setting (min 4 sessions).
This course is ideal for childcare/nursery practitioners, preschool workers, childminders who are wishing to bring a child-led nature-based approach into their setting. This fully supportive course enables you to develop your skills and reflective practice. There are two main units:
- To enable the facilitation of outdoor play in the natural environment, linked to holistic development (credit value 3)
- Sustainable Use and Management of Natural Resources (credit value 2)
Please note this course does not enable you to run forest school sessions or cover practical tools and fires skills.